Drive-by dining

It’s hard for some to imagine, but there are kids at Hollywood High who have never eaten a Chick-Fil-A. You see, Los Angeles may be a haven for fast food, but some chains forsake the heart of the city for a quiet life in the ‘burbs. For those folks stuck in the middle of town, we present a suburban fast food primer. You might find this useful the next time you find yourself lost in such exotic locales as Anaheim, Torrance or Rancho Cucamonga.

Chick-Fil-A

The Atlanta-based chain, celebrating its 40th anniversary, was not only the first restaurant to feature a chicken breast sandwich, its original location inside a shopping mall created what would become the first mall food court. Today, there are more than 1,300 Chick-Fil-As nationwide, and while most are still in food courts, nearly 500 are newer, larger, free-standing restaurants like the kind you’ll find in Long Beach and Upland. It’s justifiably famous for its yummy self-named chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and -- due to the founder’s religious beliefs -- being closed on Sundays.

Locations at www.chickfila.com

Sonic Drive-In

You’d think that a place that still brings food to your car would be popular in car-crazy Southern California, yet this Oklahoma chain, which boasts nearly 3,300 restaurants nationwide, has only one SoCal location: in Anaheim, three miles from Disneyland, in the parking lot of an abandoned Food 4 Less. A recent Friday night found this joint jumping, with people waiting to park in one of its 28 spaces, and the carhops looking completely overwhelmed. The menu features good burgers, tater tots and a large and delicious beverage selection. Lime cream slush, anyone?

1632 Lemon St., Anaheim, (714) 992-4500.

Long John Silver’s and A&W;

Famously parodied in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” 25 years ago, one of the last remaining Silver’s in the area is crammed inside a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Pacoima in the Valley. A few others can be found in southern L.A. County communities like Hawthorne and Bell, but none has a roof of its own. That’s because the chain is owned by Yum Brands Inc., the giant behind KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, and Yum loves to “co-brand” two restaurants in one space. Long John’s serves mostly battered, deep-fried fish. They have chicken too, though their chicken tastes pretty much like the fish.

www.ljsilvers.com

The Hat

This place first opened in Alhambra in 1951, and despite having 10 locations that surround Los Angeles in places like Pasadena and Simi Valley, none is actually within L.A’s city limits. It has two dozen sandwiches on its menu, but everyone orders the pastrami. It’s one of the best sandwiches in town -- I mean, near town.

www.thehat.com