Burger Chef – The Pioneer That Nearly Beat McDonald’s
At its peak in 1973, Burger Chef had 1,050 locations across the country, making it second only to McDonald’s. What started as a flame-broiling equipment demonstration in Indianapolis became one of America’s most beloved burger chains. Frank and Donald Thomas patented the flame broiler in 1954 through their company General Equipment Corporation, then opened their first Burger Chef in Indianapolis in 1957. The flame-broiling technique was so revolutionary that it could produce around 2,000 cooked burgers per hour by the mid-1960s.
Burger Chef deserves credit for creating what they called the “Fun Meal” – a kid’s meal that included a toy alongside a burger, fries, dessert, and drink, complete with specially-printed packaging featuring stories and characters. When McDonald’s introduced their similar Happy Meal in 1979, Burger Chef sued but ultimately lost. The final restaurant to carry the Burger Chef name closed in 1996, though some locations were allowed to convert to other brands like “Pleaser’s.”
Red Barn – The Roadside Icon with Distinctive Architecture
The Red Barn was founded in 1961 in Springfield, Ohio, and at its peak had 300-400 restaurants in 19 states, as well as outlets in southern Ontario, elsewhere in Canada, and in Australia. The restaurants were originally shaped like barns with a glass front and limited seating, with the building design being patented in 1962 by Red Barn Systems. What made Red Barn special wasn’t just the architecture – they were food innovators too.
The Big Barney actually preceded McDonald’s Big Mac by a couple of years, and Red Barn was the first chain to have self-service salad bars. They offered full chicken dinners for as low as 59 to 99 cents, and ads from the 1960s promoted a 99-cent chicken dinner that included three pieces of fried chicken, fries, coleslaw, and a roll. The chain declined when new owners in 1978 ceased advertising and allowed franchise leases to expire, with the last one expiring around 1988.
Wetson’s Hamburgers – The Big W Before the Big Mac
Those from the New York area probably remember the iconic Wetson’s Hamburgers, which was founded by brothers Herb and Errol Wetanson in 1959. They were inspired by the original McDonald’s restaurant and even copied the idea of having two clowns as mascots. When Herb returned from military service, he explored Long Island looking for the perfect location, realizing that Levittown shared many similarities to San Bernardino where McDonald’s was founded.
Wetson’s was known for its signature burger called the “Big W” which was pretty similar to the Big Mac, but the chain became famous for its 15-cent burgers and 10-cent fries. The brand went on to boast over 70 locations across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut before eventually merging with hot dog chain Nathan’s Famous. However, once big burger chains like McDonald’s and Burger King began expanding into the New York metropolitan area, Wetson’s couldn’t compete.
Wimpy Grills – The Two-Handed Burger Experience
Edward Gold opened Wimpy Grills in Indiana back in 1934, naming it after the character J. Wellington Wimpy from the Popeye cartoon – the burger maniac best known for the catchphrase “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” Although the burger joint originally started in Indiana, it was most notable in Chicago, and by 1947 the chain was expected to sell about 8 million burgers a year from its Chicago area locations.
At the time White Castle was the biggest player in the game, but Wimpy burgers had a significant edge – you needed two hands to eat them. Its bigger burgers set Wimpy apart from the competition and allowed it to grow significantly. Wimpy expanded internationally in 1954, and by 1970 had become a favorite around the world with more than 1,000 locations in 23 countries. Founded in Bloomington, Indiana in 1934, it eventually grew to 25 locations within the United States and 1,500 outside of the US, though all American locations eventually closed by 1978.
Carrols – The Club Burger Pioneer
Carrols became known for introducing Syracuse to fast food, which included not only the chain’s Club Burger but also its Sea Fillet fish sandwich, Crispy Country Chicken, and triple-thick shakes. “Hamburgers were 15 cents and milkshakes were 15 cents and french fries were a dime, so it was 40 cents for a meal,” as one franchise owner told Syracuse.com in 2010.
Carrols was a chain in western New York State and Pennsylvania with 150 stores at its peak in the 1960s, featuring the Club Burger and selling popular Looney Tunes drinking glasses. However, Carrols couldn’t compete with the likes of Burger King and McDonald’s. By the 1970s, Carrols was surrounded by ever-growing corporations, leading the owner to cut a deal with Burger King. All Carrols locations in the U.S. were eventually either converted to Burger Kings or closed, with the last American Carrols restaurant finally retiring in 1981.
Sandy’s – The Scottish-Themed Alternative
Sandy’s was an American fast-food chain founded in 1956 in Illinois, distinguishing itself with unique Scottish-themed branding as a way of competing with hamburger giant McDonald’s. Despite early success and expansion to over 120 locations, financial challenges led to a merger with Hardee’s in 1971, and by 1979 the last Sandy’s location was converted.
In Illinois, Gus Lundberg, Robert Wenger, Paul White, and W.K. Davidson started what became Sandy’s. The four entrepreneurs hadn’t intended to create their own restaurant chain – they were planning on opening some of the first McDonald’s franchises outside of California. After their first McDonald’s in Urbana, Illinois was a hit, they decided to open new ones in Decatur and Peoria. However, Ray Kroc informed them of changes to the terms that would result in them paying a much higher percentage to McDonald’s, so instead the men decided to build a Scottish-based fast food joint they called Sandy’s.
White Tower – The White Castle Copycat
John and Thomas Saxe opened White Tower by copying the White Castle concept and menu. They saw great success until White Castle took legal action against White Tower in the 1950s. This burger joint looked just like White Castle and opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1926, eventually growing to 230 nationwide locations. It sold hamburgers, pie, jelly rolls, marble cake and fruit cocktails, but the problem was that the restaurants were all next to train and trolley lines, and by the 1960s people preferred drive-ins.
White Tower was opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by a father-and-son team in 1926 and was a pretty blatant rip-off of the historic fast food chain, right down to the menu and building. In fact, the decor was so similar that the burger chains ended up in a lawsuit in the 1930s. Despite the legal troubles, White Tower managed to establish itself as a recognizable presence in many communities before eventually fading away as the fast-food landscape evolved.
Henry’s Hamburgers – The Local Legend
Sadly, the Golden Arches and other fast-food burger chains have bested it since, and now just one Henry’s Hamburgers lives on in its origin city of Benton Harbor, Michigan. Henry’s Hamburgers had the only remaining location in Benton Harbor, Michigan. While details about this chain are scarce in historical records, it clearly held a special place in the hearts of Midwestern burger lovers who remember its hometown charm.
What made Henry’s special was its commitment to local community service and quality food preparation. The chain represented the kind of neighborhood burger joint that knew its customers by name and served food made with care rather than mass production efficiency. Like many regional chains, Henry’s couldn’t compete with the marketing budgets and expansion capabilities of national franchises, but its legacy lives on through the single location that continues to serve the community where it all began.
Yankee Doodle Dandy – The Patriotic Burger Experience
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At one point, there were 27 Yankee Doodle Dandy locations in the United States. The chain had an American theme and used patriotic colors and decor, serving up famous burgers before closing in the 1980s. People still think of the restaurants fondly and reference them in nostalgic posts, as Yankee Doodle Dandy restaurants were a big part of many people’s childhoods.
Yankee Doodle Dandy was the brainchild of brothers Chris and Bill Proyce just outside of Chicago in Bensenville, Illinois. It was originally named Yankee Doodle House and, with franchising, had almost 30 restaurants by the mid-70s. The patriotic branding wasn’t just a gimmick – it created a sense of community pride and American tradition that resonated deeply with families during the height of the chain’s popularity. The restaurants offered something unique that other chains didn’t provide, making them memorable destinations for special occasions and regular family outings.
All-American Burger – Hollywood’s Fast Food Darling
The All American Burger chain was founded in the 1960s by a guy named Aaron Binder, who opened up All American Burger locations throughout Los Angeles, CA. The chain reportedly filed for bankruptcy, and one of the last known locations operates as a Chipotle, but it lives on in nostalgic posts everywhere. A California chain, The All-American Burger shot to fame when it featured in the 1980s coming of age film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Here you could get a quarter pounder, chili burger and hickory burger, but by the time the movie was released it was shutting stores due to bankruptcy, with one surviving on Sunset Boulevard until 2010.
The Hollywood connection gave All-American Burger a cultural significance that extended far beyond its actual reach as a restaurant chain. The appearance in Fast Times at Ridgemont High immortalized the brand in pop culture, even as the real restaurants were struggling financially. This created an interesting phenomenon where the chain became more famous for its movie appearance than for its food, yet people still remember it fondly as part of 1980s California culture.
