20 Old Fast Food Chains.. That DID NOT Stand the Test of Time
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 มิ.ย. 2024
- 20 Old Fast Food Chains.. That DID NOT Stand the Test of Time
#1970s #fastfood
Welcome back, folks! "20 Iconic fast food chains that became defunct" explores the rise and fall of America's once-favorite fast food joints. Remember places like Burger Chef, with its innovative kids' meals, and Bonanza, a haven for steak lovers? Though these chains have closed their doors, but their legacy continues to influence the industry today. Let's unwrap the stories of these beloved eateries.
📺 Watch the entire video for more information!
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:24 Bob's Big Boy
01:17 Burger Chef
02:10 White Tower
02:59 Arthur Treacher's
03:53 Ground Round
04:42 Bonanza
05:38 Biff Burger
06:27 Carrols
07:19 Naugles
08:07 Gino's
08:59 Henry's Hamburgers
09:50 Sandy's DriveIn
10:44 Lum's
11:37 Rax Roast Beef
12:28 Chi-Chi's
13:27 Kenny Rogers Roasters
14:25 Farrell's
15:26 Showbiz
16:20 Howard Johnson's
17:14 Winky's
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Which iconic fast food restaurant brings back fond memories?
I remember the Ponderosa chain and the Sizzler chain.
I really enjoyed your video. I worked at a Burger Chef in Michigan. We also had a Penguin Point. They had a varied menu with fish, chicken and burgers. Perfect fried chicken.
The Railroader!
@@jrebecca0195 We still have a Ponderosa on our side of town in Columbus, Ohio (south side). Even though the place is about 5-7 minutes from my neighborhood, I haven't been there in a good while. Need to go back soon.
@@Linda7647aw, lucky you! I thought they all went out of business.
Anyone remember Shakey's Pizza? I loved their buffet.
How about Sambo's? Never had a good meal there.
There's Shakey's here. The few times I went made me sick. This was like, less than 10 years ago.
If not mistaken, there's a Shakey's near Oshkosh, WI.
MOJO potatoes on the Bunch of Lunch menu.
We had 2 Shakey’s Pizzas in Wichita, KS. One was the Friday evening stop after classes at Wichita State.
I miss Bonanza and Burger Chef, lots of good food and good memories.
The best!
Burger Chef had the best milk shakes.
I miss Bonanza, but I don't really miss Burger Chef although it was better than McD's.
Burger Chef and Jeff!
I loved Burger Chef.
Most of these businesses weren’t fast food. They were traditional sit down restaurants.
Don't get technicsl
I remember A&W drive-in restaurants in the 1970's and they declined to almost nothing, but reinvented themselves as a fast food chain and they came right back.
Loved the "ghost" meals for kids at burger chef
30+ years ago there were 3 in Reno. The one that was a drive in went away in the early 90's and though the building and the central drive-in island are still there, it's a used car dealer now. Another left about 5 years ago as the shopping center it was in has been totally razed for a 3 brand combined new car lot. (I thought they should have kept it as a waiting room) The last one is across the street from a High School, that should aid in their survival.
You stole my thunder! But it's all good! I could go for a foot-long right now!
They are still around in California. But not as good as they used to be. Except for the original one in Lodi.
@@karlfonner7589 If I may interject, it was when I was visiting my aunt and uncle in San Jose, Ca. I am from Cincinnati. But, I remember it well.
I remember most of these restaurants. I was a waitress at Big Boy in 1966 and remember the food being so good but about 10 years ago I went to one and the food was awful. Nothing like it used to be. I also worked at Howard Johnson as a cook and one thing I remember on the menu was Indian pudding. I haven't seen or heard of it since. Good memories. Thank you
Hearing about your time at Big Boy and Howard Johnson's brings such nostalgia! It's sad how changes over the years can alter a once-loved dining experience. Your memory of Indian pudding is a precious reminder of the unique and now rare dishes that defined those times. Thanks for sharing these cherished memories!
Oh my goodness, Indian Pudding. It was the best. Served warm and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You just triggered a wave of emotions . I'm trying to finish writing this while crying. I miss these things and I miss my family, all of who are gone now.
I remember Indian Pudding, it was the perfect end to a Sunday dinner at Ho-Jo's in the 1960's, We actually reserved Thanksgiving dinner at Ho-Jo's one year , there were white tablecloths cloth napkins and a silver setting for a full course meal which was down home good amazing , a toast to an era of high class dining for the average American. Thanks for mentioning Indian Pudding, those two words opened a roomful of forgotten memories, not sure but I believe the Pudding had a small scoop of vanilla ice which was included within desert, It was amazing, thank you for the keywords to some very fond memories. The Ho-Jo was in Westberry LI near the Music fair , we lived near the main Ho-Jo's on Queens Blvd, NYC , it was the largest in one in the chain with a huge banquet hall.
Indian pudding at HoJos! SO GOOD!!
I miss Burger Chef.
Bobs big boy was a family treat when i was a kid in the 70s, but it wasnt fast food. A family diner
Alex Schoenbaum founded the Shoney's Big Boy chain in early 1960's. Shoney's #1 is still operating and is located in Charleston WV.
The thing is, it was the fast food chains that pushed these casual dining restaurants out of business. For casual dining, people preferred the lower price and faster service of a fast food place. If they wanted a sit down meal, they preferred a more formal, upscale restaurant. It's too bad, but that's business.
Me too. I loved TJ's Big Boy in Syracuse NY as kid ❤
Elias Brothers Big Boy in Michigan. Big Boy Combo and a hot fudge Ice Cream Cake.
@@specom I really miss eating at Frisch's in Winchester, Ky when my husband was still able to drive. He loved the big boy platters! I loved the crinkle cut french fries! We would split the hot fudge cake. Great coffee too.
1974 i worked at a burger chef. Got a raise of .10 cents from $1.65 to $1.75. Thought i was big time then.
1981 I worked at Bonanza. The raise was 2.95 to 3.10
🫡"Wow"I that yr I was in Junior High school in"NYC"@age14..✌🏾
What I truly loved about Burger Chef growing up in the 70's, was the fixings bar. Because we were really young at the time, my brother, both sisters, and I got what BC called "Fun Meals". Mom would get us plain cheeseburgers, but we would get to go to the fixings bar to top our burgers. Both of my sisters would top theirs with a few toppings, but my brother, and I would pile ours up to the hilt. My brother would pile pickles on his, while I piled onions on mine. Mom would yell at us for putting so much on our burgers, that she would tells us to save some toppings for other customers, but neither of us would listen, and that pissed her off to no end.
Burger chef was a far better burger than McDonalds. Always ate there......
I worked at Gino's in 1978. I worked 3 hours and they sent me home because business was slow. I quit, it probably cost me more for gas to drive there then what I made in 3 hours.
Ponderosa was our family's favorite.
Yep, I remember going to Ponderosa quite often when I was a kid !
Ponderosa started in my home town, Kokomo Indiana. The original owners opened several hamburger fast food places called Scotty's Sandwich Junction here too. Had a Big Mac like sandwich called a Royal Scott or a Great Scottt
Are we talking about Ponderosa Steak House? We loved it.
I had a music teacher that would take me to Ponderosa as a reward for keeping music room nice and clean after school I thought that was the greatest, I miss the Varities so much they were great teachers 😢
Vandalia Illinois Still has one and it is the absolute best.
Neighboring Effingham Illinois had one and it had a bigger buffet, but didn't seem to taste as good. Now that Effingham location is an El Rancherito Mexican Restaurant.
A&W had the best broasted chicken and Root Beer. It was a real treat when I was a kid.
Yeah I love A&W I live in a very small town and the waitresses would wear roller skates and the trays would clip on to the window of the door good times.
And you could get the free glass mugs with every root beer.
I've never seen one at another A & W but ours had a giant concrete dolphin out in front of it for some reason.
It was cool us kids would sit on it and the parents would take their pictures.
I used to work at one in the 80’s. We didn’t do rollerskates cause the pull in spot was on a mound. So we walked the trays out to the cars. Loved it
Loved the Burger Chef!!!
With or Without?
35 or 38 cent big chef right?
I really miss Burger Chef. My mom and I used to go there all the time in the late sixties and early seventies.
Mmmm Arthur Treacher's...loved their fish.
Didn’t they also serve really good sweet potato rolls?
I worked at one that changed over to Wiener king, then they branched out with other franchisees that left them and started a group under the name Weiner Works.
Yeah, I went there as a kid in the 70s. I loved their Hush Puppies
I remember Dennis Miller saying that was one of his first jobs. Maybe that’s where the “hearty laughter” came from. 😂
This is where I learned that malt vinegar belongs on fries. And fish.
This was so much fun to travel back in time. The quality of food was so much better than what’s served today.
Thanks for watching!
"The quality of food was so much better than what’s served today...." abosultley correct. Corn syrup in everything, deregulation and lack of adeqaute inspection and punishment through regulation. The rich and keep getying richcer of of deregulation, and the nation keeps getting fatter, with daibetes and heart problems etc.
@@thomastimlin1724 There was less regulation in those days. People did eat healthier, because they only went out to eat once a month instead of every day.
I fondly remember my parents taking me to Burger Chef and Bonanza. Good food and good times!
I LOVED Bonanza. To me a restaurant with a salad bar was fancy. Lol 😂
In Santa Barbara the place to have a birthday party was Shakey's pizza. I loved it. You didn't mention it in this lineup but it was so much fun.
Loved Shakey’s too, good times as a kid, especially the mojo potatoes!
@@moeomoton520me too!
there was NOTHING as good as Shakey's pizza. nothing!!!!
We had a Shakeys Pizza near us in the late 60s-early 70s. Loved it. They would show The 3 stooges or Heckle and Jeckle on the screen. There was a player piano. You could watch them spinning the dough and making the pizza. Great memories.
I remember Shakey's! They had that player piano you could play for a quarter, and sometimes a live band that would take requests. Lot's of fun.
I remember "Taco-Tico" when I was a kid, my Dad used to really like that place and usually found an excuse to take us there once every couple of weeks or so. They had this item called an "Enchirito" which was basically a beef burrito covered in enchilada sauce and cheese, and then to I think they steamed it to melt the cheese on top. I used to love those, they closed in the early 80s and it was the first restaurant I remember being sad over being gone.
That is known as a wet burrito in Michigan.
We still have a few in KS and they are BAD. "Salsa" is ketchup and black pepper !
What about the Godfathers Pizza chain? There were a few in Minnesota late 1970s- mid 1980s
My hometown had Godfathers Pizza as well as Burger Chef and Bonanza.......i really miss Bonanza, it was such a treat to eat there during my childhood...the waffle fries were awesome!
I lived their Taco pizza. I found a Godfather pizza in a truck stop outside of Memphis recently
There is still a Godfathers in Brooklyn Park MN.
The "toppings bar" for your hamburger at Burger Chef was a beautiful thing. It was like a salad on your burger....and for three years, working at Farrell's put me through college. 🥤🍦🍦🍔
Yes it was!
It came about a few years before they went under.
Fuddruckers has it but there aren't many left, there are two in north Jersey, Succasunna and Parsippany.
We had Fuddruckers here, I miss making my own burger🥺
I miss Cuco's, and Chi-Chi's.
Howard Johnson's had good food and ice cream 🍨 my dad would take the family to some in the New England area and I swear a few times in New York when we'd be traveling to Ohio to see our grandparents in the early 70's, and also Burger Chef was mine and my Dads favorite he'd get the mushroom with the gravy on his burger and I'd get the regular cheese burger 🍔 and their burgers were charbroiled very tasty 😋, great memories, Thank you 😊❤
Thank you for enjoying! ❤️
I remember HoJo to go!!! Mom had butter pecan and I had pistachio....usually. also enjoyed strawberry shortcake and sometimes the brownie with vanilla ice cream.
Good call! Howard Johnsons had a lot of unique offerings and recipes. They even had their own cola which was even better than Coca Cola. Sadly, the toxic atmosphere of Reaganomics poisoned the chain from mergers and other shenanigans that stripped it of value. It lost its way and is no more.
Great hot dogs on a toasted roll.
@@Dave-zl2kytheir hot dogs were nasty, gave my family and I severe diarrhea and uncontrollable flatulence for days, I'm glad they are closed permanently, at least in my area!
I had a birthday party at Farrell's in 1981...one of the best times of my childhood. I'm glad Naugles is back.
Yep, there's one a few miles away. Problem is it's in Stanton, the worst city in southern California. It's so bad, we all pretend it doesn't exist.
Omg Naugles!! They had one in San Leandro in the Bay Area in the 80s
@@Chris-ct3gcthought they brought one back to orange county. Near Fullerton??
I really miss Farrell's.....the food was good and it was loud and boisterous and I loved it!
What about Red Barn? I really liked their food.
I worked at one a long time ago.
Had one in the same shopping plaza with Radio Shack and Price Chopper food store. Use to love Red Barn.....
Lordy, ……been waiting to see Red Barn in one of these retro videos. I do remember Red Barn in -the late 60’s and early 70’s. - thanks for the memories
Loved the salad bar.
I was also looking for a mention of Red Barn. We had one in the suburbs of Detroit when I was young. I think I only ate there once. But now many decades later my residential street in central Florida runs behind a red barn structure. Its painted tan, until recently was a independent mexican food restaurant. They started out great! After a few years thier price sky rocketed, the employees attitudes got very nasty, an thier once decent food sucked the last time I went there. A couple months after that they went out of business, for which I was glad! Except once again that old red barn sits vacant.
I'm 62 , I remember from when I was 10 or 12 Burger Chef and Jeff 😊. Good stuff.
When I was a kid in the 60s it was a huge treat to go to Bonanza,there was one close by until COVID😢. McDonald’s also advertise hamburger fries, and a drink and change back for from dollar back then,now you have to take out a loan to eat there for a family of 4 😂
Yeah I remember the poster you saw in there about getting all this food for two adults and two children "for less than $4.00". For years afterwards, one of our favorite rejoinders was, "What you want change back, this ain't McDonald's!" Now I wonder if they offer in-house financing on those same items...
In the 50's in Phoenix we had both a Bob's big boy and Mcdonalds on Central avenue and in the 60's the Burger Chef in south Phoenix was always packed on the weekends with high school students, those were some good times.
I remember burger chef when i would visit grandma in florida, i loved the self serve fixin's bar. That was my favorite burger joint growing up.
Watching this is heartbreaking, so many great places we all knew that are gone forever now. And the handful that are here today can't hold a candle to them. Very, very sad.
There is one exception I know...in Bluefield WV there is a Tasty-Freez (Big Tee Burger) which still has the taste and the fries and shakes. You have to go through downtown and keep driving alongside the Norfolk Southern tracks. It's on the left, about 1.5 miles south of downtown. You won't see it until you're right there at it.
@@Edward-bd8iy Oh yeah l know Tasty-Freez, and thanks for the update although l don't think l'll be going to that one any time soon, l live in Las Vegas, LOL! BUT...we do have Tasty-Freez here, they are in a partnership with a place called Wienerschnitzel but they are only in 11 states.
Kenny Rogers was the bomb! I miss them. I still remember going to Farrell's when I was a teen and eating ice cream out of huge bowls. Who remembers Shoney's Restaurant & Hotel?
I lived where it all began... Shoney's #1 in Charleston WV. Alex Schoenbaum founded the chain and never dreamed it would be such a big chain. The Shoney's Inn concept started in the 1980s but fell victim to the real estate bust following the severe corrections of the 1987 markets. But, even though Alex passed away many years back, the Shoney's name lives on.
I knew of Shoney's from Consumer Reports magazine. We stopped at one in St. Louis in 1996. It was late, we were heading to Fort Leonard Wood for our son's graduation from Basic. Food was fair, don't even remember what we had.
Farell's! A great place to get embaressed on your birthday!
Kenny Rogers chicken was good. :)
I remember Shoneys and Kenny Rogers Roasters here in Dallas area when I first moved here years ago. Just read a few weeks ago that Kenny Rogers Roasters still exist but mostly in India or some other country.🤔
Kenny Rogers is still alive and well with restaurants in the Philippines
Another was Boston Market. Loved the concept and ability to grab and go. Miss it.
Is Boston Market closed?
@@grannydeen1586 in so many areas. There may be some out there.
They’ve just failed to restructure after bankruptcy. Looks like the last 30 stores will close. Sad.
@@grannydeen1586There is still one by me on Long Island that is still open. But their prices got jacked up and the quality of their food went downhill. I used to love their meatloaf, but now it tastes like cardboard. It used to always be crowded, but I barely see anyone there anymore.
Got 1 in Melbourne Florida
When we bought our house in 1982 (St. Petersburg FL) there was a Burger Chef on the corner maybe 200 feet away. It was bought by a restaurant family and became CD Roma's Italian Restaurant in the 1990s. CD Roma's moved to a new location about ten years ago and the old building was torn down to be replaced by a Chase bank. When I was a teenager in the 1960s, Biff-Burger was a great experience here. It was a gathering place for fellow teens to meet and show off their cars, which circled the place for hours on Saturday nights. It was finally sold and torn down only a year or two ago. And in St. Pete, Bob's Big Boy was called Frisch's Big Boy.
We had Frisch’s Big Boy in Tampa too. Biff Burger was on W Hillsborough, and a Burger Chef was on W Kennedy. It was vacant for a time, but eventually opened again as a Burger King. We also had a Shakey’s on S Dale Mabry.
Farrell's was the go-to location for kids birthday celebrations where I grew up. So many lovely memories!
Farrell's was AMAZING!!
Had one in Grand Rapids, Michigan back in the 70s. Bigtime fun!!
I really miss Kenny Rogers Roasters. Coming inside on a winter day with the fires roasting the chickens through glass so you could see, and the great salads and vegetable and potato dishes available were a real revelation when it reached our city. When I came back into town from a long absence, I was really sad to see it gone.
You forgot Shakey's Pizza. With it's window where you could watch as they expertly spun your pizza and the reel to reel projector illuminating films of "Our Gang" "Laurel and Hardy" and "Abbot and Costello"
Bob's Big Boy, Shakey's, A & W, the Pink Spot, Imperial Palace, H Salt Fish & Chips, Orange Julius, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlours...yep I remember them well
Arter Treachers chicken sandwich was great. Cole slaw and french dressing as the toppings. We didn't have a Bonanza but had Ponderosa which was a cross between a steakhouse and a buffet.
I worked at a "Dog n Suds" drive in , 1971, after high school for awhile. Great place
Elyria ohio. We still have a dog and subs. Original owner too. She is 88 yrs old now.
@@blackriverparanormalinvest4796 My bros and I worked at one in PA in the 70's. One was going through Elyria and got a half of Root Beer, great memories as we chugged the suds, lol
You couldn't be more wrong about Arthur Treacher's if you tried. Arthur Treacher's got bought out by Mrs Paul's and they changed the fish from Icelandic cod to pollock. It didn't taste the same and that was what killed Arthur Treacher's.
I remember LUMS during the 70s in Camillus NY, coming home from the State Fair, after football practice, riding my bike to Lums for the chocolate milkshake after seeing Star Wars for the first time. So many LUMS memories.
Lum’s served great hot dogs ! W / kraut & hot sauce . Awesome cold beer 🍺 in a schooner 😊
Had to order onion rings also .
How many times did you go see the original Star Wars in 1977? I did it fifteen times... when the remodeled version came out in 1997, I went five more times. Awesome.
We had a Lums here in Massillon Ohio.
I remember the Burger chef and Jeff. We still have a few Big boys.
Burger Chef started in Indianapolis. I didn't know that until now. But in the early 80's (must have been just before they were bought by Hardee's) I went into an Indianapolis Burger Chef to get lunch. I noticed they were raffling off a new 21" TV...the basic kind with dials instead of buttons and no remote). I thought that was strange. I looked around and there were no other customers. So I filled out the card for the raffle and sure enough I got a phone call a few days later saying that I had won. I immediately thought that their customer base must have been really low. I don't know why but I remember...it made me sad even though I had won the TV.
Chi-Chi's was so good, shame it doesn't exist in the US anymore. I'd gladly welcome it's return if they decided to try again.
Most chain Mexican restaurants can’t compete with local Mexican restaurants on price and taste
Oh it was awful …bland Midwest inspired Mexican food
@@pooddescrewch8718 Tex-Mex, which is not "authentic" (2 completely different styles, each is OK on its own merits) but NOT bland -- at least ours wasn't.
@@burlingtonbill1 Oh it was bland by Southern standards . It was not Tex Mex , it was Sedonan . Which supposedly is much less spiced . They went with it to appeal to Midwestern palates . Being Cajun , I wanted full flavor Mexican
I had a room mate in the 90's and she told me Chi-Chi's is tits in Spanish.
I grew up dirt poor in Appalachian West Virginia in the 60s. I find it fascinating to watch these videos, as I had no idea people actually visited restaurants during this time. All we knew was poverty. Poverty was all around me. Whenever I think about this decade, all I can imagine is abject poverty.
as I remember too , but , I left like our ancestors left Ireland & Wales , and got a decent job in Emporia , Virginia … then , even though I could have eaten at all the fast food places , I made my own meals at home AND SAVED MONEY !!!
I can relate to that being raised in south Alabama. I got off the school bus and went to work on the farm. If we were lucky we might get coke and pack of lance cheese crackers when we went town for groceries once a month.
I actually live right down the road from the only Arthur Treacher's that is still open. Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
I live close to what I am told is the last Rax.
I went to Rocky River High School in the 70's. I'd cut class, go to a bowling alley to play pinball (that was torn down decades ago) then I'd go to Arthur Treachers across the street on Detroit Rd. Now there's a Mitchells ice cream parlor there.
Hey neighbor..I lived in Cuyahoga Falls..from 1954 until 1966. Went to Price Elementary School. ZStill there. Moved to Pacific Grove..Ca.
I never understood why Burger Chef folded. The “Big Chef” sandwich was awesome.
Burger Chief was bought out by Hardees
I thought it was called a "Super Chef." Whichever it was called they were great burgers.
I lived where they built our Burger Chef...the house waisted and moved out into the country near a lake.
Burger Chef advertised 17 cent hamburgers or 7 for a dollar...this was in 1964 or 65.😊
"...the house was LIFTED...."
@@mikeeckel2807they had a Big Chef and a Super Chef. I think standard hamburgers were .23 each around 70/71 at my Burger Chef. It was only half a block away and I went there quite often
I agree. Great salad bar too.
Anyone remember Red Barn ?
There was one in Pontiac near the big mall. My family never went in, so I always wondered what was in there. Didn't know until years later that there was a chain of them over several states.
My Mom lived right across the road from a Red Barn burger restaurant and would eat there whenever her Mom fixed something she didn't like.
Growing up in the 70,s there was one in streetsbro Ohio
We had at least one in Omaha.
Yeah, we had at least one in Maryland.
Steak and Ale.
I miss them when they were in their heyday.
Oh yes loved that place
Loved steak and ale. And all steak and prime rib houses. Baked potato and a salad. Heaven.
I loved Burger Chef as a kid and teen . By the time I reached my 20's, it was Hardee's. I didn't like Hardee's. I worked there, the money was the only real reason.
The food was ok. But Burger Chef was my favorite. I wish I keep all of my free frisbees I got from there.
The area/town along the Jersey Shore I grew up (moved away after i graduated in 1976, had a Burger Chef and a Mc Donald's. The Burger Chef was the place of choice, took a little longer but way tastier. I never understood why it closed, was was always packed.
Search TH-cam for Burger Chef and you can find video(s) about a tragic holdup and murder in Speedway, IN. Somehow this led to their demise.
Yeah, I loved Burger Chef as a kid in the 70s. If I remember right, it was one of the first burger joints that let you put on your own extras.
The Works Bar...so ahead of its time.
Yes, the Burger Chef murders from Nov. 1978. 😢 4 young employees were abducted from the Speedway, Indiana Burger Chef, driven to another county, & murdered. This case is still unsolved. There are 2 Facebook groups for this case.
Burger Chef didn't "flop". It was just forced out by competition.
Fond memories of Lums. They had thinly sliced roast beef sandwiches, an improved sloppy Joe, using minced roast beef and the Ollie Burger in addition to the dogs. Damn shame it failed.
Thanks for watching!
Lum's had the "Works" too. X-large everything on it burger, lots of fries, cole slaw and a pickle. They opened at 10 or 11, can't remember which anymore. It was in the late 70's. Great place on Sunday mornings, after partying Saturday night. It would be nice to be that young again....
This is a great video😮
Thanks for watching! 🙏🏼
Bonanza was awesome 👌
Roy Rogers has perhaps the best 1/4 burger today. It actually tastes good.
I went with Ponderosa over Bonanza
The Last One I know Of was in San Antonio TX. Closed back in late 1980s.
We had one in St. Albans WV, lasted into the 21st century.
@@sardu55 I've never been to a Roy Rogers (I sure like his old movies though) but I have to say that Wendy's, WhataBurger and Burger King all taste good.
Here in Finland we still have RAX and some Carols restaurants but the Carols have been bought out largely from another local chain called hes burger.
I live near the only remaining Henry's Hamburgers in the country. I'm 48 and have been going there my whole life, the best cheeseburgers hands down.
Where is it?
@@burlingtonbill1 Benton Harbor, Michigan. Henry's was a real part of my growing up as there was one located at the end of our street, a residential tract built out in the late 50's early 60's. Rare that one was built in a non-commercial area, but only a mile away was an industrial zone with a GM plant and Chrysler and Carrier factory which is why it was built there. Behind it was a field and woodlot that was known as "behind Henry's" that us kids would hang out in. First kiss was behind Henry's, first beer behind Henry's. Lots of first's behind Henry's. It was the first place I was ever allowed to go on my own as mom could stand out at the end of the driveway and watch me walk all the way down from the house. Loved their food and being that were were in the cold Northeast, upstate Central NY they had hot chocolate with marshmallow and it was made with real Byrne Dairy milk and not a powder and hot water. By the early seventies McDonalds built a location a mile away and hurt Henry's business and Sandee's took over. Quality went down hill. By the eighties a local hotdog vendor took over the location " Bob Barkers famous hotdogs" and became a huge success with folks lined up outdoors during the busy hours. By the 90's he passed away and family sold the business and the new owners tanked it fast. Since then a dozen or so different food operators have come and gone in that old Henry's location, none of them having any success. My fond memories of Henry's and the 1000 meals(or more) I enjoyed there could fill a book.
I remember the Burger Chef and Jeff Fun Meal quite fondly. It was a sad day for this 11 yr old when they all became Hardee's.
14:50 Farrell’s had the “Pig’s Trough” ice cream dish that was really popular.
We had a place near us called, “Friendly’s” that had the best ice cream sundaes.
Friendly's started in my Mom's home town of Springfield, Mass. We had one in my home town about the time I turned 20. Loved their sundaes.
@@richstrobel Burgers were good, too, if I’m remembering correctly- but their sundaes ruled!
We still have a Friendly's in York, PA. There were 2 until a few years ago.
Isn't there a Farrell's near Redlands?
Ioved Friendly's.
The Good Ole Days my friend! I miss those days! 🙏🏻❤️❤️
When driving across the West (especially the desert Southwest) you couldn't go far without seeing a Stuckey's. They used to have over 350 locations around the US. Now it's apparently down to 65 (which is better than it used to be in the mid-'80s).
Date shakes.
Most of the Stuckey's that I've been in recently are a shadow of what we used to see.
@@glennjames7107 I figured they'd probably gone out of business by now.
Stuckey's twelve miles ahead, Stuckeys eight miles, Stuckeys five miles, Stuckeys next exit.
@@michaeleverett2650 ah memories... 8 more miles till the next date shake.
Kenny Rogers was the finest and healthiest chicken you could buy anywhere even to this day. The side dishes included a variety of supremely healthy choices. There has never been fast food anywhere that has come close to KR.
*) Those chickens were marinated for 24 hours, dry rubbed with lemon, pepper, garlic and roasted over hickory.
*) The white meat was juicy and full of that exquisite flavor (try that with chicken anywhere and I'm specifically calling out Chic-Fil-A)
*) I heard there was a lawsuit over the recipe but no idea.
*) There was a guy who had the franchise for Stuart FL region and did not build because his franchise kept increasing in value. Don't know if he got caught holding the bag when they shut down.
"🎶 We're Kenny Rogers Roasters...
It's the wood that makes it good 🎶"
Their corn bread was like dessert, so sweet and actual corn in it. It was worth the pricey tab, all those great veggies!
@@Edward-bd8iy YES to the Corn Bread. KR demise is truly a tragedy.
The pigeon sized chickens KFC uses today are a ridiculous evil way of trying to improve corporate profits. Since myself and many others don't buy KFC anymore how those profits working out?
The first restaurant I ever went to was Burger Chef and I remember the commercial Burger Chef and Jeff I also remember a few of my graduating class mates stopped at a Bob's Big Boy also remembering a few of my coworkers having lunch at Bonanza this video brought back a lot of memories for me.
I miss Po Folks so much! I have memories of going there in the 90s as a kid whenever my family went to Knotts for breakfast or lunch
I think about them very often. So good!,
@@erinriwen Same! I remember as a kid getting excited to watch the train go around the restaurant
Burger Chef i remember back when i was like 5 years old in Ohio in 1978. Moved to Mississippi at age 7. Rax and Show Biz Pizza was a good place to go around 1980.
Rax was based in Columbus. Wendy's execs founded it.
I worked at Burger chef back in 73/74😂we used to trade burgers for chicken at KFC next door for a change in diet 😊
I ate at a lot of these Rax, Bonanza Chi-Chis, and Burger Chef. Burger Chef had the first kids meal and movie memorabilia. That first movie was Star Wars.
Thank you for the nostalgic review of so many of the places that formed my younger years. Lums, Gino's, Chi Chi's, Burger Chef, Roy Rodgers as well as several local restaurants were all local gathering places that cultivated friendships for the group that I hung out with at the time.
Our pleasure!
Bob's Big Boy! I remember my dad taking me there for lunch a few times as a kid in Riverside.
Years ago there was a Burger Chef on the Air Force base my dad was stationed at. He would take us there all the time.
i was a waitress at Bob's Big Boy in the mid 80's in Escondido, Calif. I remember all those chocolate brownies, topped with ice cream.
I don't know if you know this but there is a Bob's Big Boy in Corona California it open up a year ago
I loved Burger Chef, and their choc shakes were to die for, sure miss it😭
I was night management at a Burger Chef as a senior in High school and problem was with Management of the corporate levels
My wife worked Back Line Supervisor for a Burger Chef in Charleston WV. The man from Corporate always asked her to make his food and wanted to make her Management but she knew the Hourly vs. Salary issue, she stayed hourly. One morning, she arrived at work to find the place still closed. Some time later, her Manager showed up, still in yesterday's clothes. Turned out that she had gone out clubbin' and lost her car somewhere along the way!🤣🤣🤣My wife took her in her car and they eventually found her manager's car; store opened in time for the lunch crowd.
Man, I miss Bonanza and Showbiz Pizza! Large part of my childhood.
Having grown up in 412, Winky's and Sandy's were our family's favorites. Mom would load us up, with one of friends each, to ride out in our Nova wagon for a Saturday or a non school day treat. Thanks for the memories of many the good times shared in these establishments.💯🇺🇸👍🏾
My family traveled a lot across country by car in the 50s and 60s. The wonderful smell of walking into a Howard Johnson's or Bob Big Boy is something I haven't experienced since. Simple is better. Analog is better.
I loved Rax. Quite the variety on their menu
Mr Delicious was the ultimate 21st century anti-hero who came too soon. If he were reinvented today, he would be an epic meme.
And their burrito bar… 😋
I loved Arthur Treacher's. Wish it still existed.
Haha does where I live. And yes it is still awesome!
@@Dmb596 You're right. There is one left, somewhere near Cleveland.
Yes it is CLeveland near Warrensville HTs
Burger Chef was the first fast food burger place around home when I was a kid, the building still stands and is a nice family restaurant that I go to with my Dad a couple times per year when visiting.
as a kid, i used to love going to Kenny Rogers Roasters. i think it closed in like 1993
I used to love the Bob's Big Boy comic book!
Lots of memories from this list. Thrilled that Winky's is remembered!
My uncle had a brother with the nickname "Winky." Most of us just called him "Wink."
If you never got to go to Farrells, you missed an AWESOME dining experience.
Was fortunate to have a birthday there when I was a kid 🍧
I miss Chi-Chi's terribly. My favorite dish from there was the seafood Chimichangas. To this day I haven't found anything even remotely similar to the Chi-Chi's version.
Chi-Chi's, where I took my wife after we bought her Tommy Van Scoy diamond, our 2 person engagement party. She was a fast food junkie but we took a step up, special occasion. Gotta go a little thrifty though, after spending a whooping $250 for a ring. Hey! Miss Thrifty picked both, don't shoot the story teller.😂
@@petegregory517 It's not how much the ring costs, it's about what it means. 😉
@@Linda7647 Yeah, the diamond fell out about a year or so later ('95-6) and she bawled her eyes out, not just that day but sporadically for weeks. We actually went back to TVS but the store was gone, she cried even more! After that she didn't want another, wanted hers back. In '18 we bought 9.99 bands at a beach shop here in FL, still wearing, look new. She's still a cheap date, can't be one cheaper.
Loved Chi Chi’s fried ice cream.
@@billfunk3168 My wife said there was a law that if you ate there you had to get that for dessert….. I think she was makin’ stuff up😂. I kept her anyway.
Loved Lums and Arthur Treacher
I well remember Carrol's. When I was about 18-20 in the 60's, my husband/boyfriend would order their burgers - sometimes they would offer 6 or 8 for $1 (I can't remember which).
Or naugles on hwy 62 yucca valley.
me and most of my friends, Burger Chef was king. Their roast beef sandwich was the best. I miss it sooo much!
I liked Burger Chef and Rax. Winky's was more local to us and was pretty good also.
Thanks for watching!
The Bonanza was open here in Des Moines till the Covid hit and was forced to close down
I remember so many of these. We used to eat Fried Clams at Howard Johnson's every Friday night. I never stayed in the motel, but we ate there every week. Lums was our next go to that was yummy. Funny for Arthur Treacher's we preferred Long John Silvers and for Bonanza we tended to go to Western Sizzler.
Bonanza Is Still Around there is Two near my hometown up in Southwest Virginia and they are still good!
Burger chef was excellent in my city.
Fun fact: McDonald's Big Mac burger is nothing more than an inferior copy of Bobs Big Boy double burger.
true but Big boy ripped off Colonal Sanders chicken.
Panchos Mexican Buffet! Best Mexican Restraunt EVER! Bring on the Sopapillos!
Are there any locations left?
How I miss the Farrels in Flint Michigan. Such good ice cream!
We had a Burger Chef into the late 90's. I think what finally shut it down was the age of the building and the town had developed away from it's location.
If you haven't already, you need to do Shoney's, Bennigan's, and Tia's.
I grew up with Shoney's #1, and knew its founder, Alex Schoenbaum.
My first job was at Burger Chef. It wasn't half bad for a summer job. And I remember the burgers were very tasty! 👍
Kenny Rogers alive and well here in the Philippines. Delicious!
Yeah and you gave us Jollibee in exchange. Meh...
I miss ChiChi's the most. Their all you can eat lunch for 7.99 (which included the best Chilli ConQueso on the planet) was a great deal and meal.
I miss Tastee Freeze.
Still a genuine Tasty-Freez in Bluefield, West Virginia. About 1.5 miles south of downtown, drive the road beside the Norfolk Southern tracks and it's on the left. Watch closely because it doesn't stand out and the lot is small...but they have the real deal!
@@Edward-bd8iy I'll have to make it a point to stop there some time.
1.49 for a dinner. People talk inflation, but 1.49 in any era is really cheap. We been getting price gouged since the early 2000s.
That was an hours wage
I did like Chi-Chi's. I enjoyed them when I lived in Milwaukee, WI. I thought the salsa was really good. I occasionally see a salsa bottled and sold under Chi Chi's name today in some grocery stores.
Salsa and Con Queso and the chips for Happy Hour... and I made it when I worked there.
as a paperboy in the sixties In Milwaukee WI. my buddies and I would treat ourselves to Burgers fries and a coke for 78 cents no child labor laws. Little urchins delivering the huge and heavy Sunday papers in the dark Sunday mornings in subzero weather.