Defunct Burger Chains We'll Never See Again
NEWS
BY HAYLEY VERDEYEN
Burger Chef
Based in Indianapolis, Burger Chef was founded in 1954 and was famous for selling flame-broiled burgers and the "Fun Meal," a kid's meal predating the Happy Meal.
Despite staying popular for decades, eventually the owner began divesting itself of the restaurants, culminating in a sale to Hardee's. The last
Burger Chef shuttered in 1996.
Burger Queen
Burger Queen was founded on single patty burgers and milkshakes and grew to operate hundreds of restaurants across the Southern and Midwest U.S. in the ‘60s.
Eventually, Burger Queen was renamed to Druther's Restaurant. Dairy Queen absorbed many Burger Queen's,
and Druther's restaurants were
shuttered until only one remained.
Dee's Drive-In
Utah's first burger joint, Dee's Drive-In started as a concession stand and became a full restaurant in 1932. It had more than 50 drive-ins at its height.
As with many other chains, Dee's was eventually sold to a larger company. Bought by Hardee's in 1982, the franchise shrunk,
now no longer a landmark.
Doggie Diner
Started in 1948 in Oakland, California, Doggie Diner capitalized on the mascot and roadside attraction trends of the time. The dog heads even outlasted the restaurants.
Since its closing in 1986, there have been several pop-ups to recreate the campy and fun nature of the chain, and the heads are still available to see at Golden Gate Park.
Geri's Hamburgers
Modeled in large part after McDonald's, Geri's had a towering arched shape sign and similar mascots. It was originally a take-out first restaurant.
The restaurant had less than 15 stores at its height, and in 1981, Geris' corporation closed. The very last Geri's restaurant closed in 1999 in Wisconsin.