Pal's Sudden Service
Kingsport, TN Photo courtesy Doug Harvey
Take a look at the giant fellow standing on the roof of Pal's Sudden Service. Holding a huge hamburger high above the building, he's hard to miss and has been catching the eyes of hungry motorists in Kingsport, Tennessee, since the early 1960s. It's one of those roadside sights that's guaranteed to make you smile. 10-06
Although Pal's first opened in 1956, this Lynn Garden location followed in 1958 as the chain's second restaurant. It's also one of only two classic Pal's locations that still offer walk-up service with covered outdoor seating, giving it a different feel from the newer drive-thru-only restaurants scattered around the Tri-Cities.
The 23-foot-tall "Pal's Hamburger Man" on the roof is a customized Muffler Man, trading the usual muffler for an oversized Big Pal burger. It's one of Tennessee's best-known roadside advertising figures and has become just as famous as the restaurant itself.
The idea for Pal's actually traces back to Texas. While serving in the Air Force, founder Fred "Pal" Barger became fascinated with the speed and efficiency of an Austin burger stand called 2J's. He studied how the restaurant handled long lines of customers, then returned home to Kingsport determined to build a fast-food operation of his own. Judging by the steady line of cars, the idea worked.
UPDATE: This Pal's Sudden Service was the 2nd in the chain and is affiliated with Johnson City's #5 that opened up in 1990. 07-08
UPDATE: The 1958 Lynn Garden Pal's remains open, and its famous rooftop Hamburger Man continues welcoming hungry travelers. 08-26
Pal's Sudden Service
Johnson City, TN Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Pal's Sudden Service is a popular drive-thru in Johnson City, TN serving up burgers, dogs, milk shakes, and even breakfast. This Pal's is #5 in the chain and is affiliated with the location along Lynn Garden Drive in Kingsport, TN with the giant fiberglass man on the roof. 07-08
You won't find a giant Muffler Man at this Pal's Sudden Service, but you will spot plenty of oversized burgers, hot dogs, fries, and drinks perched on the roof. The colorful building is hard to miss along Bristol Highway in Johnson City, Tennessee, and that's exactly the idea. 07-08
This location opened in 1990 as Pal's first restaurant in Johnson City and became Store No. 5 in the growing chain. By then, Pal's had already earned a reputation across northeast Tennessee for serving burgers, hot dogs, Frenchie Fries, shakes, and breakfast with remarkable speed. The bright blue building and giant fiberglass food sculptures quickly became as recognizable as the menu itself.
Pal's Sudden Service
Johnson City, TN Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
While the older Lynn Garden location in Kingsport is famous for its rooftop Hamburger Man, this restaurant represents the next generation of Pal's design. The playful architecture, drive-thru-only layout, and giant food sculptures helped turn the chain into one of the region's most recognizable roadside sights.
Whether you're a first-time visitor or a regular who knows exactly what a Big Pal and Frenchie Fries are, it's hard to pass one of these colorful buildings without getting a little hungry.
UPDATE: Pal's Sudden Service continues serving customers from its Bristol Highway location in Johnson City. 08-26
Rawleigh's Burger Grill (Demolished)
Texarkana, AR Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell
Hungry? The giant arrow at Rawleigh's Burger Grill made sure you knew exactly where to turn. Standing high above New Boston Road in Texarkana, Arkansas, the oversized sign was impossible to miss and did a fine job of drawing hungry travelers off the highway.
Rawleigh's opened in the 1950s and quickly became one of Texarkana's favorite roadside stops. Burgers were the main attraction, but Friday meant catfish, a tradition that kept plenty of regulars coming back week after week. Whether you stopped in for lunch or supper, the sign out front was almost as memorable as the food itself.
The restaurant was eventually demolished in the early 2000s, but the famous arrow escaped the wrecking ball. It's one of those classic roadside signs that was simply too good to disappear.
UPDATE: The original building is gone, but the iconic Rawleigh's roadside sign has been preserved and is now on display at the Four States Auto Museum. 08-26
What-A-Burger
Mooresville, NC Photo courtesy Tony Craig
You've heard of Lot-A-Burger. How about What-A-Burger? This classic drive-in has been a familiar sight along Main Street in Mooresville, North Carolina, since 1956. The retro sign, complete with its starburst, giant hamburger, and glowing "Pit Bar-B-Q" lettering, is reason enough to slow down for a closer look.
Despite the similar name, this isn't the famous Texas chain. It's part of a small North Carolina burger chain that's been serving the region for generations. Order a burger "all the way," or if you're feeling adventurous, try the famous Cherry Lemon Sun Drop. That's the "cherry and lemon" on the menu, not a burger topped with fruit!
The old drive-in still has plenty of its mid-century charm, and it's easy to imagine families pulling in for burgers, barbecue, onion rings, and an ice-cold drink after a day on the road.
UPDATE: What-A-Burger continues serving customers in downtown Mooresville beneath its classic roadside sign. 08-26
Big Chief
Gadsden, AL Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Hungry? The Big Chief Drive-In is one of those roadside burger stops that's worth pulling over for. Located in Glencoe, just outside Gadsden, Alabama, this little drive-in has been welcoming hungry travelers since the early 1960s. The vintage sign and low-slung burger stand look like they belong to another era, making it the kind of place that's hard to drive past without wondering what they're cooking inside.
The building first opened in 1963 as an independent Jack's Hamburgers before becoming the Big Chief a few years later. Since then, generations of locals have stopped here for burgers, barbecue, fries, and milkshakes while travelers have discovered it by simply following the sign. The menu has grown over the years, but longtime favorites like the Belly Buster burger continue to draw hungry customers. If you're looking for something a little different, don't leave without trying the famous grape soft-serve ice cream, a specialty that's become just as well known as the burgers themselves.
Big Chief
Gadsden, AL Photo courtesy Tony Craig
One of the things that makes the Big Chief so appealing is that it still feels like a true neighborhood drive-in. It's easy to picture families pulling in after a Friday night football game, friends gathering over burgers, or travelers taking a break from the highway before continuing down the road. The building has changed very little over the years, and that's part of its charm.
Classic roadside burger joints seem to disappear a little more every year, which makes places like the Big Chief even more fun to find. Sometimes the best meal on a road trip isn't at a national chain, but at a small local spot that's been quietly serving its community for decades.
UPDATE: The Big Chief Drive-In remains open and continues serving customers from its longtime home in Glencoe. 08-26
Rawleigh's Burger Grill (Demolished)
What-A-Burger
Big Chief
Big Chief
