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sorcrow

(630 posts)

40. For Atlantans

Mon Aug 11, 2025, 02:25 PM

Aug 11

The Varsity, downtown by Georgia Tech.
Biggest drive-in in the world. In its heyday, each carhop had a number and would place a numbered card under your windshield wiper to claim you as as customer. They used repartee, song, dance and humor to attract customers. Nipsey Russell, a 1960s comedian, started work there after WW II. When he became famous, the Varsity retired his number 46.

At its height, the Varsity had space for 600 cars and seating for 800 inside.

More info on Wikipedia

My favorite meal was a chili dog, a chili burger, fries and frosted orange.

The Varsity is still an institution in and around Atlanta

I make sure to visit the Varsity in Atlanta Airport when I pass through .

Best regards,
Sorghum Crow

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debm55

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Highlight:

As a kid. or teen, what was your favorite fast food place to go to? Mine was Roy Rogers. What was yours? [View all] debm55 Aug 11 OP

Not exactly fast food, but I loved the clam rolls at Howard Johnson's. 3catwoman3 Aug 11 #1

Me too Walleye Aug 11 #3

Yes, I liked the clam rolls too. I like the fried clams the best. Thank you 3catwoman3 debm55 Aug 11 #6

Their ice cream cones were the best! My next favorite would be A&W Root beer at the counter in a frosty mug Deuxcents Aug 11 #7

When I got married we would stop at Howard Johnson's on our way to Boston. Loved their cones. debm55 Aug 11 #20

Yeah loved samplegirl Aug 11 #28

Or at Friendly's. marble falls Aug 11 #32

YES!!! elleng Aug 11 #54

I went to Friendly's a few weeks ago and got a clam rolll Bluestocking Aug 11 #57

Gee, Sorry. How old was she---17? debm55 Aug 11 #58

We had Geno's before McDonald's. They had a great hamburger that was much better than the big Mac. Walleye Aug 11 #2

Thank you Walleye. We had an Italian family in my town that made great pizza. No subs though. We got our subs from debm55 Aug 11 #10

Dairy Queen Brazier sorcrow Aug 11 #4

Thank you very much sorcrow. They were good too. debm55 Aug 11 #11

Bronco's in Omaha. Best burger. Onions and mustard only. OLDMDDEM Aug 11 #5

Thank you very much. for telling us about Bronco's. No ketchup???? debm55 Aug 11 #19

Mustard and onions only. Mmmmm good. OLDMDDEM Aug 11 #26

Dairy Queen or Pizza hut, those were within walking or biking distance. mwmisses4289 Aug 11 #8

Thank you very much mwmisses4289, I wish I had them growing up. debm55 Aug 11 #17

McDonald's was the weekend treat. Eugene Aug 11 #9

Thank you very much Eugene. As a child we very seldom went out to eat. As a teen I would stop at Roy's on my home from debm55 Aug 11 #16

Growing up, the closest thing to fast food in our town was A&W, rsdsharp Aug 11 #12

Yes, when I was growing up , we had no McDonalds in my small town either. debm55 Aug 11 #15

We only even had one pizza place, and that was a bar -- Ray's Pass Time. rsdsharp Aug 11 #22

Sounds like my hometown, At ten years old, I used to go to the bar and order fish dinners for Lent.and bring them home. debm55 Aug 11 #59

big boys AllaN01Bear Aug 11 #13

Thank you very much, AllaN01Bear. I always liked their statue of the Big Boy out the restaurant. debm55 Aug 11 #14

White Castle! lucca18 Aug 11 #18

Thank you lucca18, When I had workshops in Pittsburgh , we would stop at White Castle. Loved their unique burgers. debm55 Aug 11 #23

I preferred Burger Chef to Burger King before Chef went out of business. House of Roberts Aug 11 #21

Oh yes, I remember Burger Chef. They had 15 cent burgers. Thank you House of Roberts. debm55 Aug 11 #24

A&W Sneederbunk Aug 11 #25

A&W Jilly_in_VA Aug 11 #27

Frankie's Dairy Bar, Amelia Ohio. SamKnause Aug 11 #29

We were Traildogbob Aug 11 #30

The Hot Dog Inn on Lorain rd, Cleveland ... WTH? It closed after 92 years. marble falls Aug 11 #31

From the time I was 8-10 yrs old -- to this day (70-ish)... Jrose Aug 11 #33

When I was quite young, before I started kindergarten, sdfernando Aug 11 #34

In the West, A&w, in the Boston area, flor-de-jasmim Aug 11 #35

Thank you very much for sharing with us. flor-de-jasmim. When I taught in Philadelphia, my friends would always took me debm55 Aug 11 #51

I was never allowed to eat fast food as a child or teen. MIButterfly Aug 11 #36

HAHAHAHAHah. I am glad you got the chance on your own to experiecnce a fast food place. debm55 Aug 11 #50

I looked up Burger Chef online and apparently MIButterfly Aug 11 #63

Wendy's. When we moved from Ohio to Virginia we were surprised there were none here. underpants Aug 11 #37

Thank you underpants. They have been closing some underperforming Wendy"s around here. I liked their chili, debm55 Aug 11 #49

Snappy Service. Ten cent burgers. Can't speak to the taste, but any carry-out burger was a special treat for me. Midnight Writer Aug 11 #38

Right, I was a "free range " too. Most are on the computers or tic tok. debm55 Aug 11 #48

My father absolutely loathed fast food so we never went to a fast food place as a family. Diamond_Dog Aug 11 #39

So did my parents. They would always say, "you want a burger, we can make it at home." The only thing we got that was debm55 Aug 11 #46

For Atlantans sorcrow Aug 11 #40

Wow , That place was huge and unique too. That you sorcrow. debm55 Aug 11 #45

McDonald's. Loved the QP with cheese. It ain't the same anymore. malthaussen Aug 11 #41

Thank you very much malthaussen. There is a McDonnalds in Brentwood at the intersection of Brownsville and 51. debm55 Aug 11 #44

Can't remember what was at that intersection when I lived there... malthaussen Aug 11 #47

Kenny Kings NE Ohio Buzz cook Aug 11 #42

Thank you very much Buzz cook. I love onion rings. debm55 Aug 11 #43

Taco Bell DBoon Aug 11 #52

Thank you very much, DBoon debm55 Aug 12 #90

the Automat. surrealAmerican Aug 11 #53

Thank you surrealAmerican. I have seen them on television and they did look futuristic. debm55 Aug 12 #89

When I was a kid fast food was not that big of a deal Bluestocking Aug 11 #55

Because as a kid, that is what you would like and they were low in price? debm55 Aug 12 #88

Krystal burgers 4TheArts Aug 11 #56

Oh my, 4TheArts. You ate 12? they are on the small side though if they are like White Castle. debm55 Aug 12 #83

LOL. Was queasy for sure 4TheArts Aug 13 #95

Hahahaha debm55 Aug 13 #96

Back when Dad was stationed at George AFB, there was this little drive in on the road from Victorville to Oro Grande. A Dorothy V Aug 11 #60

Thank you, Dorothy V, for your selections. They all sound great. debm55 Aug 12 #81

A & W !! justaprogressive Aug 11 #61

HAHAHAHAHHHAH. thank you justaprogressive. We had a Big Boy's but not a Bob"s Big Boy's. I think they were similiar. debm55 Aug 12 #79

Steak-n-Shake and Burger Chef Emile Aug 11 #62

Thank you Emile for your two choices. debm55 Aug 12 #76

You got me on this one. OldBaldy1701E Aug 11 #64

Thank you very much, OldBaldy1701E, I really liked Wendy's chili. debm55 Aug 12 #75

Well, growing up in the midddle of nowhere northern Lower Michigan, we had two choices: catbyte Aug 11 #65

Thank you very much , catbyte. I like them both. debm55 Aug 12 #74

In my day we didn't have any fast food chains doc03 Aug 11 #66

That's okay, doc03. So you liked Big Boy and Burger Chef? debm55 Aug 12 #73

Shakey's Pizza Coloradan4Truth Aug 11 #67

Thank you very much , Coloradan4Truth. I would love to see one made that way. debm55 Aug 12 #72

Burger Chef and Dairy Queen/Brazier Burger ArnoldLayne Aug 11 #68

Arctic circle hydrolastic Aug 12 #69

Thank you very much, hydrolastic. debm55 Aug 12 #70

Great combination there, ArnoldLayne. debm55 Aug 12 #71

Right next to my kindergarten customerserviceguy Aug 12 #77

Thank you customerserviceguy. I agree with the cole slaw. debm55 Aug 13 #92

I'm pretty old, i think they're was only McDonald's. dem4decades Aug 12 #78

Local, Larry's Pizza. sinkingfeeling Aug 12 #80

Rax Roast Beef. Hated when they closed. nt Phoenix61 Aug 12 #82

Thank you very much, Phoenix61, I remember when they closed also, debm55 Aug 13 #94

We had none... Mike Nelson Aug 12 #84

Thank you very much, Mike Nelson. However, Carvel ice cream was great. debm55 Aug 12 #87

Scotties kozar Aug 12 #85

Thank you very much, kozar. debm55 Aug 12 #86

My friends and I would go swimming at a downtown hotel and applegrove Aug 12 #91

Thank you. applegrove, It sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day. debm55 Aug 13 #93