Closed Burger Chains in South Florida

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 Lauderdale225 NE 3rd Avenue
Fort Lauderdale1800 S. Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale30130 S. Federal Highway
Miami10995 SW 40th Street
Miami11101 NW 27th Avenue
Miami13105 Biscayne Boulevard
North Miami Beach250 NE 167th Street
Plantation3291 W. Broward Boulevard
Wilton Manors2525 N. Dixie Highway

FATBURGER

Fatburger in South Beach
Fatburger in South Beach

APPROXIMATE YEARS OF OPERATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA

2008 – 2011

CONFIRMED LOCATIONS

Coral Gables232 Miracle Mile
Miami Beach947 Washington Avenue

FRISCH’S BIG BOY

APPROXIMATE YEARS OF OPERATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA

1958 – 1962 (closed due to bankruptcy)

CONFIRMED LOCATIONS

Ft. Lauderdale441 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

Krystal in Ft. Lauderdale
Krystal in Ft. Lauderdale, I took this picture in January 2009

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

3 thoughts on “Closed Burger Chains in South Florida”

  1. This is amazing….im the author of the frankies pizza history book and the documentary also. I am leading a tour of bird road from 87 ave down to bird bowl on the 14th of oct lets talk soon

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  2. 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.

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