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Fast Food Joints Southern California

 

Arby's Roast Beef (Demolished)
Covina, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Let's start off in no particular order except alphabetical. Look forward to hot roast beef sandwiches with extra horsey sauce? It's none other than Arby's! This location in Covina sported an old hat-looking sign.

 

UPDATE 01/04 : This Arby's sign in Covina with the old vintage neon hat was taken down in Summer 2003. Many thanks to Joseph Tessier for update. 01-04

 

 

Taco Bell
Culver City, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

If you are one of the hungry types who makes a "run for the border" everything time the el stomacho comes calling, there's nothing better than a Taco Bell taco. Here an inside scoop. Per an anonymous tipster, the Taco Bell in Culver City was the first one. We haven't verified this info and perhaps the tipster is really a trickster. But you heard it here first.

 

UPDATE 02/02 : Looks like the 1st Taco Bell was actually in Downey. So much for that anonymous tipster. Many thanks to Steve Swanson for picking up this tidbit recently. 02-02

UPDATE 08/02 : The first Taco Bell was on Firestone Blvd, in Downey, California. It was out by the All American Home Center and Guadalajara Inn. Glen Bell himself built it and ran it for years. Many thanks to Johnny Wareham for added info. 08-02

 

 

Gar-Duno's (Closed)
Monterey Park, CA
Photo courtesy Sal Garcia

Fancy hanging out after school at Gar-Duno's ... with its video games and greasy fast food, what else could you want? Well, at least in the past. Today, this location is closed and the sign looks like it's just about history.

 

 

Tastee (Remodeled)
Covina, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here's a chain that always seems to catch your eye as you pass by. It's Tastee and the familiar orange sign and red roofed restaurant. This location here in Covina sports the familiar Tastee look. Notice anything different? It may be your browser.

 

UPDATE 01/04 : This location has changed from a Tastee to a Winchell's Donut Shop. Many thanks to Joseph Tessier for update. 01-04

 

 

Pioneer Chicken
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Pioneer Chicken and the famous white chuck wagon sign can still be found in many cities. Pioneer, known in past for its great toy giveaways including the magic telescope and plastic ride-around train, was the first of the chains to offer the extra crispy skin. The marquee itself can still be found with the names of a great many other chicken places that have taken over the old Pioneer locations.

 

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© Copyright 1998-2021 Syd Nagoshi. All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the author.