Stuck in Lodi!

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The oldest fast food joints that I have visited (from Lovefood): Back in Lodi again: California is jam-packed with historic fast food restaurants, and the state is home to the oldest operating McDonald's and In-N-Out Burger restaurants. Its oldest chain, though, is A&W, which started as a root beer stand in Lodi in 1919.

That original roadside stand is long gone (though it is marked with a plaque). But A&W’s history is celebrated at the current Lodi location, which displays plenty of old memorabilia and regularly hosts classic car meet-ups. We often went after baseball practice. I spent a summer playing baseball in Lodi while I was in college. I can hear CCR singing their famous song!


On the islands, you must try Rainbow: The Rainbow has been serving iconic Hawaiian plate lunches to both tourists and locals since 1961. At the original Honolulu location and several newer outposts, Rainbow customers can enjoy island specialties like Spam, BBQ pork, or hamburger patties served alongside scoops of rice and macaroni salad. The flagship restaurant serves up to 1,000 of these traditional lunch plates on a good day. While Rainbow is not the best place in Honolulu, it is an iconic place. I preferred the old KC Drive In with their waffle dogs.


If you are stuck in St. Louis, this is the place: Tennis pro Ted Drewes actually opened his first frozen custard stand in Florida in 1929, but he soon brought the concept to his home state of Missouri. While the frozen custard business floundered through the middle part of the century, by the 1980s the treat was coming into vogue and has been a local staple ever since. In the winter months the shop sells Christmas trees that are grown on the Drewes’ family farm in Nova Scotia.


Probably the most famous hot dog joint in the world: New York’s original Nathan’s shop is the most famous hot dog restaurant on Brooklyn’s Coney Island. The shop opened in 1916 and, after expanding to a second restaurant in 1955, it slowly grew to become one of the most recognizable hot dog brands in the country. Today Nathan's restaurants have fairly large menus, but the original hot dogs are still the stars of the show.


I am not a fast food fan, but these four were great visits!


PS: All kidding aside, I love some of the Lodi wines.

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