My dad worked 3rd shift for a trucking outfit back in the 90's and i was able to ride along with him from time to time. Our first stop before his shift was at the Hot n Now in Battle Creek to get 10 burgers and fries to get us through the night. Man i wouldn't trade anything for the time we spent together back then. Hope the one in Sturgis stays running strong for another 30 years!
That one in Battle Creek is the only one I ever remember seeing (edit: but I don't ever remember it being open it may have been at one point in my life but we had never eaten there)
I can when graduated high school we had a small hamburger franchise in Kansa city called smacks .They were good drive in curb service like Sonic does ,anyway their cheeseburgers were $.19 cents same with small fries ,drinks ect. Their Hickory Smack burger was to die for . Ahh the good old days !
The regular price for a hamburger in the 80s @ Hot-N-Now was .39 cents, @ ours, & apparently by the documented history shown in this video, was .39 cents, @ All of them. Go to 1:47 into this video, & watch through the 2:03 mark. These burgers were better quality, & tasted better than the other fast food hamburger places, imo.
They were targeted by all the big chains when they started adding there dollar menus/ value menus and cheap sodas. Was our go to as well almost up till college. So greasy but so good. We have a checkers there now they are quite similar and popular but I don't dare eat there anymore.
There was a Hot n Now in Mishawaka, Indiana, just south of the Michigan border (near South Bend and Notre Dame). My husband and I had recently moved back to the area, and were trying out all the different restaurant options in the area. We finally tried the Hot n Now, and wow, were we impressed! And about two weeks later, it was gone. We were so disappointed. Glad to know there's one in Sturgis, which isn't too far away. Hope it lasts till we get there!
As a kid I lived in Flint (Flint Township) and remember my parents getting us Hot n Now all the time because it was the cheapest place around and we were pretty poor...lol
I have no idea why this vid popped up in my algorithm, but man does this take me back. I'm from the Flint area (Linden) but I've been in AZ for 30 years. My dad's family was from K-Zoo, and we would go to the original Hot n Now every time we visited. My cousin out there was obsessed with it, so I was too. Then, they opened in Flint in the 90's, so I pretty much kept them in biz throughout high school. We have In n Out here in AZ, so I explain what Hot n Now was to my friends here often. I've always wondered what happened to all of those joints. Thanks for the history and memories! I miss Big Boy the most (the one by my Mom's in Davison closed recently. I was heartbroken the last time I came home) and shout out to the Ol' Halo Burger in downtown Flint!
Man, we had a Hot & Now right across the street from my high school in Battle Creek. 2 bucks for lunch every day was the best bargain ever! I miss H & N! I was broken when they went out of business. I loved the olive burger!
What year was this? My mom grew up in Pontiac and we just moved back to Michigan (well her, I was born in San Diego) and I want to see if she remembers this and compare it to in and out which we had all over SD
There's still a few of the buildings around that they turned into something else but you can't forget that iconic design. I think there's one on Michigan Ave. I'm in GR too😂
Growing up as a kid in the mid 80s to early 90s... we often stopped at the Ft Wayne, Indiana Hot N'Now on the trip to our Grandma's house in Ohio... looking back now, we were poor in wealth...But when the station wagon swung into Hot N'Now, us kids were all smiles 😊.... We seldom went to Mc donalds Growing up, to "expensive" when you had other options.. l look back fondly at those memories now..
They had one in Goshen, Indiana. The building is still up, it is a king gyros now. My brother use to be a manager at the Elkhart location back in the day. Got free food all the time
HOLY SHIT MAN!! I've been trying to remember the name of this place for fuggin ever! Everytime I'd ask my dad or sister or mom or anyone that might've known, all I can remember is that the burgers were great and they had a ⚡ on their sign. Ours was in Jacksonville Florida. WOW dude. Just by coincidence did I run across this.... My mom passed several years ago and my dad passed July 30th. This hit hard.... Thanks for this brother.
Wow..... Same. I cannot even explain the amount of times i've tried explaining this place to someone and they thought I was nuts. There was one on Gratiot Ave I used to always go to and one day it just shut down and I was sad.
There is still a nice building in Greenville mi. A new sign and boom back in business everything is still there drive thru and kitchen, and property has been kept up nice
Very interesting. I just brought this chain up to.my friend who's from NY. I remember loving this place as a kid and my brother in law eating 12 cheeseburgers in 2 mins and it costing less than 10 bucks.
I used to eat at these around Flint, when I first moved here. Good value, for the money. Even the most basic burgers were hot, fresh, and delicious. Always a line, but it moved fast. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
This was a weekly stable in my house in Omaha, Nebraska about 30 years ago, we havent had a location here in as long as i can remember now, crazy to see them still around lol
There were Hot n' Now's around Portland Oregon/Vancouver Washington area about 30-35 years ago, what I remember most were the 39 cent hamburgers and they were extremely good for being so cheap.
I cannot believe there are any of these left. Very cool. Their burgers, with the garlic taste… Were the best burgers I had ever eaten at a fast food restaurant. Definitely miss these guys. Might have to take a trip to this location just to get a taste of my past that I miss so much.
Me and my bro used to ride our bikes to grab olive burgers back in 1993 here in Toledo Ohio we loved them damn burgers ! 89 cents back then. He passed away in 2002 but we always talked about how much we missed them burgers. Def would have made the trip up to get some.
We had one in Longwood, Florida, back in the early 90s. It was across the street from where I worked. It came and went in a flash. The building stood vacant for many years. I think it is still standing.
I LOVED the food and had no idea there was one still open ! Great reason for a 2 hour road trip !! THANKS ! It seems like I remember when some locations closed, they were turned into Spads Pizza which was AWESOME, also. My favorite olive burger and onion ring have to have been Mr Fables.
Had one in Lapeer. Used to go with a car load of friends, and with pocket change we'd get a huge bag of burgers. Their fries were great too. The golden age of fast food was a great time to be a teenager!
Great video. I worked in Howe, IN for a time, 5 miles south of this H & N. It does great business. Glad you mentioned the architecture. I had a student 5 years ago who was a H & N building afficionado. He had researched out where all the still existing H & N buildings were. I enjoyed his passion for such an obscure topic. Hey, take that H & N bumper sticker and cut off the b and last r in burger. We used to do that with the In N Out - urge - bumper stickers back in the 80s.
I loved the olive burger. I didn't know there is one in Sterling Heights. I don't know if I would choose Jollibee or Hot N Now if I went there. I miss Burger Chef also
I always thought I’d be jealous of kids’ cool new things once I got older, and that was holding true for a very brief period, although I was still sorta young myself. But then things got awful, and we now see the 90s was the peak. We need to work harder to give kids the life we had.
I lived in Omaha, Nebraska during the 90’s. And this was, without a doubt, where my friends walked the few blocks from home (we all lived within a few street radius) and spent $12, which was enough to fill 4 of us high school aged boys. Then, off to the Town and Country convenience store, whose little arcade had Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat! Simple times.
10:20 I love olive burgers! I lived in Metro Detroit from 1995-2009, almost my whole childhood. Left the area when I went to college. I remember Hot n’ Now fondly from road trips across Michigan.
This is just great. We used to get down with this place. We had one here in Lexington KY until like 92-93 and I'll always remember the iconic building design. Glad there's still one left!!
They opened a Hot N Now in Richton Park, IL back in the late 80’s. It was not received well and only lasted a few years. The building became a couple other things over the years but then sat abandoned until it was torn down to build a local pizza chain restaurant. Very unique looking buildings.
I remember theses popping up all over the Portland Oregon metro area in the 90s lasted a few years and then poof they all turned into Starbucks, they were awesome cheap burgers and fries great for the drive in theatre, I sure miss the 80s and 90s!!
I worked at the Mishawaka Indiana location when it opened and I was in H.S. My cousins construction company built the building. Always took home a bag of burgers home when closing.
I lived and grew up in Orange County (Santa Ana) in the 80's and 90's. Both Taco Bell and Carl's Jr had their HQ's in OC. For some reason, Santa Ana was chosen as a test market by both companies. They opened up a Hot and Now and a Taco De Carlos in Santa Ana for the Hispanic test market. I got to eat at both locations and their food was rather tasty. After about a year, the Hot and Now became a Taco Bell, and Taco De Carlos became Carl's Jr. Just wanted to share.
@@erikrichards5072I used to go to the Pup N Taco by Fullerton college. Naugles was absorbed by Del Taco. Last I checked, the Naugles on Beach Blvd in Stanton is still operating. Now in 2024, Del Tacos are owned by Jack in the Box except for the 2 locations in Barstow. Why I know this is a surprise to me.
@@bobgomez8477awesome. I live in Michigan, not too far from this last Hot n Now. Maybe 15 years ago I stopped at a Del Taco in Dearborn, MI. No idea how it got there. Always preferred the Del to the Bell.
There are still a few Hot n Now shells dotted around the West Michigan area. Some repurposed for other fast food joints, some just rotting away sadly. My grandma took me there all the time as a kid.
Gotta say, I like how quaint it is. It reminds me of Andy’s Custard. Haven’t heard a peep an out this place until now, so I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. While I found you because of the Animatronics, I enjoy these “bite-sized” (pun intended) videos about you visiting restaurants in between. Do you have any plans to visit Pinball Expo in Schaumburg, IL? Nolan Bushnell is going to be there signing autographs!
In Thomasville, NC there is still one Hot N Now building,. It's been long converted to a doughnut shop called "Granny's Doughnuts". Used to love Hot N Now as a kid. High Point, NC had one as well. Last time I saw the building it was very abandoned and may even be destroyed now.
i grew up in battle creek, mi (20 mins from kalamazoo) and although our hot n now closed down when i was very young it stood untouched while abandoned for over a decade and i always thought it was a funky little building. right before covid it became a checkers. currently living in kzoo and the original location was torn down a while back but i believe the drive thru circle and building foundation are still sitting there on westnedge.
They had some of the best fries. Get Em and Go was the Olive Burger place to go. My favorite repurposed Hot N Now was Spadz Pizza. They just sold rectangular pizza by the slice in a clever container.
I was at the one on the west side of Lansing that was where I worked at the time, getting it ready to open on that fateful Tuesday morning when my immediate boss came in with a radio playing and saying Dan Rather was on ch. 6 (which corresponded to 87.7FM on terrestrial radios, so you could listen to TV shows on the local area’s ch. 6 if it had one) talking about the unfolding developments in NYC on September 11, 2001. *😭* Also, if you have a sweet tooth, the building is still there and used as a Twisters ice cream nowadays.
Had one where I live in Holland Michigan. I always had the family deal coupon, 10 burgers and 5 fries for 4.99. My friend and I used to ride our bikes there and pig out. They had picnic tables outside so we just ate it there.
I remember seeing a handful of these here and there growing up in Northwest Indiana. The one we went to most often is now a bank, probably has been for over two decades now.
Great video! No branded cups, bags, or napkins because those are huge/bulk purchases corporate, and with this being the only remaining store, there's just no company that makes them anymore, and it would cost $$$$ to do runs for only one store.
I bet Taco Bell corporate has a warehouse full of old Hot n Now packaging somewhere that they are too incompetent to know even exists. Not that it would do the current owner any good.
Used to have a couple of Hot n Now's in my town when I was a kid; Mom and Dad would bring home bags of it on the weekends. Me, my brother and some friends would feast on cheeseburgers and fries while playing the NES, SNES and the Genesis. Damn, the 90s were an absolutely glorious time.
I worked at the first one in Toledo Ohio. The owner was Mike RazKowski. The thing about this place was, no special orders. You could not get no ketchup or no pickles. You had to get the burger how it was made.
Loved the one on Monroe and secor when a UT student in early to mid 90s. The last time I had hot n now was about 2006 or so in Coldwater MI. I was driving thru the town, saw the hot n now, and did a u turn just to eat there. Time to plan a weekend trip to Sturgis MI. My wife will absolutely hate me when she finds out this restaurant was the only reason for the trip😂
Man, back in the early to mid 90s back in Lafayette indiana I still remember on Tuesdays or Wednesday's they had all day 19 cent hamburgers and 29 cheeseburgers. My favorite was the double olive burgers. My older brothers best friend worked there and was always getting discounts and free food.
Wow! I thought they went out of business along time ago. I've seen their buildings in Muskegon and Grand rapids repurposed into a different stores but you can't hide that iconic design. Thanks for the video it brought back some good memories
There was one in Bay City up until a few years ago. I think it got bombed or a semi crashed into it or something. Never reopened. Sad. The abandoned one in Jackson was recently torn down. That was the one I found out (the hard way) they don't have bathrooms! BRING THEM BACK HOT N' BRING THEM BACK NOW!!! I know it's 2024 but I REFUSE to leave 1990, STILL!
The Hot n Now in Bay City was owned by the same guy who owns the pizza place I work at nearby in Midland. So I can safely say that there was a small fire that accelerated his plans to close the restaurant. He has since put in his own burger place called "Burger 81" and is doing quite well with it based on what I've been told.
There is still one around, and it's all the way in Michigan! That's a piece of my childhood right there, Checkers ended up replacing it here and it just never was the same.
Hubby and I went once in the 90’s. They wouldn’t make a plain cheeseburger for us, I’m sure because they already have them made up and ready to go. So we never went back 🤷🏻♀️😂
@@derekgusoff6768 Yeah but it kept the line moving. I like olives on mine so I just kept some olives in the car. Can't STAND getting stuck behind Tahoe at McDonald's while 15 kids special order everything and take 20 minutes in front of the speaker to decide and then another 20 minutes in line while they make it and then another 10 minutes while they pass it all out to everyone and taste test it before moving forward. Then you get your one McDouble and small fry and it's cold from sitting. Happens EVERY TIME.
Ya Ya's Chicken was one of my faves and now they are down to maybe a half a dozen locations left. Bummer but at least they are not to far from me as i make it up into mid Michigan often enough to hit one. I forgot all about Hot n Now but yeah they were a decent quick burger.
When I moved to MI, specifically Grand Rapids, there was a Hot n' Now shell remaining on Michigan St. I had never heard of the place, and, over the years, I had found a few more abandoned locations that have all since been demolished. I really liked the distinctive building design. Awesome video, dude! Thanks for the history of the company.
OMG, I didn't know one still existed. When I was a teenager, we had one in Appleton, WI, and we poor kids went there all the time! The food was garbagio, but it did its job. SALTY burgers.
Growing up in the 90's, we always went to Hot n Now in Flint, MI on Dort Hwy. Was one of the best spots for fast food. Didn't know there was one still open. Thinking about making the trip to try it again, after so many years.
I enjoy the food videos and visiting various places like a mall or the Kmart you did. This is the kind of burger place I would go to often if we had one. New Mexico is like Michigan in that they have a thing too, green chili on everything. Only place so far I have seen that has a Green Chili McDouble
Loved Hot n Now!! We had several in Lansing. Occasionally I have worked in Sturgis but never knew that one is still there! Next time I'm there I will definitely hit them up!!
I grew up in Flint as well! I visited the one on Bristol Rd the most. I now live in Kalamazoo, I might make a drive down to Sturgis to relive my youth. Thanks for the video!
When I was a little guy in the 90s we always eat there in Jackson Michigan then one day I eat there and a hour later started puking. I thought it was food poisoning but a week later I eat there again and the same thing happened. I wonder if they changed their grease when they sold the company.
What a great video. Very well done. Thanks for all the information. I'm definitely subscribing to your channel Love Hot and now and living right here in Kentwood we were fortunate enough to have Hot n now and getem and go to choose from. Good times and good food back then
There was one in Benton Harbor, MI. I used to go to a lot in high school, and I always got a double olive burger and onion rings. Lots of great memories of going there with friends, when we were stressed from studying for exams.
Man I miss these! there were a couple in saginaw, I know there was one going til about 3 or so years ago in bay city- they had a fire and never re opened as hot n now :( In fact I worked at a Mcdonalds in saginaw that was a drive through only (similar setup as hot n now) and we'd compete with burger prices.. they were 39 cents for one and we had em for 35.. (we were the only ones to do it)
Thanks for sharing, we had one here in benton harbor Michigan, closed in the 90's obviously.. I remember the mushroom Swiss burger and the cheese tots. Sturgis isn't to far from me, I need to get my butt in gear and make the short trip.. I actually have a small quarter size hot and now button.
My dad worked 3rd shift for a trucking outfit back in the 90's and i was able to ride along with him from time to time. Our first stop before his shift was at the Hot n Now in Battle Creek to get 10 burgers and fries to get us through the night. Man i wouldn't trade anything for the time we spent together back then. Hope the one in Sturgis stays running strong for another 30 years!
26th and Columbia. Got made into a Checker's about a decade ago.
They had a deal 5 burgers and 5 fries for 5 bucks back then. Always the best bargain for teens in the late 90's early 00's
That one in Battle Creek is the only one I ever remember seeing (edit: but I don't ever remember it being open it may have been at one point in my life but we had never eaten there)
Hot n Now in Westland Michigan sold 10 hamburgers and 5 fries for $4.99 you cannot beat that
Memories!!!!
I can when graduated high school we had a small hamburger franchise in Kansa city called smacks .They were good drive in curb service like Sonic does ,anyway their cheeseburgers were $.19 cents same with small fries ,drinks ect. Their Hickory Smack burger was to die for . Ahh the good old days !
I used to go there all the time
Wayne Road
@@mommyquackquack1825 yes wayne n palmer i wnt to say
As a 90s kid from Michigan i miss Hot n Now so much.
@@AdrenalineTheory I know right. We had one in Lafayette Indiana. The olive burgers were the bomb.
The store just celebrated their anniversary of being a second generation owned company
That's honestly awesome. I'm gonna go check this place out asap.
I just moved from Montana to Kalamazoo in 1985 when I discovered Hot n Now. 24 cent burgers, fries and colas! We used to get a sack load!
The regular price for a hamburger in the 80s @ Hot-N-Now was .39 cents, @ ours, & apparently by the documented history shown in this video, was .39 cents, @ All of them. Go to 1:47 into this video, & watch through the 2:03 mark. These burgers were better quality, & tasted better than the other fast food hamburger places, imo.
Montana to kalmazoo is quite the move
Early 90s SW Michigan grad. It was our go-to in High School. Sad that it's gone.
And while " High" in college.
It’s not gone. One left.
The one on Drake Road in Kalamazoo fed my roommies and I for 4 years.
I like your channel. I grew up down there but live in GR now for the last 27 years. Keep up the good work!
They were targeted by all the big chains when they started adding there dollar menus/ value menus and cheap sodas. Was our go to as well almost up till college. So greasy but so good. We have a checkers there now they are quite similar and popular but I don't dare eat there anymore.
There was a Hot n Now in Mishawaka, Indiana, just south of the Michigan border (near South Bend and Notre Dame). My husband and I had recently moved back to the area, and were trying out all the different restaurant options in the area. We finally tried the Hot n Now, and wow, were we impressed! And about two weeks later, it was gone. We were so disappointed. Glad to know there's one in Sturgis, which isn't too far away. Hope it lasts till we get there!
As a kid I lived in Flint (Flint Township) and remember my parents getting us Hot n Now all the time because it was the cheapest place around and we were pretty poor...lol
@@norafromflorida same!
@@SetsStreetsEats lol. Keep up the good work, your becoming a favorite channel of mine
@@norafromflorida That thrills me to hear. Thank you so much for the support!
Same here lol. Used to go to the one on Bristol rd
@@FLINTmitten810is that now the Rally's?
I have no idea why this vid popped up in my algorithm, but man does this take me back. I'm from the Flint area (Linden) but I've been in AZ for 30 years. My dad's family was from K-Zoo, and we would go to the original Hot n Now every time we visited. My cousin out there was obsessed with it, so I was too. Then, they opened in Flint in the 90's, so I pretty much kept them in biz throughout high school. We have In n Out here in AZ, so I explain what Hot n Now was to my friends here often. I've always wondered what happened to all of those joints. Thanks for the history and memories! I miss Big Boy the most (the one by my Mom's in Davison closed recently. I was heartbroken the last time I came home) and shout out to the Ol' Halo Burger in downtown Flint!
Used to have one in Oshkosh, WI. My buddy went to college there. Every time I visited, lived on this place entire weekend. Olive burger was awesome
Man, we had a Hot & Now right across the street from my high school in Battle Creek. 2 bucks for lunch every day was the best bargain ever! I miss H & N! I was broken when they went out of business. I loved the olive burger!
Same in Lansing!!
Lakeview HS?
@@lobo2401yep!
Lakeview boy, here! 🤚
Lakeview boy, here! 🤚 Those double olive burgers ruled!
I miss Hot n Now, grew up in Kalamazoo. I plan on stopping by here the next time I'm back in Michigan.
We had one in Pontiac! It was the only thing me and my dad could agree on in life. Only happy memories I have of my dad as a kid. I miss it alot...
RIGHT ON PERRY!!! it was the spot!!!
M-59, west of Telegraph.
What year was this? My mom grew up in Pontiac and we just moved back to Michigan (well her, I was born in San Diego) and I want to see if she remembers this and compare it to in and out which we had all over SD
On Perry and East Boulevard. Loved it!
@@darkwyngraym Yes, it was on Perry street. There was also a Long Jhon Silvers by it too. I miss those days...
Wow! I'm from Kalamazoo and did not realize that Hot n Now started there. Awesome history. OLIVE BURGER FTW!!!
@@boommack I'm from Marcellus .. olive burgers in Kentucky now
@@boommack love the olive burger.. living in Kentucky now.. lived in Marcellus for yrs
Was the olives a Greek thing maybe?
@WhitefolksT not sure...but it sure is a different taste ... not bad at all
Dude, this one got me right in the feels! Love it!
I'll bet buddy. I'm sure you used to love those as much as I did growing up in Michigan 😊
@@SetsStreetsEatsyessss!!! Lansing is where I live !
ROAD TRIP!!!
Thanks for the suggestion
Thanks!
Thank you so much for the support!
Sturgis, MI right here !! Love H n N !!
Same here. I think about it being the only one every time I drive past it.
From GR MI and man let me tell you…when I was a kid, Hot N’ Now and Get’em and Go burgers were so good!
There's still a few of the buildings around that they turned into something else but you can't forget that iconic design. I think there's one on Michigan Ave. I'm in GR too😂
@@Zac-ls6hn ya I see a couple of their buildings still standing as well and thank you for sharing this iconic restaurant with everyone as well!
Michigan Street Hot and Now kept us alive in late 80s as a young student first timer on my own 😅
@@darbylarsen9547 those were the good ol’ days when you could get a hot meal that was good and more than reasonable in price.
@@Zac-ls6hnI am in GR also and remember this place
Theres an abandoned Hot & Now in Macomb County on 23 mile,it was a Ralleys for a short time,and a Hot & Now on Gratiot in Roseville
Memories!!
Yea ours are all Rallys now in Lansing
They need to bring it back alive
these were the two I've been two. Roseville location was 3 blocks from home when I was a teen.
Growing up as a kid in the mid 80s to early 90s... we often stopped at the Ft Wayne, Indiana Hot N'Now on the trip to our Grandma's house in Ohio... looking back now, we were poor in wealth...But when the station wagon swung into Hot N'Now, us kids were all smiles 😊.... We seldom went to Mc donalds Growing up, to "expensive" when you had other options.. l look back fondly at those memories now..
I love Fast Food history as part of Americana. I had not heard of this chain. Great story and neat to see it documented.
Thanks for watching!
They had one in Goshen, Indiana. The building is still up, it is a king gyros now. My brother use to be a manager at the Elkhart location back in the day. Got free food all the time
In Elkhart, miss the olive burger.
HOLY SHIT MAN!! I've been trying to remember the name of this place for fuggin ever! Everytime I'd ask my dad or sister or mom or anyone that might've known, all I can remember is that the burgers were great and they had a ⚡ on their sign. Ours was in Jacksonville Florida. WOW dude. Just by coincidence did I run across this.... My mom passed several years ago and my dad passed July 30th. This hit hard.... Thanks for this brother.
So glad I could jog that nostalgic memory for you and I really appreciate you watching!
Yeah, I was trying to do the same thing. Can’t believe it’s still exists.
Wow..... Same. I cannot even explain the amount of times i've tried explaining this place to someone and they thought I was nuts. There was one on Gratiot Ave I used to always go to and one day it just shut down and I was sad.
Dunn ave
There is still a nice building in Greenville mi. A new sign and boom back in business everything is still there drive thru and kitchen, and property has been kept up nice
We had them in South Florida too in the 90s. Olive burger!
Olive Burger!!!
Yes same in Michigan!
Very interesting. I just brought this chain up to.my friend who's from NY. I remember loving this place as a kid and my brother in law eating 12 cheeseburgers in 2 mins and it costing less than 10 bucks.
I used to eat at these around Flint, when I first moved here. Good value, for the money. Even the most basic burgers were hot, fresh, and delicious. Always a line, but it moved fast. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
This was a weekly stable in my house in Omaha, Nebraska about 30 years ago, we havent had a location here in as long as i can remember now, crazy to see them still around lol
There were Hot n' Now's around Portland Oregon/Vancouver Washington area about 30-35 years ago, what I remember most were the 39 cent hamburgers and they were extremely good for being so cheap.
God i remember this place. 39 cent hamburger and 49 cent cheeseburgers. Couldnt beat it.
Great vid. I remember 10 burgers, 5 fries, $5.99. Just an amazing piece of nostalgia.
I cannot believe there are any of these left. Very cool. Their burgers, with the garlic taste… Were the best burgers I had ever eaten at a fast food restaurant. Definitely miss these guys. Might have to take a trip to this location just to get a taste of my past that I miss so much.
Me and my bro used to ride our bikes to grab olive burgers back in 1993 here in Toledo Ohio we loved them damn burgers ! 89 cents back then. He passed away in 2002 but we always talked about how much we missed them burgers. Def would have made the trip up to get some.
We had one in Longwood, Florida, back in the early 90s.
It was across the street from where I worked.
It came and went in a flash.
The building stood vacant for many years.
I think it is still standing.
What a fond memory! As a young IT employee in Grand Rapids, Hot n Now was my go-to spot whenever I was short on cash
I LOVED the food and had no idea there was one still open ! Great reason for a 2 hour road trip !! THANKS ! It seems like I remember when some locations closed, they were turned into Spads Pizza which was AWESOME, also. My favorite olive burger and onion ring have to have been Mr Fables.
Had one in Lapeer. Used to go with a car load of friends, and with pocket change we'd get a huge bag of burgers. Their fries were great too. The golden age of fast food was a great time to be a teenager!
Greetings from Attica, MI. via Fort Myers, Floriduh.
Lol, skip school, get high as a kite with a sack of cheeseburgers and go cruise the state land, good times!
Yessir, right on 24 across from the old K mart
I grew up in Oxford. Every time we went to Lapeer back in the day, we always stopped there!
Great video. I worked in Howe, IN for a time, 5 miles south of this H & N. It does great business. Glad you mentioned the architecture. I had a student 5 years ago who was a H & N building afficionado. He had researched out where all the still existing H & N buildings were. I enjoyed his passion for such an obscure topic. Hey, take that H & N bumper sticker and cut off the b and last r in burger. We used to do that with the In N Out - urge - bumper stickers back in the 80s.
I loved the olive burger. I didn't know there is one in Sterling Heights. I don't know if I would choose Jollibee or Hot N Now if I went there.
I miss Burger Chef also
Olive burger was my go-to!
It's in Sturgis not Sterling heights
@@EstherSummerlott oh. Thanks
@@ForbiddenAudioPerversions Burger Chef and Jeff!
I'm from Ireland and i reside Canada since 37 years now and i didn't know this restaurant.
Thanks for introducing me to his history!
@@miket7330 my pleasure!
I've been their several times. I get the olive burger because most fast food chains don't offer one.
Simonton lake drive-in in Elkhart has olive burgers. And sonic drive-in.
I believe Bonnie doons in mishawaka, in does too
I always thought I’d be jealous of kids’ cool new things once I got older, and that was holding true for a very brief period, although I was still sorta young myself. But then things got awful, and we now see the 90s was the peak. We need to work harder to give kids the life we had.
I lived in Omaha, Nebraska during the 90’s. And this was, without a doubt, where my friends walked the few blocks from home (we all lived within a few street radius) and spent $12, which was enough to fill 4 of us high school aged boys. Then, off to the Town and Country convenience store, whose little arcade had Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat!
Simple times.
Those sound like great memories!
I remember them on 42nd and 108th street both just south of I-80 but could never remember the name, just the lightning bolt.
10:20 I love olive burgers! I lived in Metro Detroit from 1995-2009, almost my whole childhood. Left the area when I went to college. I remember Hot n’ Now fondly from road trips across Michigan.
Olive Burger!
Born in ‘92, so I guess I just barely missed Hot ‘n Now. I’ve actually never heard of this restaurant. Thanks for sharing!
This is just great. We used to get down with this place. We had one here in Lexington KY until like 92-93 and I'll always remember the iconic building design. Glad there's still one left!!
We had one in Toledo Ohio years was so good. We ate there like 3-4 times a week. Really missed it when it closed
On Alexis road?
@@bobfrapples1208 no I think it was on sylvania and jackman
@@juliedevries4565 1244 Alexis Road. It's a Netty's now
Mine in Toledo was in front of the Kroger store at Monroe and Secor. I wish they were still there.
@@Trin100 yea me too
They opened a Hot N Now in Richton Park, IL back in the late 80’s. It was not received well and only lasted a few years. The building became a couple other things over the years but then sat abandoned until it was torn down to build a local pizza chain restaurant. Very unique looking buildings.
I remember theses popping up all over the Portland Oregon metro area in the 90s lasted a few years and then poof they all turned into Starbucks, they were awesome cheap burgers and fries great for the drive in theatre, I sure miss the 80s and 90s!!
I worked at the Mishawaka Indiana location when it opened and I was in H.S. My cousins construction company built the building.
Always took home a bag of burgers home when closing.
I lived and grew up in Orange County (Santa Ana) in the 80's and 90's. Both Taco Bell and Carl's Jr had their HQ's in OC. For some reason, Santa Ana was chosen as a test market by both companies. They opened up a Hot and Now and a Taco De Carlos in Santa Ana for the Hispanic test market. I got to eat at both locations and their food was rather tasty. After about a year, the Hot and Now became a Taco Bell, and Taco De Carlos became Carl's Jr. Just wanted to share.
Do you remember Pup N Taco / Naugles? Former OC kid myself.
@@erikrichards5072I used to go to the Pup N Taco by Fullerton college. Naugles was absorbed by Del Taco. Last I checked, the Naugles on Beach Blvd in Stanton is still operating. Now in 2024, Del Tacos are owned by Jack in the Box except for the 2 locations in Barstow. Why I know this is a surprise to me.
@@bobgomez8477awesome. I live in Michigan, not too far from this last Hot n Now. Maybe 15 years ago I stopped at a Del Taco in Dearborn, MI. No idea how it got there. Always preferred the Del to the Bell.
There are still a few Hot n Now shells dotted around the West Michigan area. Some repurposed for other fast food joints, some just rotting away sadly. My grandma took me there all the time as a kid.
Born in 98 so I was sadly too young to experience this place. Love how it's a little shack 😆
I too am from Flint. And I still miss the hell out of these joints. Keep meaning to make a trip down to the last one.
Gotta say, I like how quaint it is. It reminds me of Andy’s Custard. Haven’t heard a peep an out this place until now, so I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. While I found you because of the Animatronics, I enjoy these “bite-sized” (pun intended) videos about you visiting restaurants in between.
Do you have any plans to visit Pinball Expo in Schaumburg, IL? Nolan Bushnell is going to be there signing autographs!
I'm not able to be there because of work, I'm bummed. I appreciate you watching!
In Thomasville, NC there is still one Hot N Now building,. It's been long converted to a doughnut shop called "Granny's Doughnuts". Used to love Hot N Now as a kid. High Point, NC had one as well. Last time I saw the building it was very abandoned and may even be destroyed now.
i grew up in battle creek, mi (20 mins from kalamazoo) and although our hot n now closed down when i was very young it stood untouched while abandoned for over a decade and i always thought it was a funky little building. right before covid it became a checkers. currently living in kzoo and the original location was torn down a while back but i believe the drive thru circle and building foundation are still sitting there on westnedge.
Yeah they tore the one in Jackson down but left the drive thru circle and building foundation too. I was hoping it meant they would be back someday.
They had some of the best fries. Get Em and Go was the Olive Burger place to go. My favorite repurposed Hot N Now was Spadz Pizza. They just sold rectangular pizza by the slice in a clever container.
I was at the one on the west side of Lansing that was where I worked at the time, getting it ready to open on that fateful Tuesday morning when my immediate boss came in with a radio playing and saying Dan Rather was on ch. 6 (which corresponded to 87.7FM on terrestrial radios, so you could listen to TV shows on the local area’s ch. 6 if it had one) talking about the unfolding developments in NYC on September 11, 2001. *😭*
Also, if you have a sweet tooth, the building is still there and used as a Twisters ice cream nowadays.
What an amazing memory!
Im from Sturgis. I didnt know we had the last one.I love their olive burgers.
Their olive burgers were the bomb. Picked up my lunch here a lot in the 90's. The one in Muskegon.
Apple Avenue!
Yes! As I recall there was one on Sherman BLVD. as well!
Had one where I live in Holland Michigan. I always had the family deal coupon, 10 burgers and 5 fries for 4.99. My friend and I used to ride our bikes there and pig out. They had picnic tables outside so we just ate it there.
Hell yeah, michiana represent!
Elkhart, IN
I remember seeing a handful of these here and there growing up in Northwest Indiana. The one we went to most often is now a bank, probably has been for over two decades now.
My pops would go to the one in Warsaw.
When are you doing Henry’s Hamburgers in Benton Harbor?
I've never heard of that one but I'll check it out!
A brown bag from Henry's. Still love em
Great video! No branded cups, bags, or napkins because those are huge/bulk purchases corporate, and with this being the only remaining store, there's just no company that makes them anymore, and it would cost $$$$ to do runs for only one store.
Yeah that makes sense.
I bet Taco Bell corporate has a warehouse full of old Hot n Now packaging somewhere that they are too incompetent to know even exists. Not that it would do the current owner any good.
Used to have a couple of Hot n Now's in my town when I was a kid; Mom and Dad would bring home bags of it on the weekends. Me, my brother and some friends would feast on cheeseburgers and fries while playing the NES, SNES and the Genesis.
Damn, the 90s were an absolutely glorious time.
I worked at the first one in Toledo Ohio. The owner was Mike RazKowski.
The thing about this place was, no special orders. You could not get no ketchup or no pickles. You had to get the burger how it was made.
That's how it was at ours too. They didn't want anything to mess with the timing of the drivethru would be my guess
I remember that one on Alexis, good times back then in T-Town.
Loved the one on Monroe and secor when a UT student in early to mid 90s. The last time I had hot n now was about 2006 or so in Coldwater MI. I was driving thru the town, saw the hot n now, and did a u turn just to eat there. Time to plan a weekend trip to Sturgis MI. My wife will absolutely hate me when she finds out this restaurant was the only reason for the trip😂
Man, back in the early to mid 90s back in Lafayette indiana I still remember on Tuesdays or Wednesday's they had all day 19 cent hamburgers and 29 cheeseburgers. My favorite was the double olive burgers. My older brothers best friend worked there and was always getting discounts and free food.
Heck yeah. 5 burgers & 5 fries for 5 bucks and right next door was Market Square Lanes. I still visit when I can for the Arni's pizza!
@Becvar80 I took my family to the arnies there this summer. That was the first time my kids have ever had anything from arnies, they loved it.
There was one in Benton Harbor MI when I was a kid. Don't ever remember eating there tho. Building definitely stood out, only reason I remember it.
Olives on a burger? Well now, I gotta give that a try! Thanks!
Is a olive sauce
@@BigDaddy-qt3srolive sauce with green olives too. Yummy.
Wow! I thought they went out of business along time ago. I've seen their buildings in Muskegon and Grand rapids repurposed into a different stores but you can't hide that iconic design. Thanks for the video it brought back some good memories
There was one in Bay City up until a few years ago. I think it got bombed or a semi crashed into it or something. Never reopened. Sad. The abandoned one in Jackson was recently torn down. That was the one I found out (the hard way) they don't have bathrooms! BRING THEM BACK HOT N' BRING THEM BACK NOW!!! I know it's 2024 but I REFUSE to leave 1990, STILL!
Yeah they were all drive-thru only.
The Hot n Now in Bay City was owned by the same guy who owns the pizza place I work at nearby in Midland. So I can safely say that there was a small fire that accelerated his plans to close the restaurant. He has since put in his own burger place called "Burger 81" and is doing quite well with it based on what I've been told.
There is still one around, and it's all the way in Michigan! That's a piece of my childhood right there, Checkers ended up replacing it here and it just never was the same.
Hubby and I went once in the 90’s. They wouldn’t make a plain cheeseburger for us, I’m sure because they already have them made up and ready to go. So we never went back 🤷🏻♀️😂
You missed out.
@@GOPRepubliklan how? We had it once and weren’t that impressed.. 😂
No special orders!
@@derekgusoff6768 Yeah but it kept the line moving. I like olives on mine so I just kept some olives in the car. Can't STAND getting stuck behind Tahoe at McDonald's while 15 kids special order everything and take 20 minutes in front of the speaker to decide and then another 20 minutes in line while they make it and then another 10 minutes while they pass it all out to everyone and taste test it before moving forward. Then you get your one McDouble and small fry and it's cold from sitting. Happens EVERY TIME.
Excellent video. Thanks for all the research work! Miss them also. Some things just aren’t meant to last.
I Never Been Going To This Place. Since When We Go To Sean Augustin In 2024
Ya Ya's Chicken was one of my faves and now they are down to maybe a half a dozen locations left. Bummer but at least they are not to far from me as i make it up into mid Michigan often enough to hit one. I forgot all about Hot n Now but yeah they were a decent quick burger.
When I moved to MI, specifically Grand Rapids, there was a Hot n' Now shell remaining on Michigan St. I had never heard of the place, and, over the years, I had found a few more abandoned locations that have all since been demolished. I really liked the distinctive building design.
Awesome video, dude! Thanks for the history of the company.
Every so often I’m down in Sturgis for work and try to stop here for lunch for a bite of nostalgia.
UGH. My dad used to take me there when I was little in my hometown. I remember loving it.
OMG, I didn't know one still existed. When I was a teenager, we had one in Appleton, WI, and we poor kids went there all the time! The food was garbagio, but it did its job. SALTY burgers.
Growing up in the 90's, we always went to Hot n Now in Flint, MI on Dort Hwy. Was one of the best spots for fast food. Didn't know there was one still open. Thinking about making the trip to try it again, after so many years.
Grew up in Taylor, and this was how we were able to do fast food for a family of 5. Miss Hot & Now. Funny enough, my uncle was just there yesterday.
Loved going to Hot n Now on sprinkle road in Kalamazoo!!! I didn't really grow up so much on McDonald's. We were a Hot n Now family
Dude! I love the extensive back story. Adds a great aspect to the food channel
Thank you!
I enjoy the food videos and visiting various places like a mall or the Kmart you did. This is the kind of burger place I would go to often if we had one. New Mexico is like Michigan in that they have a thing too, green chili on everything. Only place so far I have seen that has a Green Chili McDouble
Loved Hot n Now!! We had several in Lansing. Occasionally I have worked in Sturgis but never knew that one is still there! Next time I'm there I will definitely hit them up!!
I drive past 3 Previous Hot N Now locations every day. They were everywhere here in Muskegon and ill never forget their Fries!!!!
We actually had one of these in Fort Mill, SC in the early 90’s. We would hit this up as a family before baseball games. Great memories!
I grew up in Flint as well! I visited the one on Bristol Rd the most. I now live in Kalamazoo, I might make a drive down to Sturgis to relive my youth. Thanks for the video!
Now I'm waiting to see a Halo burger trip.
When I was a little guy in the 90s we always eat there in Jackson Michigan then one day I eat there and a hour later started puking. I thought it was food poisoning but a week later I eat there again and the same thing happened. I wonder if they changed their grease when they sold the company.
What a great video. Very well done.
Thanks for all the information.
I'm definitely subscribing to your channel
Love Hot and now and living right here in Kentwood we were fortunate enough to have Hot n now and getem and go to choose from.
Good times and good food back then
There was one in Benton Harbor, MI. I used to go to a lot in high school, and I always got a double olive burger and onion rings. Lots of great memories of going there with friends, when we were stressed from studying for exams.
Maaaaan! Just seeing that building, those colors, that sign again brought me right back.
Had one in my home town of Stevens Point, WI.
Used to go there all the time in college. Only place where you could bring in the change you found in the couch and get something to eat!
Man I miss these! there were a couple in saginaw, I know there was one going til about 3 or so years ago in bay city- they had a fire and never re opened as hot n now :( In fact I worked at a Mcdonalds in saginaw that was a drive through only (similar setup as hot n now) and we'd compete with burger prices.. they were 39 cents for one and we had em for 35.. (we were the only ones to do it)
Thank you for this education about hot and now. I totally remember this place on Taylor, Michigan
Thanks for sharing, we had one here in benton harbor Michigan, closed in the 90's obviously.. I remember the mushroom Swiss burger and the cheese tots. Sturgis isn't to far from me, I need to get my butt in gear and make the short trip.. I actually have a small quarter size hot and now button.