"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."
"By the mid-1960s, the Florida-based chain had expanded to more than 150 locations across Florida and into Georgia, Louisiana, and Ohio. It went public in 1965 and was sold in 1969 to Performance Systems Inc. That sale would mark the start of its decline. Performance Systems soon faced SEC scrutiny over shady financial reporting, and by the end of 1970, the losses were too heavy. Stores were sold off in an effort to stop the bleeding."
Royal Castle began in Miami in 1938 and offered round burgers, Castle Cola, and birch beer alongside a broad diner-style menu. The menu included eggs, toast, bacon, grits, fries, shakes, chili, donuts, and a large fish sandwich. Buildings evolved from open-air shops to boxy, wide-windowed designs that were highly visible to motorists. By the mid-1960s the chain exceeded 150 locations across several states and went public in 1965. A 1969 sale to Performance Systems led to SEC scrutiny, heavy losses by 1970, and subsequent store sell-offs, while a separate Ohio operation later closed.
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