Red's Giant Hamburgs
Encyclopedia
Red's Giant Hamburg was a cafe on U.S. Highway 66 in Springfield, Missouri
which claimed to have been the world's first drive-through
restaurant.
Sheldon "Red" Chaney (May 20, 1916–June 2, 1997) arrived in Springfield after World War II with a new wife and a new business degree. He purchased a gas station and a motor court (motel), with the cafe added in 1947. He tired of pumping gas and running the motel and settled on selling hamburgers. Chaney believed customers would make purchases through a window, and the drive-through was born. The name was supposed to be Red's Giant Hamburger, but Chaney measured the sign incorrectly and dropped the "er".
The interior was painted with a blue ceiling and green floors to imitate the outdoors; Chaney believed people would compare it to eating at a picnic. Root beer was kept in a barrel. He attached a magnet to a Coke dispenser to enhance the flavor. An old Buick sedan, a home-made mobile
and other items to draw attention to the restaurant were kept in front, visible from the highway. When Chaney retired in 1984, the city asked him to remove it all. The building was removed in 1997 shortly before Chaney's death. Plans are being considered for a historic marker at the site.
Chaney died on June 2, 1997. His widow and partner, Julia Chaney, died on May 19, 2006.
art students in the early 1970s but its whereabouts are unknown. Springfield rock and roll band The Morells
filmed their tribute song, "Red's", there in 1982. It was produced by Kevin Hudnell (see links below). A film envisioned in April 2010 to be called Two Missing Letters: The Red Chaney Story, is in the early stages of pre-production.
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
which claimed to have been the world's first drive-through
Drive-through
A drive-through, or drive-thru, is a type of service provided by a business that allows customers to purchase products without leaving their cars. The format was first pioneered in the United States in the 1930s but has since spread to other countries. The first recorded use of a bank using a drive...
restaurant.
Sheldon "Red" Chaney (May 20, 1916–June 2, 1997) arrived in Springfield after World War II with a new wife and a new business degree. He purchased a gas station and a motor court (motel), with the cafe added in 1947. He tired of pumping gas and running the motel and settled on selling hamburgers. Chaney believed customers would make purchases through a window, and the drive-through was born. The name was supposed to be Red's Giant Hamburger, but Chaney measured the sign incorrectly and dropped the "er".
The interior was painted with a blue ceiling and green floors to imitate the outdoors; Chaney believed people would compare it to eating at a picnic. Root beer was kept in a barrel. He attached a magnet to a Coke dispenser to enhance the flavor. An old Buick sedan, a home-made mobile
Mobile (sculpture)
A mobile is a type of kinetic sculpture constructed to take advantage of the principle of equilibrium. It consists of a number of rods, from which weighted objects or further rods hang. The objects hanging from the rods balance each other, so that the rods remain more or less horizontal...
and other items to draw attention to the restaurant were kept in front, visible from the highway. When Chaney retired in 1984, the city asked him to remove it all. The building was removed in 1997 shortly before Chaney's death. Plans are being considered for a historic marker at the site.
Chaney died on June 2, 1997. His widow and partner, Julia Chaney, died on May 19, 2006.
Films
A film about Red's was made by Southwest Missouri StateMissouri State University
Missouri State University is a public university located in Springfield, Missouri, United States and founded in 1905. It is the state's second largest university, with an official enrollment of 20,802 in fall 2011...
art students in the early 1970s but its whereabouts are unknown. Springfield rock and roll band The Morells
The Morells
The Morells are an American rock band from Springfield, Missouri. They released an album titled Shake and Push in 1982. The band's members have included bassist and producer Lou Whitney, guitarist D...
filmed their tribute song, "Red's", there in 1982. It was produced by Kevin Hudnell (see links below). A film envisioned in April 2010 to be called Two Missing Letters: The Red Chaney Story, is in the early stages of pre-production.