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MacPherson's Drive-In [gone]
Long Beach, CA |
Giant Burger
Max & Erma's
Pittsburgh, PA |
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MacPherson's Drive-In originally had a giant burger over the roof. Later, when they switched to specializing in fried chicken sometime around 1940, they simply plaid-ed over the whole building. They also changed the name to MacPherson's Tom-O-Shanta.
Max & Erma's features this giant burger above the entrance to their restaurant downtown. It was installed in 1998. There may still be a similar one in Columbus, OH. Max & Erma's has about 78 locations, mostly in the Midwest.
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Giant Burger
Seymour, WI |
Giant Burger
South of the Border
Dillon, SC |
TV Cafe
Los Angeles, CA |
Giant Sandwich
Oscar's
North Myrtle Beach, SC |
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The Seymour Burger is a replica of the World's Largest Hamburger that was cooked here in 1989. The hamburger fed 13,000 people and was cooked on this 5,000 pound grill. Seymour is known as the "Home of the Hamburger" and a statue of its inventor, Hamburger Charlie, is just across the street. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The SOB Burger fits right in with all the other oversized figures, neon and carnival atmosphere of South of the Border. There are two giant ice cream cones nearby as well (and a giant spark plug at the gas station). For more about the place, see this page.
The TV Cafe features a giant burger, soft drink and fries, as well as an elephant and a giraffe, on its roof. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
Oscar's Sandwich is part of the restaurant's signage. The 3-D sculpture features every imagineable sandwich filling. It is approximately 6' long.
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| Henry'sCicero, IL |
Fast Track
Chicago, IL |
Pal's Sudden Service
Bristol, TN |
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Henry's was just down the block from a Muffler Man holding a giant hot dog. The Muffler Man moved to Atlanta, IL in 2003. I'm not sure which place came first and can't find any more info about Henry's. For more, see this website.
Fast Track features this giant hot dog sign. It may have been inspired by the Henry's hot dog which is not that far away. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Pal's Sudden Service was started in 1956 by Fred "Pal" Barger with a drive-in in Kingsport, TN. The company now has 18 locations in VA and TN. In 1984, this drive-thru-only building was designed. The original napkin sketch included this stair-stepped front with the giant burger, hot dog, fries and drink. The first of these blue buildings opened in 1985 in Kingsport, TN and there are more than 15 of them now. For more about Pal's, see their website.
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| Tail O' the Pup (in storage)Hollywood, CA |
Top Dog
Portland, CT |
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The Tail O' the Pup is a 17' long hot dog. It was designed by architect Milton J. Black in 1938 and built in 1945. It was nearly destroyed in 1985 before it was moved one block east. The original location had chrome bar stools in front. In 2005, the restaurant closed and the giant hot dog was moved into storage. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The Top Dog hot dog stand is a converted 16' Airstream trailer. In 1981, when Andrea Spaulding fantasized about opening a restaurant, her husband bought this trailer and transformed it for her. Al also restored the 1972 Checker Cab which sits next to the trailer and tows it to state fairs and such. Although the giant weenie is topped with relish and onions, Andrea is famous for her two types of meat toppings. The hot dogs are produced in Maine. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
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Coney Island Dairyland
Bailey, CO |
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Coney Island Dairyland building is 42' long, 15' tall and made of concrete and steel. It weighs 14 tons and seats ten at the stools inside. The stand opened in Denver, CO in 1966 as the "Boardwalk at Coney Island". It closed in 1968 and was moved to a mobile home park for a couple years. It was then moved to Aspen Park, CO where it reopened in 1970 as the Coney Island Dairyland. The stand closed in 1999 and was up for sale. But when these photos were taken in 2005, it was open again. Shortly thereafter, the land it stood on was sold for development of a bank. In 2006, it was moved to Bailey, CO and by 2007, it had been restored and reopened. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [bottom photo thanks Mark Comstock]
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former Red's Hot Dogs
Los Angeles, CA |
Taxi Dogs
Seattle, WA |
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Red's Hot Dogs moved into this building in the late 1990s and only lasted a few years. I believe they are the ones that installed this fiberglass hot dog on the roof. Thai Town Express moved into the building in 2007 but moved out in 2008. Rumor has it that the building may be demolished for new development and the fate of the hot dog is unknown. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Taxi Dogs is a food stand in Pike Place market. Their giant hot dog is about 6' long. For more, see these websites: 1 and 1. [photo thanks Mark Comstock]
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