Griff's Hamburgers, or Griff's Burger Bar, is a regional fast food chain founded in 1960 by Griff's of America, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri, United States. At one time, they had locations nationwide with the majority in the South near highway exits.[1]
Griff's was named for the founder, HJ Griffith.[2]
The restaurant buildings were of a patented[3] A-frame design,[1] produced by Valentine Diner[4] of Wichita, Kansas. Later restaurants sported more conventional architecture. A bright yellow sign read HAMBURGERS in big block capitals.[5] The restaurants offered both drive-thrus and patio dining.[5]
Most of the stores were located in high traffic locations, such as near a highway off-ramp, or along Route 66.[5] There was one on the corner of Caruthers and Independence in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in the 1960s, catty corner from old Central High School.
Cory Griffin, the Great-Grandson of founder Harold J. Griffith Relocated the Corporate headquarters for Griff's to Dallas, Texas. Stores remain open in Bossier City, Ruston and Shreveport, Louisiana; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Dallas, Fort Worth, Haltom City, Garland, Irving, Mesquite, and San Antonio, Texas.[1] A location in Sedalia, Missouri closed in late 2011, and locations in Colorado closed in 2015.[2][1]
The restaurant chain was featured in multiple installments of the Zippy the Pinhead comic strip; on November 15, 2004,[6] February 10, 2005[7] December 19, 2006,[8] and September 2, 2007.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Griff's Burger Bar". agilitynut.com. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ a b Jones, Kenn (1 December 2011). "Griff's Burger Bar says goodbye". sedaliademocrat.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Building design patent". agilitynut.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Valentine Diners in Wichita, Kansas State Historical Society". kshs.org. Archived from the original on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ a b c Sheehan, Jason (2003-10-02). "Cheeseburgers in Paradise". westword.com. Retrieved 2012-09-16.
- ^ "Zippy the Pinhead". zippythepinhead.com. November 15, 2004. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Zippy the Pinhead". zippythepinhead.com. February 10, 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Zippy the Pinhead". zippythepinhead.com. December 19, 2006. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ "Zippy the Pinhead". zippythepinhead.com. September 2, 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
