The fast food row of my early childhood in late 1980s Central Kentucky consisted of an Imasco-era Hardee’s, an Arby’s in a former Burger Queen/Druther’s, and a Fazoli’s in a heavily modified former KFC. All of these structures still stand today, (though the Fazoli’s is now a Dairy Queen) but another fast food joint in the area was leveled and forgotten decades ago.
I didn’t even remember the name of the place, but I remembered the building. It seemed impossibly tall and impossibly narrow to my preschool-aged eyes, with its bright mansard roof topped with a four-sided sign whose letters meant little to me at a time in my development that I was just beginning ponder the concept of written language. I was probably attracted to the bright colors and ornate trim. It was also the first fast food place with no inside dining area that I remember being aware of. My family and I never ate there when it was open, and it had been closed and demolished for a solid decade by the time I was old enough to drive.
With no restaurant name to Google, and with friends and family from the area unable to recall what the place was called, I had all but given up on researching the place more to see if there were any of them left open anywhere. That is, at least until I was browsing roadarch.com and found their entry for a chain called Central Park. Upon seeing the pictures of the double drive thru buildings with a tiny footprint, standing a good three and a half stories tall including the four sided sign on the roofs, I was 90% sure I had found more examples of that near forgotten building of my late toddlerhood. (I chalk up the 10% uncertainty to the fact that this is one of my earliest fast food memories.) Furthermore, I was ecstatic to learn of a handful of locations still open, mostly in East Tennessee.
I didn’t even remember the name of the place, but I remembered the building. It seemed impossibly tall and impossibly narrow to my preschool-aged eyes, with its bright mansard roof topped with a four-sided sign whose letters meant little to me at a time in my development that I was just beginning ponder the concept of written language. I was probably attracted to the bright colors and ornate trim. It was also the first fast food place with no inside dining area that I remember being aware of. My family and I never ate there when it was open, and it had been closed and demolished for a solid decade by the time I was old enough to drive.
With no restaurant name to Google, and with friends and family from the area unable to recall what the place was called, I had all but given up on researching the place more to see if there were any of them left open anywhere. That is, at least until I was browsing roadarch.com and found their entry for a chain called Central Park. Upon seeing the pictures of the double drive thru buildings with a tiny footprint, standing a good three and a half stories tall including the four sided sign on the roofs, I was 90% sure I had found more examples of that near forgotten building of my late toddlerhood. (I chalk up the 10% uncertainty to the fact that this is one of my earliest fast food memories.) Furthermore, I was ecstatic to learn of a handful of locations still open, mostly in East Tennessee.
Double drive thru in action. |
In fact, the first Central Park opened in Chattanooga in 1982, an early entrant in the then-crowded field of second-wave, no-frills fast food chains that sought to forego the salad bar and playground-laden excess that fast food had become, and take it back to its stripped-down roots, with limited menus, no inside seating, and dirt cheap prices. Checkers/Rally’s is a still thriving chain born of this boom. The all but defunct Hot ‘n Now is a relic of the same era, as are other defunct or near defunct chains like Snapp’s and Zipp’s. Even my beloved G.D. Ritzy’s tried to get in on the action with their short-lived Daddy-O’s concept. Most of these chains employed a double drive thru ordering system with two separate ordering lanes and windows as a way to maximize efficiency.
At their peak, Central Park had around 60 locations, mostly in the south, plus a few in Utah thanks to a lone franchisee in Salt Lake City. Like many other regional double drive thru chains, Central Park declined in the ‘90s, and locations, including the one I grew up near, gradually closed. Their name makes them difficult to Google, but constantly adjusting search terms and dragging the map away from Manhattan shows five Central Park locations open today, three of which are in their original 1980s-era buildings, another in an larger, presumably newer building, and a fifth operating out of a former Hardee's complete with inside seating. On a recent run to Tennessee, I stopped by a couple of the locations operating in their original structures.
My first stop was at Knoxville’s only surviving Central Park location, tucked on a tiny lot just off I-640. It was lunchtime, and the place was doing a brisk business. Upon my arrival, I noted there was no customer parking in the lot. As with many double drive thru chains of this era, you're expected to get your food and leave. The setup made taking pictures tricky, as I couldn't exit my car, but the drive thru lane that went all the way around the back of the building was helpful. When it was my turn at the order speaker, I asked for what seems to be the chain's signature burger, the Big Bubba, along with fries, and a sweet tea, as is my preference when checking out southern chains. I made the unusually short drive from the speaker to the window, paid, and received my order which I drove down the street to a gas station parking lot to examine and enjoy.
At their peak, Central Park had around 60 locations, mostly in the south, plus a few in Utah thanks to a lone franchisee in Salt Lake City. Like many other regional double drive thru chains, Central Park declined in the ‘90s, and locations, including the one I grew up near, gradually closed. Their name makes them difficult to Google, but constantly adjusting search terms and dragging the map away from Manhattan shows five Central Park locations open today, three of which are in their original 1980s-era buildings, another in an larger, presumably newer building, and a fifth operating out of a former Hardee's complete with inside seating. On a recent run to Tennessee, I stopped by a couple of the locations operating in their original structures.
My first stop was at Knoxville’s only surviving Central Park location, tucked on a tiny lot just off I-640. It was lunchtime, and the place was doing a brisk business. Upon my arrival, I noted there was no customer parking in the lot. As with many double drive thru chains of this era, you're expected to get your food and leave. The setup made taking pictures tricky, as I couldn't exit my car, but the drive thru lane that went all the way around the back of the building was helpful. When it was my turn at the order speaker, I asked for what seems to be the chain's signature burger, the Big Bubba, along with fries, and a sweet tea, as is my preference when checking out southern chains. I made the unusually short drive from the speaker to the window, paid, and received my order which I drove down the street to a gas station parking lot to examine and enjoy.
I would totally hang a giant burger and fries in a conspicuous spot in my house. |
The Big Bubba comes wrapped in plain foil. |
A generic Styrofoam cup of what I suspect are straightened curly fries |
Cleveland rocks. |
Acceptable, but unremarkable chili dog |
I spent that night in Chattanooga, Central Park's birthplace and home to two of the surviving locations. I attempted to have a third Central Park meal while in town, but found the location nearest my Airbnb closed at 7 PM despite Google indicating they were open until 9, forcing me to conclude that the Central Park brand is Googleproof, or at least Google-resistant.
5/8/2020 Edit:
I guess should have trusted my gut and given my 10% uncertainty a little more attention. It's recently come to my attention that the fast food joint of my vague childhood memories was not a Central Park at all. The double drive thru burger stand that once stood on South Main Street in Nicholasville, Kentucky, near what is now Ollie's Bargain Outlet (and what was then Kroger) was an architecturally and conceptually similar Grand Junction Hamburger Station. The building and operation look to have been very similar to Central Park's, but it's tough to say who came first, and who was imitating whom. In the double drive thru fad of the 1980s, everyone was imitating everyone else to some extent. Information about Grand Junction online is scant, and the chain appears to be completely extinct. I'm disappointed that I never got to experience a whistle stop at the Grand Junction Hamburger Station, but I'm glad my fuzzy recollections of Grand Junction led me off the rails down the Central Park rabbit hole.
Wow, never knew my town had an endangered chain!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I'm a filmmaker, I could probaby do an ad for them, if it's not much bother.
Meanwhile...I kinda want more of these to pop up! Like, they can collab with Mahalo Coffee and Weigel's to perform a Triforce of Local Power!
Also, East Tennessee never had a Church's Chicken, a Jack in the Box, or a Rallys/Checkers! What the heck Knoxville?
I used to love this place. I had one within walking distance when I was growing up in Utah. Place was always busy because people loved the quick service and decent cheap burgers.
ReplyDeleteTHIS WAS THE BEST BURGER PLACE I WISH IT WAS BACK I DONT UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE IN AND OUT THE FRIES ARE GROSS AND BURGERS DO NOT HAVE FLAVOR
DeleteKnoxville did have a rallys once.... right beside the Kerns bakery on Chapman highway... and the church's chicken was near east town mall, I have ate at both....
DeleteWasn't there a railroad-themed burger joint like this on Nicholasville Rd. Maybe called Grand Junction or something?
ReplyDeleteTrue story, I recently learned that the mystery fast food joint from my early childhood wasn't a Central Park at all, and was in fact, a Grand Junction Hamburger Station. It stood near what is now Ollie's Bargain Outlet on South Main Street in Nicholasville. There may have been others in Lexington around the same time. I plan on amending this post shortly to reflect this discovery.
DeleteThanks for this! I loved the Central Park in Layton, Utah when I was a kid. No one I talk to remembers it, and I was starting to feel a little bit crazy.
ReplyDeleteThere was one in Clearfield too! I loved going there, the mustard on burgers and the seasoning on the fries were what kept me craving it. I always wondered how hot it had to be in that tiny space for the workers.
DeleteThere was one in West Jordan too, I randomly remember it from my childhood and the fries.
DeleteThis is great!!! We had one in Selma,AL that operated until 2007 I believe. Loved this place.
ReplyDeleteI remember eating once at Central Park in Chattanooga, where I grew up. Don't really remember what the food tastes like but it's awesome to see my hometown represented. Chattanooga was also the birthplace of Krystal's...
ReplyDeleteBeefy's Hamburgers was out of Nashville and inho the best of the double drive-thru burger concepts. Sadly they are all gone.
ReplyDeleteWe had one in Galesburg, Illinois back in the day. I've heard Canton, IL still has one, I may have to road trip.
ReplyDeleteCentralia Illinois has one too
DeleteThere was a Central Park that we went to fairly often in Halls, off of maynardville pike, and there is still and operating location in Maryville, intersection of 411 and foothills mall dr. I personally think their fries and Rally’s fries are my all-time faves, but I haven’t had fast food in years
DeleteI was always intrigued by this place...I first saw one during a cross-country trip in the mid-90's...I want to say it was in southern Illinois heading towards St. Louis.
ReplyDeleteI do remember it have this catchy little jingle I find myself humming every once in a while. Their corporate website was www.centralparkamerica.com which is long dead, however you can pull it back up if you plug it into archive.org and go back a few years.
Centralia Illinois
DeleteI worked at one in West Memphis, Arkansas. We churned out great food, low prices and did it faster than any of the big chains. Still remember having buns passed through a hole in the roof to the storage/office upstairs.
ReplyDeleteI remember that one too. Went there several times in the 80s.
DeleteThe one in Sunset Utah was our favorite quick order place, and back then the price was better than most places. The building is still there as a Grounds for Coffee shop
ReplyDeleteProvo, UT. Early 90's. Burger, fries, 22 oz drink all for $2.25.
ReplyDeleteIs there any way for us to bring Central Park Burger 🍔 joint back out here to SLC Utah we loved it in West Valley
ReplyDeleteI’ve been asking people from my childhood the name of this place for a couple years and no one remembered. My parents got burgers here a lot but it burned down when I was young. Thanks for the update
ReplyDeleteThere was a Grand Junction in North Knoxville (Halls) that was fairly short lived then became a Central Park. From what I remember, the food was very similar but I do remember at the time saying I liked Grand Junction better. For years I have been trying to figure out what it was before Central Park but no one seemed to remember it being anything prior. Thanks to your article I finally have an answer!
ReplyDeleteI love Central Park but the 1 here in Knoxville has gone way down hill. I miss the one we had growing up in Chattanooga. I would love to take of this chain and bring it into the 21st century
ReplyDeleteWe are opening a brand new Central Park in Fort Oglethorpe Ga. Should be open by January come down and check us out. I was a store manager at two different central parks . The chain is in my veins. The original parent company was Central Park USA and it was owned by Bobby Davenport Which I met The story goes one brother wanted a sit down restaurant and created Krystal and the other a get it and go and created Central Park years later Never asked Bobby if that was true but I know the Davenports owned it until the bought into the Burger King Corporation.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.chattanoogan.com/2022/4/15/447307/John-Shearer-With-Krystal-Turning-90.aspx
ReplyDeleteThere used to be one in Pocatello but closed like 4 years ago
ReplyDeleteYes, great burgers at Central Park (CP)! I would get them all the time in Chattanooga and moved north, the one in Centralia IL went out a few years ago. Central Park also came out with a great Italian version of CP called Vitabella's. They had personalized pan pizza like Pizza hut for about $1.35 and a gallon of spaghetti with meat marinara for 3.00 and garlic bread for 75 cents. A great salad for a dollar. Great sauce! I hated to see them go. They were just off the 4th street exit in Chattanooga right by a CP. They had the same layout, but had an Italian look. This was about 1990 to 1993. They were always busy.
ReplyDeleteI remember when the very first one was built in the parking lot of the Highland Plaza shopping center located in Hixson, TN. We ate there constantly because it was cheap and the food was pretty good for the price. When it first opened I believe the fries and drinks were twenty nine cents and burgers were eighty nine cents. Unfortunately the chain has diminished and there are only a few left in operation.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Central Park in Athens Tn…. The food was good, was just like a rally’s/ checkers( rally’s also being a childhood favorite)but much fresher!!! I love this blog idea because I also worked at a now dying GD Ritzys…. Keep it going Bud bud!!
ReplyDeleteI have tried for YEARS to remember the name of that dang burger place! Their burgers were so good! Or maybe it was crazy pregnancy taste buds. In my opinion, in the 90s, their food was so much better than checkers. It's sad to know that even though there is a few in the state above me (I'm in NW GA), they aren't good now.
ReplyDelete