What's Nashville casual dining missing? 6 fast-food restaurants that haven't come to Music City yet

The fast-food industry moves as quickly in business as it does in service.

Just six years ago, New York-based burger joint Shake Shack opened its first Nashville location in Green Hills, and now, there are five in and around the city. At that time in 2018, Whataburger, Cava, Raising Cane’s and In-N-Out Burger didn’t have any sort of Nashville presence either.

Today, there are 11 Whataburgers with more on the way, five Cava locations, four Raising Cane’s restaurants and three In-N-Out Burger drive-thrus set to open by 2026. Jack in the Box is actively seeking franchisees for additional locations in Nashville and Tennessee's largest markets.

"Tennessee has a wide range of cities that offer the key demographics Jack in the Box is looking for," the chain's website states. "Our real-estate and development teams have been reviewing areas of opportunity and high demand."

Experts don’t expect Tennessee’s fast-food expansions to slow down any time soon.

“Quick service has been growing substantially over the past couple of decades,” National Restaurant Association Senior Vice President Hudson Riehle said. “It's certainly a continuation of a long-term trend within the industry. But it's important to keep in mind that in the end, all restaurant sales are local.”

Despite worker shortages and continuing efforts to recover sectors of the restaurant industry from the pandemic, Riehle said U.S. restaurant sales in 2024 are projected to surpass $1.1 trillion — a record high. Moreover, he said most restaurant traffic in the U.S. is “off premises,” meaning customers are using drive-thrus, take out or delivery options instead of eating inside of restaurants.

What fast food is Nashville missing?

Even with the fast-food industry traversing a steady incline and Nashville’s continued meteoric growth, several restaurant chains from across the country have yet to make their Music City debuts.

That doesn’t mean they won’t show up someday, though.

Here is a list of some of the restaurant chains Nashville is missing:

Sweetgreen

The Los Angeles-based salad spot has hundreds of locations across 23 states, but none in Tennessee. With specialty menu items like the miso-glazed salmon bowl and a unique take on the Cobb salad, Sweetgreen is a fast favorite for healthy options.

According to its website, there are no new restaurants currently planned for Tennessee.

Del Taco

The California Mexican-food chain Del Taco is mostly focused in its home state. However, there are also Del Taco locations in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

Menu items include everything from a breakfast burrito to guacamole and burgers.

Milo’s Hamburgers

While you can find Milo’s famous sweet tea and lemonade by the gallon in Publix and Kroger across Nashville, Milo’s Hamburgers are only found in Alabama. The fast food brand started in 1946 in Birmingham, Alabama, and now has over 24 locations.

While Milo's Hamburgers and Milo's Famous Tea Co. still bear nearly identical logos, they have operated as completely separate companies since 2002.

Qdoba Mexican Eats

At one point, the quick-serve Mexican chain operated several restaurants across Nashville, but in recent years, they all closed.

Now, the only Qdoba location in Tennessee is in Knoxville.

Joe & The Juice

Founded in 2002, Joe & The Juice sells a variety of coffees, teas, smoothies and sandwiches across the globe. None of its over 300 locations are located in Tennessee, though.

The company’s U.S. locations are mainly in New York, California and Florida.

Pieology Pizzeria

Based in California, Pieology Pizzeria has over 100 franchise locations across the country. The restaurant offers DIY personal pizzas with gluten free options, plus calzones and salads.

Pieology previously had a location in Franklin that closed in 2023. Now, the closest one to Nashville is in Huntsville, Alabama.

Hadley Hitson covers trending business, dining and health care for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work,subscribe to The Tennessean.