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The Best Episodes of The Food That Built America

Every episode of The Food That Built America ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Food That Built America!

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The fascinating stories of the families behind the food that built America, those who used brains, muscle, blood, sweat and tears to get to America's heart through its stomach, those who invented new technologies and

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Food That Built America Season 6 Episode 5 - Legends of the Mall
    8.7/10(27 votes)

    #1 - Legends of the Mall

    S6:E5

    Early American malls have no food court, until a cinnamon bun, a pretzel, and a panda all move in to create three of the world's most iconic food brands and transform the American Mall.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The Food That Built America Season 2 Episode 5 - Cola Wars
    8.5/10(108 votes)

    #2 - Cola Wars

    S2:E5

    In the 1970s, one major cola brand launches a blind taste test marketing plan that takes direct aim at their biggest competitor. As a new era of competition heats up between the behemoth brands, each side selects a new leader who takes the companies to battle in a rivalry that will birth countless iconic soda products and memorable marketing stunts.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 7 - The Beef is On
    8.4/10(67 votes)

    #3 - The Beef is On

    S3:E7

    When Col. Sanders sells his company to investors in 1964, the new owners identify a rising star within the organization: Dave Thomas.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 12 - Pasta Party
    8.4/10(62 votes)

    #4 - Pasta Party

    S3:E12

    Hector and Mario Boiardi open an Italian restaurant in Cleveland in 1924 and soon introduce Italian food to Americans; the brothers eventually find themselves in competition with James Kraft and his newest offering, macaroni and cheese.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Food That Built America Season 5 Episode 2 - Ice Cream Revolution
    8.4/10(38 votes)

    #5 - Ice Cream Revolution

    S5:E2

    A cab driver turned ice cream entrepreneur comes up with the idea to mix name brand candy into high quality ice cream to create new novel flavors. After opening an ice cream shop to share his mix-in creations, his concept skyrockets.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Food That Built America Season 5 Episode 7 - Champions of Breakfast
    8.4/10(35 votes)

    #6 - Champions of Breakfast

    S5:E7

    Will Kellogg is on top of the cereal industry after beating out post, but now, the king of cereal has met his match with a young flour mill executive; a decades long war for dominance ensues as Kellogg's and General Mills battle it out.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Food That Built America

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  7. The Food That Built America Season 6 Episode 1 - Tortilla Takeover
    8.4/10(29 votes)

    #7 - Tortilla Takeover

    S6:E1

    Bold visionaries take big risks to bring Mexican food to all Americans, by creating the best-selling condiment on the planet, two of the most famous snack chip brands of all time and innovating the iconic pairing of chips and salsa.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Food That Built America Season 6 Episode 4 - Empire of Convenience
    8.4/10(26 votes)

    #8 - Empire of Convenience

    S6:E4

    The first convenience store is born, and with new innovations like late hours, to-go coffee, and America's most beloved slushy drink, it rises into an iconic chain with more locations than any other store or restaurant in the world.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 3 - Do or Donut
    8.3/10(68 votes)

    #9 - Do or Donut

    S3:E3

    When a commercial caterer realizes his two best selling items are donuts and coffee, he joins forces with his brother-in-law to create a revolutionary donut chain; soon a rivalry starts with a beloved Southern-based donut shop.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 4 - A Dish Best Served... Soft
    8.3/10(65 votes)

    #10 - A Dish Best Served... Soft

    S3:E4

    When his ice cream truck breaks down, Tom Carvel discovers that half-melted ice cream is a surefire hit with customers.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 5 - The Best Thing Since...
    8.3/10(62 votes)

    #11 - The Best Thing Since...

    S3:E5

    In a quest to dominate the growing commercial bread industry, Lee Marshall bets on a new kind of white loaf, unwittingly inspiring a homemaker named Margaret Rudkin to come up with a healthier alternative.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 6 - Cookie Fortunes
    8.3/10(61 votes)

    #12 - Cookie Fortunes

    S3:E6

    Hollywood agent Wally Amos transforms his professional life when he decides to make and sell his own gourmet chocolate chip cookies, and opens America's first cookie store; housewife Debbi Fields opens her homestyle cookie shop in a mall.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 9 - Beyond the Burger
    8.3/10(65 votes)

    #13 - Beyond the Burger

    S3:E9

    Restaurateur Glen Bell works to create a burger alternative for the fast-food market and after several setbacks goes on to help introduce the taco to America; two brothers look to beat the burger by betting that a roast beef sandwich can compete.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. The Food That Built America Season 5 Episode 4 - Sunshine in a Glass
    8.3/10(36 votes)

    #14 - Sunshine in a Glass

    S5:E4

    A scientist and businessman team up to develop a Vitamin C rich war ration for the troops fighting in World War 2, which unexpectedly leads to the development of a frozen concentrated orange juice that tastes great and allows for the widespread distribution of OJ for the first time in history. Soon after, a fruit salesman develops a process of flash pasteurizing fresh orange juice that turns the fledgling industry on its head. The two companies will go on to battle it out for domination.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Food That Built America Season 6 Episode 3 - Baking Chocolate Chip History
    8.3/10(26 votes)

    #15 - Baking Chocolate Chip History

    S6:E3

    A teacher turned restaurateur invents America's most popular cookie which leads to a battle of food giants, and one of the most iconic packaged cookies in history.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The Food That Built America Season 6 Episode 9 - Asian Food Invasion
    8.3/10(23 votes)

    #16 - Asian Food Invasion

    S6:E9

    A down-on-his-luck Japanese businessman and a Chinese immigrant and her son change the American palette when they introduce instant noodles in a cup, Peking Duck, and the biggest Chinese restaurant chain in the nation.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Food That Built America Season 1 Episode 3 - The Spoils of War
    8.2/10(96 votes)

    #17 - The Spoils of War

    S1:E3

    As the Great Depression hits, the titans of food push the envelope of innovation to feed a hungry nation. Then WWII sees competing industrial empires joining the war effort in a united front to fuel the forces fighting for freedom abroad. And in Post-War America, visionaries like Harland Sanders, the McDonald brothers and Ray Kroc battle to revolutionize the restaurant industry, and pave the way for the golden age of the American dream.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The Food That Built America Season 2 Episode 2 - The Chocolate Rush
    8.2/10(101 votes)

    #18 - The Chocolate Rush

    S2:E2

    In 1919, Milton Hershey is king of the chocolate, but everything changes when sugar prices drop in the new post-WWI era. Competitors spring up, including Hershey's former employee HB Reese, who goes on to create one of the bestselling candies ever.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Food That Built America Season 2 Episode 4 - American Cheese
    8.2/10(97 votes)

    #19 - American Cheese

    S2:E4

    At the turn of the 20th century, James Kraft challenges centuries of cheese-making tradition and forever alters the dairy industry with his new cheese innovation. Meanwhile, the Pabst brothers are desperate to keep their successful beer empire solvent through Prohibition.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The Food That Built America Season 2 Episode 6 - Chip Dynasties
    8.2/10(95 votes)

    #20 - Chip Dynasties

    S2:E6

    Herman Lay takes regional and small-time chips business to a national scale with his cutting-edge sales techniques and world-changing packaging technology, while a rival innovator invents a new kind of snack chip that will challenge Lay's crown.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Food That Built America Season 2 Episode 7 - Cookie Wars
    8.2/10(83 votes)

    #21 - Cookie Wars

    S2:E7

    A business partnership gone wrong leads Adolphus Green to create one of the most iconic cookie and cracker companies in history, and revolutionize packaging.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The Food That Built America Season 2 Episode 12 - A Game of Chicken
    8.2/10(72 votes)

    #22 - A Game of Chicken

    S2:E12

    In the 1970's, Ray Kroc is far ahead of the competition. But when a burger chain claiming to be king poaches his third-highest ranking executive, Don Smith, it's war. Smith re-engineers the emerging rival, using the best ideas of his former franchise to modernize the brand. In an unprecedented move, Ray Kroc brings on a world renowned chef to develop the chicken nugget, breakfast, and try to crush the would-be king once and for all.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 1 - Submarine Warfare
    8.2/10(79 votes)

    #23 - Submarine Warfare

    S3:E1

    High School friends see an alternative to fast food with the "submarine" sandwich. But they are quickly met with the fierce competition of a new submarine joint, started by a physicist, that is trying to perfect the art of the franchise, and will go on to be the biggest restaurant chain in the world.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 10 - Chain Reaction
    8.2/10(62 votes)

    #24 - Chain Reaction

    S3:E10

    Former wrestler Rocky Aoki and a perfume salesman become the unlikely fathers of a casual dining revolution when they open different establishments in the heart of New York City: one of America's first Japanese restaurants and a swinging singles bar.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Food That Built America Season 3 Episode 11 - Let Them Eat Snack Cakes
    8.2/10(62 votes)

    #25 - Let Them Eat Snack Cakes

    S3:E11

    Martha Entenmann takes the reins of her late husband's baking company and grows it into a national powerhouse; a married couple bankrupt one bakery, but succeed their second time around with a revolutionary way to sell snack cakes.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Legends of the Mall" is the best rated episode of "The Food That Built America". It scored 8.7/10 based on 27 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 3/23/2025. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Cola Wars".