Biscuits at NC’s top fast food chain have ‘magnetic pull,’ Southern Living says
The most popular fast food chain in North Carolina, according to a new ranking, is one most residents should be familiar with, especially if you’ve been here for a while.
FinanceBuzz, a digital personal finance website, recently released a list of the most popular fast-food chains in every state. In North Carolina, the top spot went to Bojangles, known for its Cajun-seasoned fried chicken and made-from-scratch biscuits.
The Charlotte-based chain was also crowned the best in South Carolina, according to FinanceBuzz.
“The data from FinanceBuzz heavily suggests that regionality plays a key role in popularity, and neighboring states are also loyal to local chains — take North Carolina and South Carolina with Bojangles, for instance,” Southern Living wrote. “We certainly don’t blame them, with the magnetic pull of Bo Berry Biscuits.”
The team FinanceBuzz used Google Trends search data to identify each state’s favorite fast-food chains, then narrowed the results by factoring in the number of restaurant locations and overall search popularity.
More Southern Living accolades for NC spots
In 2024, Southern Living named Alexander Michael’s in Charlotte one of the South’s most legendary restaurants, citing its lasting impact on the community through its food, atmosphere and hospitality, The Charlotte Observer reported. It was the only North Carolina restaurant to make the list.
Other Charlotte eateries, such as Lang Van, Mama Ricotta’s and Hello, Sailor were named among the best restaurants in Charlotte, the Observer reported.
Six barbecue restaurants, including Skylight Inn BBQ in Ayden and Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh, also claimed slots on the publication’s list of “Top 50 BBQ Joints,” the News & Observer reported last year.
This story was originally published February 23, 2026 at 12:05 PM with the headline "Biscuits at NC’s top fast food chain have ‘magnetic pull,’ Southern Living says."
