Obscure fast food chains

[Sephiroth]

Fast food seems to be a regular topic of conversation here, and since the onset of summer sees the annual opening of one my favorite obscure chains, I was inspired to make this thread. The chain I refer to is called Stewart's. Odds are you have probably all seen Stewart's brand soda in your local stores, be it root beer or orange cream. But there are also restaurants, and there was an old fashioned drive-up place right up the street from my childhood home. Summer was not complete without an annual trip up there in the car, and the burgers remain to die for. Even after moving out of my parents home to an apartment further away, I still make it a point to stop in at least once each summer or else I just do not feel fulfilled. Anyone got another?

[Toxik916]

I love Church's Chicken even though I haven't been to one or seen one in years.

[StuntGranny®]

We had one of these around here when I was a kid. Their chicken biscuits were insanely good.

[wildojinx]

Not exactly Fast Food, but does anyone remember Ponderosa? While we're at it, does Roy Rogers still exist?

[angryfan]

Jun 17, 2014 21:48:12 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Not exactly Fast Food, but does anyone remember Ponderosa? While we're at it, does Roy Rogers still exist?

I have a Poderosa down the street from my house, it's meh, but they're around.

As for Roy Rogers and their awesome roast beef, I remember them being everywhere when I was a kid. I had a total mark out moment about a year ago when I found one in Eastgate just outside Cincinnati, Ohio. It's the only one I've seen in probably 25 years.

[Crappler El 0 M]

I'm not sure how obscure it is, but Bojangles' has some pretty good chicken biscuits.

[DASH 243✅]

up here in Washington we have taco time the Baja taco is the bomb

[Dr. T is an alien]

Jun 17, 2014 21:38:06 GMT -5 Sephiroth said:

Fast food seems to be a regular topic of conversation here, and since the onset of summer sees the annual opening of one my favorite obscure chains, I was inspired to make this thread. The chain I refer to is called Stewart's. Odds are you have probably all seen Stewart's brand soda in your local stores, be it root beer or orange cream. But there are also restaurants, and there was an old fashioned drive-up place right up the street from my childhood home. Summer was not complete without an annual trip up there in the car, and the burgers remain to die for. Even after moving out of my parents home to an apartment further away, I still make it a point to stop in at least once each summer or else I just do not feel fulfilled. Anyone got another?

If you see Stewart's brand soda, odds are that you notice Dog N' Suds root beer/cream soda right next to it. Did you know that it is a carhop-style restaurant chain (not unlike Sonic and some Krystal restaurants)? Granted, the chain is down to nearly 1/30th their peak size and now envies Stuckey's for their massive distribution.

Jun 17, 2014 21:48:12 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Not exactly Fast Food, but does anyone remember Ponderosa? While we're at it, does Roy Rogers still exist?

Pondergrossa has lost a lot of steam since places like Texas Roadhouse and Golden Corral either do affordable steak or dinner buffet better than they ever dreamed of.

[fuzzywarble, squat cobbler]

Silver Streak

[Porky's Butthole]

For the very best shakes in Northeast Ohio, you bet your ass it's Swenson's.

[Dragonfly]

Jun 17, 2014 22:02:48 GMT -5 angryfan said:

Jun 17, 2014 21:48:12 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Not exactly Fast Food, but does anyone remember Ponderosa? While we're at it, does Roy Rogers still exist?

I have a Poderosa down the street from my house, it's meh, but they're around.

As for Roy Rogers and their awesome roast beef, I remember them being everywhere when I was a kid. I had a total mark out moment about a year ago when I found one in Eastgate just outside Cincinnati, Ohio. It's the only one I've seen in probably 25 years.

The mall near where I grew up had a Roy Rogers. It was so popular that they built the food court around it. It closed in the late 90s, only to be replaced by a Chik Fil-a. There are several people I know who utterly refuse to eat there because "they took our Roy Rogers." As for locations that are still open, there's one Cumberland, Maryland. The wife and I ate there on vacation. It was a bit pricey, but still damn good.

My personal favorite obscure place is the Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe in suburban Pittsburgh. Quirky as hell - most of their drinks come in plastic cups covered in either bad puns or caricatures of local celebrities, their chili is basically a meat-based gel, etc - but still awesome. I have been trying to reverse engineer their cheese sauce for years.

[BK From WV]

Jun 17, 2014 21:48:12 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Not exactly Fast Food, but does anyone remember Ponderosa? While we're at it, does Roy Rogers still exist?

There was actually a Ponderosa about 25 minutes from my house. It had been there for years. A few years ago, they tore it down to put an Applebee's in its place. However, the guy who was putting in the Applebee's couldn't obtain his license to sell alcohol. So, what did they do? Rebuilt the Ponderosa. I go there occasionally after work to get a steak. It's not the best steak but it's alright.

[Raskovnik]

I didn't enjoy my stay in Oklahoma very much overall but I did enjoy living right next to a Braum's. Fresh ice cream with your fast food. That's pretty cool.

[Spider2024]

Two burrito places, Qdoba and Moe's. (Both better than Chipotle btw, yeah I said it.)

[Milkman Norm]

Jun 17, 2014 22:02:48 GMT -5 angryfan said:

Jun 17, 2014 21:48:12 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Not exactly Fast Food, but does anyone remember Ponderosa? While we're at it, does Roy Rogers still exist?

I have a Poderosa down the street from my house, it's meh, but they're around.

As for Roy Rogers and their awesome roast beef, I remember them being everywhere when I was a kid. I had a total mark out moment about a year ago when I found one in Eastgate just outside Cincinnati, Ohio. It's the only one I've seen in probably 25 years.

When I was a kid we went to Washington D.C for a conference my Dad had and the Hilton (the downtown one where Reagan was shot, not the embassy row one) was by a Roy Rogers. So my mom when their and stole a trey for breakfast. A few years later we went back and she got another one. That is all.

[Deleted]

Jun 17, 2014 21:48:12 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Not exactly Fast Food, but does anyone remember Ponderosa? While we're at it, does Roy Rogers still exist?

Ponderosa is only on the east coast as far as I'm aware. I haven't been to one in ages due to this. Last time I was at one it sucked.

Jun 17, 2014 22:47:32 GMT -5 Raskovnik said:

I didn't enjoy my stay in Oklahoma very much overall but I did enjoy living right next to a Braum's. Fresh ice cream with your fast food. That's pretty cool.

I was at a Braum's in the city of Henryetta. Their ice cream is the best in the world IMO.

[Piccolo]

There are no less than 3 Roy Rogers restaurants in my small city, so it might be a regional difference.

I went to a place called Hogi Yogi in Utah, but have never seen another one since... don't know if it's obscure, or just a western states thing.

[Dr. T is an alien]

I am curious if anyone has ever eaten at Fuddruckers. I want to know if they really do serve the world's greatest hamburgers.

[legendkiller1985]

I see a roy rogers Every time I get off the train in NYC across from Penn Station. I rarely ever see a Sizzler or a TCBY anymore.

[legendkiller1985]

Jun 17, 2014 23:16:02 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

I am curious if anyone has ever eaten at Fuddruckers. I want to know if they really do serve the world's greatest hamburgers.

I have one that's about a 15 minute drive outside of town. I remember it used to be a Chi-Chi's which closed due to health reasons.