Farm House Restaurant, Yuma, AZ.
Club Cafe, Santa Rosa, NM.
Crews Restaurant, Brunswick, GA.
Bernie’s Drive In Restaurant, Fort Myers, FL.
Golden Drumstick, Flagstaff, AZ.
Cassidy’s Gold Pine Restaurant & Motor Inn, Hinckley, MN.
Good C&J Food Restaurant, Claxton, GA.
McDonald’s Smackburger, Broasted Chicken, Venice, FL.
Fairway Restaurant, Decatur, IN.
Ranch House Restaurant, Atlanta, GA.
That McDonalds in Venice FL……was that an actual McDonalds like today?
I had to look that one up too – It’s not associated with the burger chain, and actually predated it. The restaurant owner was Walter “Mack” McDonald, and he opened a hamburger stand in Sarasota in 1932. That original restaurant was called “Smack,” and their signature offering was the Smackburger.
From what I can tell, it was a very successful restaurant, and McDonald and his wife sold it in the mid 1950s. The new owners opened the Venice location in the vintage shot above, in 1961, still using McDonald’s name. It appears to have operated in that location until about 1970.
The building itself is still standing – address is 661 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL (now a barbecue restaurant):
https://maps.app.goo.gl/uKC9PcKrhNfnnXjBA
I just want to know what the heck a “broasted” chicken is.
It’s pressure-fried. I feel like this question has come up at least once in previous vintage photos posts, but here’s an explanation:
https://genuinebroasterchicken.com/blog/whats-the-difference-between-broasted-and-fried-chicken/
I hadn’t realized it had become popular in India and Pakistan, although spicy broasted chicken with curry mango jalapeno dip sounds awfully good.
Thanks Aaron, you have me drooling for some of that spicy broasted chicken you described! And it isn’t even 9AM yet! LOL
The Fairway Restaurant in Decatur, Indiana (about a half hour south of Fort Wayne) was later expanded and remodeled into the Fairway Back 40, known for its buffet-style dining. It was further expanded and remodeled into the Back 40 Junction, and is still serving all-you-can-eat homemade staples, buffet style. It is quite well known in Fort Wayne and vicinity.
The restaurant in the lead photo is called “Farm House” on the sign but “Pancake House” on the building itself?
So many restaurants and motels in this era had numerous sub-signs under the main sign, like the C&J and several others here. That seems to have fallen out of fashion – it looks busy and who is able to read all that small print while driving by?
According to this ad, “every one knew” that the Farm House was a Pancake House. (And the restaurant was actually in Yuma)
I enjoy seeing the sub-signs – definitely something that’s no longer done much.
Thanks Eric. I updated that location.
I’ll take the aging ’54 Olds 98 Starfire, parked at
Bernie’s Drive In Restaurant, Fort Myers, FL. (4th photo).
Might put on a new white convertible top, just like the faded one.
Or leave it as is, to match the patina’d turquoise.
I think I’ll take the ’64 Olds Fiesta wagon in the first photo over the ’54!! It was the last of the Oldsmobile full-size wagons until 1971!!
Nice 59 Chevy – 4th photo.
You gotta be kidding, the 60 Impala convertible is much nicer, the 59 is a beater lol
I wonder if the Fairway in Decatur also featured a tiki bar (the “Bamboo Room”) in its otherwise very sensible Indiana building.
The Club Cafe in Santa Rosa was right on US-66 and was open from 1935 to sometime in 1992. Unfortunately the building itself was demolished in 2015.
Traveling at an early age, stopping to eat was a big deal, the biggest deal of the day, usually lunch. There were so many, while HoJos got all the thunder, they were more in rural areas, and in the city, a host to choose from. When speaking restaurants, one can’t overlook truckstops. While the old man would never stop at one, we missed out on some great food. That”$1.39″ steak INCLUDED a full meal, AND fill the thermos. It has been rumoured, that truck drivers know the best places to eat,,,,( whispering,,,,actually, it was the only place to turn a truck around) and Wisconsin seemed to be the king of mom and pop restaurants,,,,all gone now, except one, the Pine Cone in Johnson Creek, Wis. on I-94 between Milw. and Madison. They still have those awesome cream puffs, practically gives one diabetes. Fast food today makes me sick, and restaurant costs today prohibit such actions, but what a time it was. Everybody, regardless of class, had to eat. Thanks for the great pics.
Wishing the parking lots were used car lots……
I too remember traveling by car in the 50’s & 60’s, pops mostly stopped at HoJo’s .
-Nate