When I’m amongst my burger-loving friends, we always discuss burger chains that aren’t in South Florida anymore, or that we wish were. In some cases, a restaurant might fall into both categories, like Umami Burger.
Some restos like Roy Rogers were available in the Snapper Creek Service Plaza on the turnpike (Kendall area) for a few years in the early 1990s. However, it was not a good representation of the chain during its heyday.
Others like White Castle (read about White Castle in Miami) which had two Miami locations from 1959 through 1967 are remembered fondly. A&W Drive-ins, Fatburger, Frisch’s Big Boy, Hardee’s, and Krystal were in Dade and Broward counties for years, and now they’re not.
There are plenty of folks that would like to see them here again. All it takes is for a willing franchisee to bring them back, and before you know it, we’ll be good to go again.
You can read about these burger chains, their histories, plus many more in my book All About the Burger (get your copy here).
A&W
APPROXIMATE YEARS OF OPERATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA
1954 – the mid-1980s
CONFIRMED LOCATIONS
| Fort Lauderdale | 225 NE 3rd Avenue |
| Fort Lauderdale | 1800 S. Federal Highway |
| Fort Lauderdale | 30130 S. Federal Highway |
| Miami | 10995 SW 40th Street |
| Miami | 11101 NW 27th Avenue |
| Miami | 13105 Biscayne Boulevard |
| North Miami Beach | 250 NE 167th Street |
| Plantation | 3291 W. Broward Boulevard |
| Wilton Manors | 2525 N. Dixie Highway |
FATBURGER
APPROXIMATE YEARS OF OPERATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA
2008 – 2011
CONFIRMED LOCATIONS
| Coral Gables | 232 Miracle Mile |
| Miami Beach | 947 Washington Avenue |
FRISCH’S BIG BOY
APPROXIMATE YEARS OF OPERATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA
1958 – 1962 (closed due to bankruptcy)
CONFIRMED LOCATIONS
| Ft. Lauderdale | 441 S.W. State Road 7 |
HARDEE’S
APPROXIMATE YEARS OF OPERATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA
*1964-? and **1980-2003
CONFIRMED LOCATIONS
| Fort Lauderdale | *1645 NE 4th Avenue |
| Fort Lauderdale | *1705 W State Road 84 |
| Hialeah | **1149 W 49th Street |
| Kendall | **Kendall Drive & 107th Avenue |
| Margate | *5229 Coconut Creek Parkway |
| Perrine | **18601 S Dixie Highway |
| Sweetwater | **Flagler & 107th Avenue |
| Westchester | **8700 Bird Road |
KRYSTAL
APPROXIMATE YEARS OF OPERATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA
*1967-1971 and **2000-2016
CONFIRMED LOCATIONS
| Fort Lauderdale | **901 W Sunrise Boulevard |
| Fort Lauderdale | *1220 NE 8th Avenue |
| Fort Lauderdale | *1311 E. Sunrise Boulevard |
| Fort Lauderdale | *3615 W. Broward Boulevard |
| Pompano | *Address currently unknown |
RE: Hardee’s @ HIALEAH 1195 W 49th St: according to MDC Property Appraiser office, the property was absorbed into shopping retail center for Palm Springs Mile According to Google earth a Vitamin Shoppe physically sits there now but it appears the building has been completely changed (couldn’t find original building photos) (Folio: 04-3001-051-0010) According to State licensing # 2316523R (d/b/a HARDEES OF HIALEAH expired October 1, 1998 so it probably closed shortly before or after then.
When I was little I use to love Burger Chef! Then I think Hardees bought them out.