Hungry?! How far these popular restaurants are from New Jersey

For a state that seems to have everything, we sure do seem to miss out on a lot of things, especially when it comes to restaurants.

Now, I know what you're about to say — we already have a gazillion world-class restaurants in the Garden State. And you are correct.

But there are some big chains that seem to be everywhere except New Jersey.

I mean, you'd think there would be at least one Waffle House somewhere here. We certainly have enough really busy highways with millions of people driving through at any given time. But we don't.

I decided to take a look at some of the bigger national chains that have locations all across the country and how long of a drive it would take to get there from here.

If you've ever thought about driving 1500 miles for a cheeseburger, this list might be for you...

In-N-Out Burger from New Jersey

Based primarily in California, you will find a handful of In-N-Out Burger restaurants out west and in Texas.

Unfortunately, the nearest In-N-Out is on the north side of Dallas, TX — you'll be driving 1,500 miles over 23 hours (assuming you don't stop to sleep or do anything else). That's a really long drive for a fast-food burger.

Hardee's from New Jersey

Hardee's is another big fast-food chain that you can't find in New Jersey.

The good news is that you don't have to travel too far if you're craving biscuits, some chicken tenders, or a massive burger. The nearest Hardee's is in Bear, Delaware, just 35 minutes from the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

Buc-ee's from New Jersey

You know how people around here are obsessed with Wawa? Multiply that by at least a factor of ten and you'll get a sense of why Buc-ee's has a massive cult-like following. And, yes, I know they're not technically a restaurant but they certainly sell mountains of food and snacks.

If you gotta have some beaver nuggets or you want to check out an entire wall of jerky, head south, my friend. The nearest Buc-ee's is 570 miles from Trenton, or about 9 hours south on I-95 in Florence, South Carolina.

Whataburger from New Jersey

Whataburger is a Texas institution that has been slowly spreading across the country, especially in the Southeast — but you won't find one anywhere near New Jersey.

The nearest Whataburger to New Jersey is in the Greenville, South Carolina, area, which is a mere 715 miles from Toms River.

Note: you'll have to drive past the smaller "What-A-Burger" chain of restaurants in Virginia and North Carolina to get to the larger "Whataburger" restaurants down south. The two are not related to each other.

Waffle House from New Jersey

If you've driven anywhere in this country, chances are, you've passed a Waffle House.

While they're a culinary institution, you won't find a Waffle House in the Garden State. The common thinking is that since diners are everywhere in New Jersey, Waffle Houses would have a tough time competing.

The good news is the closest Waffle House to New Jersey is in Newark, Delaware, just 25 minutes from the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

Cookout from New Jersey

Cookout has been rapidly expanding across the country, but they're still nowhere near New Jersey.

If you want a really good burger or one of their 40 flavors of milkshakes, the nearest Cookout is about 3 hours, or 160 miles, from Woodbury.

Cici's Pizza from New Jersey

I used to see TV commercials for Cici's Pizza all the time. Now, it's probably safe to say that the pizza landscape in New Jersey is ultra-competitive and a chain like this would be up against countless mom-and-pop places, making their survival a bit difficult.

Cici's claim to fame is their pizza is served buffet-style and you can eat as much as you want (which seems like a dream come true until you have that fourth slice).

Should you want to visit Cici's Pizza, the nearest one is in Lancaster, PA, about 70 miles from Camden.

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