R&C Restaurant (Closed)
Williamston, NC Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Here's an old sign found in Williamston, NC. A woman coming out of the business next door stated this restaurant called R&C Restaurant used to serve the best cheeseburger. Also had collard greens, cornbread and other southern foods. Look at the price on the sign...30 cents for a burger. Many thanks to Tony Craig for info. 11-10
R&C Restaurant opened in 1946 and became one of those dependable hometown places where regulars always seemed to know one another. While the old sign proudly advertised cheeseburgers, the menu was filled with Southern favorites like collard greens, cornbread, and other home-style cooking that kept people coming back for decades. During Tony Craig's visit, a woman from the neighboring business remembered R&C as having the best cheeseburgers in town, proof that some restaurants leave behind memories every bit as lasting as their buildings.
The sign itself is what makes this stop so much fun. There's no fancy neon or oversized mascot, just a simple roadside advertisement that's managed to outlive the business it once promoted. Looking at that weathered panel, it's easy to imagine folks pulling up for a quick lunch, chatting over coffee at the counter, or grabbing a burger before heading back to work. Sometimes the smallest details end up saying the most about a place.
R&C Restaurant (Closed)
Williamston, NC Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Downtown buildings come and go, businesses change hands, and menus disappear, but an old sign like this has a way of keeping the past alive. It's a reminder of the days when a hand-painted cheeseburger advertisement and a reputation for good home cooking were all a restaurant needed to fill the dining room.
UPDATE: R&C Restaurant closed in 2007, but the vintage sign with its famous 30-cent cheeseburger still survives outside the old building. 08-26
Mammy's Cupboard
Natchez, MS Photo courtesy Tony Craig
There's no easing past Mammy's Cupboard without taking a second look. Rising 28 feet above Highway 61, this unusual roadside landmark has been surprising travelers since 1940. Part restaurant and part giant roadside attraction, it invited hungry motorists to step inside a dining room tucked beneath the enormous skirt of the figure. It's the kind of place that makes you wonder who first dreamed it up, then makes you glad they did. 11-10
Built by Henry Gaude during the golden age of highway travel, Mammy's Cupboard was originally a Shell service station and grocery before becoming one of Natchez's best-known places to eat. The location was perfectly suited for travelers making their way through town or visiting the nearby Natchez Trace and historic homes. Over the years, the figure's appearance was gradually modified as attitudes toward the original 1940 design changed, but it never lost its place as one of Mississippi's most recognizable roadside attractions.
The building itself is the sign. You don't need flashing neon or a towering marquee when the restaurant is shaped like something you'll remember for years afterward. It's exactly the sort of larger-than-life roadside architecture that flourished when businesses competed to catch the eye of passing motorists with something a little more imaginative than the place across the street.
UPDATE: The landmark building still stands today, but the restaurant has moved to a new location. The giant roadside figure remains one of Natchez's most recognizable attractions. 08-26
Maryland Friend Chicken (Gone)
Bristol, VA Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The Maryland Fried Chicken is a very familiar place to eat for many in the Southeast. The Maryland Fried Chicken chain began as Constantine's back in 1959 and evolved to its present name to capitalize on Baltimoreans longing for home cooked food. For more information, see this Baltimore City Paper and the Maryland Fried Chicken website. 11-10
Maryland Fried Chicken Bristol, TN Photo courtesy Tony Craig
At first glance, most folks probably assumed the restaurant started somewhere around Baltimore. Surprisingly, the chain actually began in Florida. The founders chose the name "Maryland Fried Chicken" because they hoped it would remind former Baltimore residents of the home-style cooking they had left behind after moving south. The idea worked, and before long the restaurants had spread across much of the Southeast, becoming a familiar sight along highways large and small.
Like so many regional chains, this location became more than just another place to grab a meal. Families stopped here while traveling, locals made it part of their weekly routine, and hungry motorists knew exactly what they were getting when the familiar sign came into view. Sometimes that's all a good roadside restaurant needs, a dependable meal and a sign that's easy to spot from the road.
Regional chains like Maryland Fried Chicken were once a common part of Southern road trips. Before every interstate exit looked the same, restaurants like this gave each town a little personality and gave travelers another reason to leave the highway in search of something local.
UPDATE: The Bristol restaurant has closed, and the familiar Maryland Fried Chicken sign has been removed. 08-26
Mr. Waffles
Gaffney, SC Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The bright orange building is hard enough to miss, but the smiling waffle on the sign makes sure you don't drive by without noticing. Mr. Waffles has been greeting hungry travelers just off Interstate 85 in Gaffney since 1975, making it a welcome stop for anyone in need of breakfast, coffee, or just a break from the road. 11-10
The colorful building and cheerful roadside sign have been catching the eyes of motorists for decades. Inside, the open grill and hearty breakfast menu give the place the comfortable feel of a hometown diner, while the location just off the interstate has introduced plenty of first-time visitors to this local favorite.
Just down the road from Gaffney's famous Peachoid water tower, Mr. Waffle is another roadside landmark that's worth pulling off the highway for.
UPDATE: Mr. Waffle is still serving customers today, and the smiling waffle sign continues welcoming travelers to Gaffney. 08-26
Boudreaux's Backyard (Gone)
New Orleans, LA Photo courtesy Rod Holcomb
You don't have to be hungry to appreciate this one. Boudreaux's Backyard restaurant featured one of Bourbon Street's memorable neon signs, complete with a cheerful character enjoying the good life with food in one hand and a drink in the other. Among all the bright lights of the French Quarter, it was one that was hard to walk past without stopping for a closer look. 12-10
Bourbon Street has never been short on colorful signs, but this one had plenty of personality. The animated neon fit right in with the lively atmosphere, inviting visitors to step inside for a meal or simply admire another piece of classic New Orleans nightlife.
UPDATE: Boudreaux's Backyard has closed, and its familiar neon sign has been removed from Bourbon Street. 08-26
Prejean's
Lafayette, LA Photo courtesy Tony Craig
This sign may not have the age of some of Louisiana's classic neon landmarks, but it still does a fine job of catching the eye. Prejean's has been welcoming hungry travelers along the Evangeline Thruway since 1980, inviting them to stop for a taste of Cajun country. 11-10
Over the years, Prejean's has become one of the Lafayette area's best-known restaurants, serving gumbo, crawfish étouffée, and other Louisiana favorites. Inside, visitors are greeted by "Big Al," a giant alligator that has become almost as famous as the food.
UPDATE: Prejean's remains open today, and the familiar roadside sign still welcomes travelers to Lafayette. 08-26
R&C Restaurant (Closed)
R&C Restaurant (Closed)
Maryland Friend Chicken (Gone)
Maryland Fried Chicken
Prejean's
