Royal Carousel was Royal Castle’s Restaurant of the Future

There is only one Royal Castle Restaurant left from the Miami chain. It’s located at 2700 NW 79th Street and still opens 24 hours a day.

Before Burger King opened up its first Miami outpost in 1954, there was William Singer’s Royal Castle since 1938. It was the original Miami Burger Chain.

In April of 1967, Royal Castle announced during its quarterly report to Stockholders:

“The opening of a new type of quick service restaurant that will be more fully automated then the present kind, with more self-service by the customer.”

The Miami News - April 24th, 1967
The Miami News – April 24th, 1967

A few months later, in July of 1967, an ad appeared in the Miami News looking for restaurant personnel and managers for future locations.

The address for this new Royal Carousel location was *599 NE 167th Street in North Miami Beach; it’s now a Taco Bell.

Royal Castle is Hiring?

Royal Carousel Job Ad - The Miami News July 18th, 1967
Royal Carousel Job Ad – The Miami News July 18th, 1967

The Miami Times and The Miami News both ran stories about the opening of Royal Carousel on August 23rd, 1967. Royal Castle touted their new concept as the first Electronic Restaurant in the Southeast.

The idea was that you walk in, place your order at a Master Console as the Miami Times called it. Then, it would be cooked and packaged by the Royal Carousel machinery.

The food deviated from the Royal Castle menu with french-fried shrimp, especially breaded chicken, & hush puppies.

It was most interesting that they served a Charbroiled Super Double Hamburger with Special Sauce since Royal Castle cooked their hamburgers on a flat top.

There was also an air-conditioned dining room, which was not the norm for fast food in that era.

Royal Carousel - Miami Times August 18th, 1967
The Miami Times August 18th, 1967
The Miami News - August 24th, 1967
The Miami News – August 24th, 1967

The Royal Carousel lasted only about a year and never expanded past its original location in North Miami. It seemed like a great idea that didn’t pan out.

Any memories about Royal Carousel?

Please leave a comment below.

*Thanks to Phillip Pessar for tracking down the address in the 1968 Polks Directory

13 thoughts on “Royal Carousel was Royal Castle’s Restaurant of the Future”

  1. Loved going to Royal Carousel after Hebrew School. Burgers were outstanding. Futuristic place. Had a Miami Dolphin promotion there with players. I remember going.

    Reply
  2. Born in N. Miami Beach 1958, I lived at 10th Ave and 171 terr. I remember my dad taking me to the Royal Carousel on 6th Ave when it opened. It was in the S.E. corner of the grocery store parking lot my mother shopped at. It was fantastic watching the conveyers start up when you placed your order. I always went across the street to the 7 11 for an Ice afterward and my dad picked up Krispy Kreme donuts across to the south. Great memories. Thanks for writing about it. I’ve been searching for places I went as a kid and hadn’t found anything before your blog on this joint zee. The location closed in under a year. It just was ahead of its time I think.

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  3. The Royal Carousel didn’t last long ’60s (See Stephen LeQuier’s comment below). After it closed, Chicken Unlimited moved in. Chicken Unlimited was in that building throughout the 70s and 80s. They closed up in the 90s. The old circular (carousel) building was torn down and the new Taco Bell building was erected.

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  4. Why Oh Why can’t they bring back Royal Castle? Especially down South, like Kendall or even Homestead where they have Sonic! I hate Sonic!! We miss our little RC Burgers!!! There’s so much Land for sale around here, in Cutler Ridge & Homestead!!! PLEASE bring back our Royal Castles! Mc D’s is pathetic!!!! hugs….:)

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  5. I lived across the street from the Royal carousel behind where Krispy Kreme is now. I remember eating at carousel several times and it was enjoyable. It seems like when the tornado hit the area the building was damage and they decided not to reopen.

    Steve LeQuier

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    • Hey Steve, just wondering if you went to Sabal Palm Elementary School at 171st. Street and 7th Ave. I remember when the Krispy Kreme opened you lived behind. Do you remember Figaro’s Pizza farther west on 163rd., I always went there after my baseball games for old (ha ha) at that time movies and pizza

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  6. I lived in Miami (South Florida) up until 1985. I never saw the Royal Carousel at all. When I was a teenager I worked at the Royal Castle on BIscayne Blvd and 86th street across from the Bid Daddy’s Bar.

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