Quaker Steak & Lube, Milford

The first Quaker Steak and Lube was founded in 1974 with a dual mission: save America's great muscle cars, and serve a great steak. That very first cook-your-own-steak restaurant even boasted a real 1936 Chevy on its original grease rack.

At today's Quaker Steak and Lube restaurants, you'll still find an automotive theme. For example, there's the "Arizona El Camino," a steakburger loaded with pepperjack cheese. But there's much more to this beloved chain, as we outline in these four highlights.

• The wings: Though steaks were originally the focus at Quaker Steak, the restaurant has become known as a wing hot spot in recent years. They've won national awards, and they're as popular as they are critically acclaimed. The team serves 80 million wings annually—that's 10 for every person in New York City.

• The wing sauces: They run the gamut from Kentucky Bourbon to Triple Atomic, which ranks a 500,000 on the Scoville Scale.

• The steaks: Think one-pound, bone-in ribeyes, or a juicy top sirloin aged for 28 days.

• The steakburgers: Served on garlic brioche buns, each one comes with two hand-smashed patties, adorned with toppings such as mac and cheese or crispy sweet pickles.