Classic fast-food chains still open on LI

Who doesn't love the tiny cheeseburgers sold by White Castle, a burger chain that dates back to 1921? While the chain has closed a few restaurants in the area, including its Mount Sinai digs in 2012, the chain still runs eateries in Lynbrook, West Hempstead, Centereach, Massapequa, Commack, Farmingdale, Huntington Station, Brentwood and Deer Park.

While not as widespread as rival KFC, Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, which got its start in 1972, still has a handful of restaurants on Long Island as far east as Lindenhurst. This Google street view image shows the Baldwin restaurant.

Long Island was in a frenzy when circa-1940 chain Dairy Queen returned to the region, opening a restaurant in Massapequa. The warm welcome has prompted the chain to plan a second location on the Island, slated for Levittown. And as if Dairy Queen wasn't enough of a blast from the past, the chain also owns Orange Julius and serves those iconic foamy citrus drinks at some of its storefronts.

Long Island-based Nathan's Famous has been a local institution since its founding in 1916 on Coney Island. The chain runs more than a dozen restaurants across the area in shopping centers or as stand-alone eateries, like this one in New Hyde Park. This is a Google street view photo of the restaurant.

Carvel

The yogurt craze hasn't taken out perhaps the most recognized ice cream chain on Long Island. Carvel, which dates back to 1929, still has dozens of ice cream shops across Long Island in strip malls and in stand-alone shops. Long live Fudgie the Whale.

Johnny Rockets

Perhaps the only fast-food chain where the servers sing to you on the half-hour, circa-1986 restaurant Johnny Rockets still runs two eateries on Long Island, including this one in the Tanger Outlet Center in Deer Park. The chain recently shut its restaurant in Hicksville.

Breakfast favorite Denny's dates back to 1953, though only three locations remain on Long Island in Carle Place, Levittown and this restaurant in Centereach.

You can't see it pictured here, but famed root beer maker A&W runs one of its A&W fast-food restaurants within the concourse at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip. The company first launched its food stands in 1919, in California.

Where else can you get a beef and cheddar sandwich if not for Arby's, which still runs three Long Island restaurants including this one in the food court of the Broadway Mall in Hicksville? The chain dates back to 1964.

Checkers - North Babylon

While this traditional burger drive thru has 1950s charm, Checkers actually dates back to 1986 and more often operates as Rally's in the South. The chain has also closed shops in the area, including one in Lake Grove recently, but it still has more than a dozen locations on Long Island including this one in North Babylon.