Established in 1946, Fosters Freeze was the first fast food restaurant in California, and you can still visit 38 locations today. McDonald's was founded in 1940 in California. However it wouldn't be until 1948 that they revamped the restaurant into a fast food format by adopting what they called a Speedee Service System. Likewise, In-N-Out didn't show up on the scene until 1948, meaning Fosters Freeze had a little time to perfect the idea before the more popular chains caught on.
Can you imagine a world without fast food? We'll hazard a guess, and it's probably a no. As there are roughly half a million fast food restaurants in the world, it's not surprising that most of us have grown up with fast food all around us. This means that it's hard to picture a life without drive-thru burgers and fries on tap. But it did exist, albeit quite a long time ago.
William Singer opened the first Royal Castle in 1938. Burgers came round instead of square, topped with onions and pickles. You could wash them down with Castle Cola or birch beer ( which is different than root beer, by the way). The menu had more than just burgers - eggs cooked in butter, toast with jelly, bacon, and grits. You could also get fries, shakes, chili, donuts, and a giant fish sandwich with tartar sauce.
Back when TV commercials were something people timed their bathroom breaks to, you might remember seeing an ad or two starring Muhammad Ali boxing for a plate of fried chicken. Or perhaps you can drag forth memories of comic books featuring a little chef on the back of a wagon holding a plate of chicken by the name of Pioneer Pete. If you grew up in or grew up visiting California, specifically near Los Angeles, then you're probably remembering Pioneer Chicken, the one-time golden child
"I would gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." That was the catchphrase of J. Wellington Wimpy from the old "Popeye" cartoons - a man obsessed with hamburgers but lacking the money to buy them until next Tuesday. Founded as Wimpy Grills in 1934, the Wimpy chain started in Indiana and rose to fame in Chicago, the city it's still associated with today even though no locations remain there.
Mellencamp references Tastee Freez in 'Jack and Diane,' sparking curiosity about how teens were enjoying a chili dog outside the franchise, which symbolizes youthful pleasure during tough times.
