Becks Prime, Houston

In 1984, Becks Prime was hardly more than a double drive-thru and a mission: to serve fresh, made-to-order burgers that upped the ante on traditional fast food. The restaurant has grown to 13 locations since then, and fewer customers are wearing "Vote Mondale" buttons, but not much else has changed. Cooks still prepare the food using never-frozen Angus Beef burgers, Boar's Head hot dogs, and marinated chicken breasts, all grilled to order over mesquite wood coals. Thick-cut fries and milkshakes round out the menu of American classics. The restaurant's passion for fast, high-quality burgers has caught the attention of the press in a big way—Becks Prime has been lauded by Zagat, Thrillist, and The Daily Meal.