Roy Roger's Burgers

I don't know if there was ever a Roy Rogers store in Louisville, but we had them in New York when I was growing up. This is my story about Roy's. (AnneMarie, please tell me you remember Roy Rogers Burgers....)

When I was in my early teens, my mother would take my brother and I there for dinner occasionally when my Dad was working. Once I was old enough to drive, I'd get there on my own to chow down.

Though Roy Rogers was more famous for it's Roast Beef than it's burgers, the burgers were always what I ordered. If I recall correctly, they used to cut the roast beef on a deli slicer when you ordered it. (My mom is a roast beef lover...)

The burgers were pretty darned tasty. The regular cheeseburgers were larger than McD burgers (about twice the size) and I liked them a whole lot better too. Unfortunately, I cant remember the definitive taste of them...

There is a point to this post....I'm getting to it.

In my late teens or early 20's the Roy Roger's near my house had closed. I was unable, for quiet a while, to find any more shops. During a vacation to upstate New York I found Roy's at one of the larger rest stops on the New York Thru-way, but that was the only one I was able to find. They had all closed.

A few days ago, out of nostalgia, I did a search on Yahoo for Roy Rogers Burgers. I wanted to find out what had happened to them, where had they all gone?

A quick search and my question was answered. Roy Rogers Burgers were still around. As a matter of fact, there is one located in Cinci!! I'll be hitting that the next time I go to a concert in Cinci.

I don't remember the taste of the burgers....it's been far too long since I've had one, but I do remember really liking them. I'm almost afraid to go...if the burgers are not the good, it may tarnish my memory.

The same story applies to Jack In The Box. All the Jack stores had closed in NY when I was very young, before I turned 10. A friend of mine had alerted me to the fact that there was a Jack in St. Louis, so we ate there on our way to Oklahoma in July. The dining turned out to be disappointing and made me think about how suspect my tastes must have been when a child. Just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, we ate there on the way back... I could have cried. It wasn't anything spectacular.

Maybe we aren't meant to find stuff from our childhood. Maybe the foods from the past are meant to stay in the past. Maybe our tastes change so much that we don't find the same foods appealing anymore. Maybe the treasures from your childhood are only treasures because they were from your childhood.

I don't know the answers to those questions, though I will find out if Roy's is a real treasure soon.

And, when I find out....I'll let you all know about it.

Steve

Steve -

I used to eat at Roy's all the time growing up, with the free fixin's bar, you could pile your burger up a mile high. Great memories of that place. Sadly the only one I know of was the one you speak of on 87, which is actually still open, as I ate there last year. But since I am headed to Cincy this weekend, we will hit it! Thanks.

Ditto, Roast beef at Roy's. We always went to the one in Queens!

I know where a Roy Rogers Roast Beef is. It is less than two hours drive. It is the OLD style building of brick inside and out, scores of photos of Roy, Dale, and others.

I think we should have a day trip to it.

And after lunch there, we can shop at other places that makes your mouth water, your wallet lighter and increases those muffin tops.

Do I have to tell?

Censornatti.

We often stop there on the way home from WV for lunch or supper. We've even gone in and said, "I want 8 Roast Beef Sandwiches to go, but don't put them together." They were too non-plussed. Toasted the buns, put the meat in little cups with lids and threw in a tonne of sauces for us, wrapped up the toasted buns and put it all in a big bag.

So who wants to take a ride?

My first job was at the Roy Rogers on Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village, Queens! I can still remember how awesome the Bacon Cheeese Burger and Double R Bar burger was I cannot wait for Mike to get home so I can tell him we will be road tripping to Cinci!!!!

Small world, we used to visit the Metro Ave Roy's often, though we usually hit the one in Howard Beach on Crossbay Blvd... Ah the memories.

I hail from the great state of Texas & I may be mistaken (read: old doddering moron), but I recall the Roy Rogers chain became Arby's; at least in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area. I do miss Jack-in-the-Box tacos; deep-fried greasy good. Another (sorry) chain I miss is Whatabuger.

I hail from the great state of Texas & I may be mistaken (read: old doddering moron), but I recall the Roy Rogers chain became Arby's; at least in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area. I do miss Jack-in-the-Box tacos; deep-fried greasy good. Another (sorry) chain I miss is Whatabuger.

Patrick, i'm from Texas also.... REALLY miss Whataburger. I am from the valley and for a long time our only options late-night were either Jack-in-the-Box or WhataBurger. I liked the JITB tacos with ranch dressing or the sourdough jack. But IMO Whataburger has them beat, Whataburger with extra extra jalapenos........mmmmmmmmmmm

Small world, we used to visit the Metro Ave Roy's often, though we usually hit the one in Howard Beach on Crossbay Blvd... Ah the memories.

Very small world! I grew up in HB and my parents still live there.

Gotta try the Trigger burger!

Wow, Roy's was great. Loved the Double "R" Bar burger, their regular burgers (which I normally ate plain...so that shows how good the burgers were) and the roast beef sandwich. They were my favorite for fast food burgers and roast beef. They still have one on the outskirts of Cincinnati and I try to drop by occasionally, but it is very much out of my way so I rarely get there. Still good though.