Which fast food chain is headquartered in San Diego, California?

Jack in the Box is the fast food chain headquartered in San Diego, California. The company began there and has retained its corporate base in the city.

Robert O. Peterson founded Jack in the Box in 1951 after operating drive-in restaurants in San Diego. He converted an earlier Topsy’s Drive-In on El Cajon Boulevard into the first Jack in the Box, creating a restaurant built around rapid drive-through service. A two-way intercom allowed staff to take orders before customers reached the service window.

The chain’s San Diego identity can cause confusion because many major fast-food companies are associated with Southern California. Carl’s Jr. traces its corporate history to Los Angeles County, while In-N-Out is headquartered in Irvine. Wendy’s, meanwhile, is based in Dublin, Ohio.

Jack in the Box expanded beyond the West Coast and eventually became a publicly traded company. Its menu also grew far beyond hamburgers, adding tacos, chicken, breakfast items, salads, and seasonal products, but San Diego remains the company’s headquarters and historic home.