#3: White Castle

In 1921, Walt A. Anderson and Edgar Waldo A. Ingram took a bold step in Wichita, Kansas, launching White Castle with just $700. More than a burger joint, it was a revolution—the first true fast-food restaurant in America.

To combat public skepticism about meat quality, sparked by Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, they designed spotless stainless steel kitchens and dressed staff in crisp white uniforms, symbolizing purity and trust. Their tiny square sliders became an instant hit, laying the foundation for the modern fast-food industry.