Des Plaines, IL - Des Plaines is a town located just north of the Chicago O'Hare airport. Along its main street are several roadside establishments including a theatre and the Sugar Bowl Restaurant. Also located in Des Plaines is the Choo Choo Restaurant. 10-13
Choo Choo sign in neon
Des Plaines, IL
Photo courtesy Dennis Dixon
The Choo Choo Restaurant in Des Plaines gives lunch a little extra movement. Take a seat at the counter and a model train brings the food, turning a hamburger order into something worth watching. Children aren’t the only ones keeping an eye on the approaching locomotive. A few grown-ups seem just as interested in seeing dinner arrive on rails.
James and Marilyn Ballowe opened the diner in 1951, hoping to create a business that would entertain customers of all ages. The idea gave their little restaurant an identity beyond the usual burger counter. People could stop for a meal, but the delivery system supplied a good reason to remember where they ate.
Choo Choo sign close up
Des Plaines, IL Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The inspiration came from James’s younger brother Roy while he was serving in the Philippines. According to the restaurant’s history, a fellow soldier’s complaint about the “gravy train” got him thinking. Why not serve hamburgers on a model train? Children liked both, and this sounded considerably more appealing than the military meals that prompted the conversation.
The concept caught on. In 1956, the Choo Choo received a larger freestanding building, giving the growing business more room. Its name explained the attraction before anyone walked inside, while the miniature railway made sure the theme wasn’t limited to a sign or a few decorations. This train had actual work to do.
Choo Choo Restaurant
Des Plaines, IL Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Another hamburger business had arrived nearby just a year earlier. Ray Kroc opened his Des Plaines McDonald’s in 1955, putting two very different approaches to quick dining in the same community. One would become an enormous international chain. The Choo Choo kept its appeal closer to the counter, where watching an order arrive could become part of a family outing.
The diner’s compact setting helps make the experience. Customers sit close to the action instead of watching a decorative train circle somewhere near the ceiling. Burgers, fries and shakes fit the surroundings, and train-themed treats extend the idea to dessert. It’s a simple combination, but not every restaurant can make waiting for lunch part of the entertainment.
Choo Choo sign
Des Plaines, IL Photo courtesy Tammy Terwelp
For roadside fans, places like this offer another kind of discovery. The attraction isn’t a towering arrow or an enormous rooftop mascot. It’s an ordinary meal delivered in an unexpected way. You can appreciate the idea without needing to be a railroad enthusiast, though it probably helps to have a little patience for everyone wanting to watch the next train.
The restaurant’s long history hasn’t been uninterrupted. Following longtime owner Jean’s passing, the Choo Choo remained closed for approximately two years before reopening in 2022. The family chose to continue the experience she had helped preserve. Some booths were removed to create additional waiting space for customers seeking those popular counter seats.
The Choo Choo
Des Plaines, IL Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE 11/09 : Here's a close-up shot of the Choo Choo restaurant in Des Plaines. The Choo Choo has been serving its burgers using a model train since 1951. In this NBC Chicago article from a year ago, the Choo Choo was in danger of being razed to make room for a new police station. In fact, a site called www.savethechoochoo.com was created to fight the development plan that had the City purchasing the land and finding another location for the eatery. 11-09
UPDATE: In this latest story posted by the Journal Online on November 20, 2009, The City of Des Plaines has given up for now its plan to purchase the former Masonic Temple building downtown as well as the land of the adjacent Choo Choo. The Choo Choo Restaurant appears to be safe for the time being. Many thanks to Tammy Terwelp for updated photo and link to NBC Chicago article. 11-09
The Choo Choo
Des Plaines, IL Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: As of October 2013, the Choo Choo is alive and well. Diners were eating inside and the sign looked as good as ever. 10-13
UPDATE: The Choo Choo Restaurant is open once again after an extensive refurbishment under new ownership. The vintage neon sign still welcomes visitors, the trains are back on the tracks, and one of Des Plaines' most memorable dining experiences continues to roll along. 07-26
