Wheel Restaurant
Kansas
Photo courtesy Jason Carlton

The bold rooftop sign is what makes Wheel Restaurant stand out. Rather than relying on a traditional pole sign, the business used its roof as a giant billboard, making sure hungry motorists could spot it from well down the highway. With its large block lettering and straightforward message, it's a great example of the practical roadside advertising that once lined Kansas highways.

Like many independent restaurants of the era, the Wheel Restaurant was built to catch the attention of travelers looking for a hot meal before the days of interstate exits filled with national chains. Today, photographs like this help preserve the memory of the countless mom-and-pop roadside stops that once welcomed motorists across the Great Plains.

Waid's Restaurant (Gone)
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

Here's a good-looking sign found in Kansas City. Waid's Restaurant had one of those great mid-century marquees that was hard to miss, with its bold lettering and dramatic arrow pointing hungry motorists toward the parking lot. It's the kind of roadside advertising that did exactly what it was intended to do.

Founded in 1953, Waid's grew into a popular Kansas City restaurant chain with several locations around the metro area. Generations of locals stopped in for hearty comfort food, fresh-baked rolls, homemade pies, and one of the restaurant's best-known specialties, its cheddar cheese soup. The distinctive signs became just as recognizable as the food, making Waid's a familiar sight for anyone driving around Kansas City.

UPDATE: Waid's Restaurants are now gone, with the last location closing in 2012. 06-26

Chef Louie (Gone)
Mitchell, SD
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

If the Happy Chef wasn't enough to tempt hungry travelers, then maybe Chef Louie could do the trick. Featuring a smiling chef on the sign and a personal touch that came with using the owner's name, this longtime Mitchell favorite welcomed locals and travelers alike for generations.

Chef Louie's traces its roots back to the 1940s, when Chef Louie Russell opened the steakhouse that would become one of Mitchell's best-known restaurants. For decades it earned a reputation for quality steaks, seafood, and classic supper club dining, becoming a popular destination for everything from family dinners to special occasions.

UPDATE: The original Chef Louie's building closed in 2022 and was later demolished. Fortunately, the story doesn't end there. Construction began in 2026 on a new Chef Louie's restaurant at a different Mitchell location, bringing the well-known name and dining tradition back for a new generation. The original roadside sign, however, is no longer standing. 06-26

Star Restaurant
Murdo, SD
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Here's an interesting marquee for the Star Restaurant in Murdo. With its bright neon star perched above the lettering, the sign was a perfect landmark for hungry travelers crossing South Dakota. Sometimes all you needed was a simple symbol to let you know a hot meal was just ahead.

Located just off Interstate 90, the Star Restaurant has welcomed generations of locals and road trippers making their way across the prairie. Murdo has long been a popular stopping point for travelers heading to the Badlands and Black Hills, and independent restaurants like this have helped keep that tradition alive for decades.

UPDATE: The Star Restaurant remains in business under new ownership, continuing to serve travelers passing through Murdo. The vintage roadside sign is still in place, though its exact operational condition could not be independently verified. 06-26