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A big pseudo-chrome facade signals suburbanites to pull over for comfort food..
The Scene
Started in 1959, this local chain references its natal decade with broadly executed, non-invasive design elements. Patrons won't find waitresses in poodle skirts or chefs with
Elvis hairdos. Instead, expansive dining areas--twice the size of their milkshake-making predecessors--feature countless high-backed booths with formica tables and a small counter with padded, spinning stools. Located primarily alongside highways, these tamed-down truck spots have successfully targeted the SUV-driving masses.
The Food
Quantity takes precedence over quality in a menu that fills one oversized, laminated spiral notebook. Eggs, burgers, sandwiches and salads are all accounted for, with expected fare coming in myriad variations. That means pancakes are topped by strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips or apple raisin-cinnamon as well as syrup; poultry and fish are prepared alfredo-, marsala- and caprese-style. A handful of Greek specialties acknowledge the founders' ethnicity, but this bustling enterprise is more a tribute to the American entrepreneur than a Mediterranean expatriate.…
