How Far You’ll Have to Drive from NJ to Visit These Popular Restaurants

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

Sure, we have countless world-class restaurants here in the Garden State along with fantastic spots for hoagies/subs, cheesesteaks, pizza, and whatnot, 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 here.

How Far You'll Need to Drive

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 you would need to take to get to the closest one.

If driving over 1,000 miles for a cheeseburger isn't the worst idea that you've ever had, this list is for you.

And we included the distance and/or driving time from Trenton, since that's a midpoint of the state.

• READ MORE: Old Fast Food Restaurant in South Jersey Being Demolished for New Fast Food Restaurant

Closest Waffle House to New Jersey

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

While they're a culinary institution (we'll use that term loosely here), 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.

Two Waffle House locations are relatively close to New Jersey -- there's one just outside of Allentown, PA, (about 50 miles from Trenton) and there's another one in Newark, DE, (about 80 miles from Trenton).

Closest Hardees to New Jersey

Hardee's is a 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, chicken tenders, or a massive burger. The nearest Hardee's is in Middletown, Delaware, about 90 miles from Trenton.

Closest Cici's Pizza to New Jersey

I used to see TV commercials for Cici's Pizza all the time (they offer a really low-priced pizza buffet).

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.

Should you want to visit Cici's Pizza, the nearest one is in Lancaster, PA, about 90 miles away.

• READ MORE: Collingswood Diner in NJ to Close After Over 40 Years

Closest Cookout to 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, you have two options: there's a location in Winchester, VA, which is about 190 miles away, or you could head south to Salisbury, MD, and make a 200-mile trip.

Closest Buc-ee's to New Jersey

You know how people around here are obsessed with Wawa? Multiply that by at least a factor of 91 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.

There's good news and bad news regarding Buc-ee's... they are getting closer to New Jersey, but the nearest one isn't exactly nearby. If you're craving some beaver nuggets, the closest one is also one of the newest stores in Harrisonburg, VA, on Interstate 81, which is about 315 miles or almost 5 hours from Trenton.

Closest Whataburger to 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.

CAUTION: 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.

Closest In-N-Out Burger to 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 in Plano, TX. To get there, you'll be driving for 23 hours and covering 1,500 miles.