170617 Tue May 25 13:02:02 -0700 2004 25 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 914789 It appears that Roy Rogers is making a comeback. I don’t know how many of you can remember when they provided good chow fast, and with the ability to fix your burger or roast beef they way you liked it. Back in the 70’s and early 80’s the food outshined all of its rivals. But then Marriott decided to “improve” things. They changed the chicken to the standard Marriott fried chicken that could be found in every one of their hotels, and chains, then they got cheap on the meat the purchased for the burgers and roast beef. When they finally sold the brand to Hardee’s it was already a shell of its former self. And Hardee’s decided to make things worse. They thought that they had the best roast beef sandwich you could find anywhere (I swear I once saw the whip marks from the jockey on a roast beef). This was the final nail in the coffin for this once great chain, its loyal customer base gone, the restaurants were sold off, most becoming either McDonalds or Boston Chickens. But one franchisee in Frederick Maryland persevered. They spent several futile years trying to purchase the rights for Roy Rogers from Imasco (the one time owner of Hardee’s which for some unknown reason was purchased by Carl’s Jr.). Finally in November of last year they were able to purchase the rights to the name and became the Franchisor of Roy Rogers. For several years the Roy’s in Frederick, Leesburg and Hagerstown have been improving the food to levels exceeding the quality that was found when the chain was a small local Washington chain. Now that the owner of these stores owns the rights to the chain it appears that the chain may make a comeback. I hope that they keep it regional and not look to once again that let quantity win over quality. I know that even in its hay day Roy Rogers was not as good as , but they provided a meal that was far more satisfying than any of their fast food competitors. And I for one am happy to see someone taking pride in a once proud brand. Tue May 25 13:02:02 -0700 2004 0 ZipperT 1 914790 That is interesting, I saw a new one just opened in Gaithersburg, I think it used to be a Hardee's. The 1st thing my Dad said was "I don't know what they're trying to do, opening up a Roy Rogers", so I think it might be hard for them to change their image unless the food is substantially better. Tue May 25 13:05:18 -0700 2004 914789 0 Jason B. 2 914797 There are many Roy Rogers along the way on I95 (ie. at the Maryland House rest stop). Roy Rogers was known for their fried chicken, and when they got bought out, the buyer (wendy's?) tried to carry over their recipe. One of their most famous slogans back in the day was: "what's the rush? slow down cowpoke..." Roy's had great roast beef, but I'm still partial to Hardees, especially their mushroom swiss burgers. If anyone needs a roast beef fix, they can always go to Arby's, which is popping up everywhere. Tue May 25 14:05:44 -0700 2004 914790 0 nice_dude88 3 914826 And have always been quite a few of RRs in No. Va., including a couple on Rt. 1 in the Alexandria/Hybla Valley section of Fairfax county; on Belle View Blvd. just south of Old Town; and in the Kingstowne area. I've been to the Belle view and Kingstowne locations a couple times over the past year...I haven't noticed an appreciable improvement in the quality of the grub. Tue May 25 15:57:56 -0700 2004 914797 0 Zigibot 4 914832 You wouldn't have noticed a difference at those restaurants. Those franchises signed a new deal this month with the new owners of Roy Rogers. The changes should be forth coming. They were still getting food from the old Hardee’s distributor. Link: http://www.royrogersrestaurants.com/index.cfm/Mode/Object/Object_ID/2600/Container_ID/383/Source/Community/Container_Top_Level_ID/302 Tue May 25 16:29:07 -0700 2004 914826 0 ZipperT 5 914840 I'm glad the Alexandria Roy's are in the mix here. Hopefully they'll improve the food. I will give them cudos for being good public citizens in the past. They've done a number of fundraisers for our local elementary school in the past three years. I hope the new ownership doesn't diminish their ability to continue supporting worthy causes in the community. Tue May 25 18:09:15 -0700 2004 914832 0 Free Wilma 6 914854 Roys also had a great salad bar back in the day. They used to have a great combo where if you buy a few pieces of fried chicken or a sandwich, you could get a discount on the salad bar. There used to be a very popular one on Wisconsin ave. in uptown NW/tenleytown DC...right across from the Armand's Chicago Pizzeria. Tue May 25 22:01:48 -0700 2004 914840 0 nice_dude88 7 914934 Here's a nostalgic view of a Hot Shoppes Jr from a neat site that lets you send old fashioned nova postcards. Image: http://norvapics.com/cards/hotshoppes.jpg Wed May 26 15:06:26 -0700 2004 914854 0 Amy B. 1 914801 They're screwed if they don't offer the "Double R Bar Burger"! I use that technique to make a Gardenburger palatable at home (add some paper-thin sliced deli ham). I guess a few of their locations still serve them. Tue May 25 14:17:59 -0700 2004 914789 0 D 2 914850 The ones in Frederick have them on the menu. I liked the grilled chicken sandwich until they changed the recipe and now it's got some kind of funky green leaf imbedded in it. Not sure what it is, but it's nasty...could be a marinade of some sort. The fried chicken up here is still good. Most of the restaurants in Frederick have lost the salad bar, but still have the fixin's bar. Tue May 25 21:23:34 -0700 2004 914801 0 Liz 2 914855 I lubbed the Double R Bar burger a long time....I used to be a big eater where I would snarf one of those on top of having a large roast beef w/ cheese and their horseradish sauce. Tue May 25 22:04:05 -0700 2004 914801 0 nice_dude88 1 914821 Pappy parker's fried chicken was the best until Popeye's came to town. Roy's really did slide awfully far down. I remember when the McDonald's at Van Ness St. + Wisconsin Ave was a Roy's and they had long family style tables with barrels for seats and the kids got to sit on a plastic horse with a tray instead of a highchair. My friend's big sister worked there and her outfit was the coolest...white cowboy books, checked shirt and suede vest. Those were the days. Sigh. Tue May 25 15:47:39 -0700 2004 914789 0 DanielleF 2 914831 That roys used to be open 24 hours. I enjoyed going there late night after partying when i went to AU Tue May 25 16:27:35 -0700 2004 914821 0 MV 2 914858 Well, not to date myself but that Roy's was on the site of what was once known as Hot Shoppes #10, which at the time, was the highest grossing Hot Shoppe in the chain a also the site of their training facility. My first job anywhere was there at the age of 15 in.....1962. My one claim to fame was waiting on J.Willard Marriott in '64 and his leaving me a $1.00 tip on a check for two full course filet mignon dinners of about $6.00. Later, there was a Hot Shoppes, JR (yes, JR) and then after that a Roy's. God, am I old............ Tue May 25 22:09:19 -0700 2004 914821 0 Joe H. 3 914877 Man, I remember JR! Also the Roy Rogers at Congressional Plaza - a faux mansion bank is on the site now. In the early 1980s, I used to have to wait at the RR as I transferred from the T4 or T6 Metrobus from Friendship Heights to the Q8 as I came home from school at Tenley Circle. On cold days, on my meager budget, I would nurse an order of small fries as I waited for the Q8. And there used to be a RR on Main St in my college town of Newark, DE - they distributed a lot of $1 burger coupons to the students and with my yet again meager budget, I could splurge on RR burgers... Wed May 26 09:08:57 -0700 2004 914858 0 Looloo 3 914878 hey Joe, you're not that old. as long as you can still remember the fun of eating a mighty mo or teen twist followed by a hot fudge ice cream cake at Hot Shoppes, or Gifford's hot fudge, or Reeve's strawberry pie, or Velati's caramels. I won't start feeling old until I can't remember that stuff anymore. Wed May 26 09:08:59 -0700 2004 914858 0 otm 4 914898 Reindeer frozen custard on Colesville road at Second avenue, directly across from Sears? The Polar Bear on Georgia Avenue just up from Piney Branch road? Krispy Kreme (yes, KK) where Silver Spring Tire is now? McDonald's french fries pre 1967 when they were fresh skin on potatoes fried in animal fat? Wed May 26 11:27:55 -0700 2004 914878 0 Joe H. 5 914933 yeah, I'd trade all of the Roy Rogers franchises in Maryland and Virginia for any one of those, or a couple of big black and white checkerboard boxes of sugar cookies from Stevenson's! but I'd never give up Maestro or the Mini-bar to go back to the days when the best "ethnic" meal in Washington was probably at Yenching Palace. I've heard that Marriott had a plan to revive some of their old Hot Shoppe menu items and ambience for a 50's/60's theme restaurant at Key Bridge, but shelved it. maybe some tastes are better left to memory. Wed May 26 14:42:41 -0700 2004 914898 0 otm 6 914947 That is interesting, I never thouhght to compare what was once a fairly decent fast food chain to Maestro or the Mini-bar. Silly me. Wed May 26 15:54:05 -0700 2004 914933 0 ZipperT 7 914960 Serious: the single best bite of any thing that I have ever had in my 57 year life is my first bite of a Mighty Mo at the Langley Park Hot Shoppe in the mid 1950's. It had extra sauce. Wed May 26 19:45:35 -0700 2004 914947 0 Joe H. 6 914959 You remember Stevenson's Bakery with the black and white checkerboard boxes from Anacostia? Whoa!!!!!!!!!! That's impressive. Another native born Washingtonian! Wed May 26 19:42:59 -0700 2004 914933 0 Joe H. 7 914993 Columbia Hospital for Women, class of '49. Western High School, class of '67. There are a few of us around. Thu May 27 09:56:09 -0700 2004 914959 0 otm 8 915009 Sibley, class of '47; my wife was P. G., class of '46 (I married an older woman!) ..two weeks Thu May 27 11:18:22 -0700 2004 914993 0 Joe H. 2 914863 Ah, but is anybody old enough to remember back when Roy Rogers was Tops (or was it Topps?) and had Kentucky Fried Chicken? The area and the times have changed a lot since then - Maybe I'm remembering wrong but I think I got it - my chief memory of Tops was the chocolate pie, and the (UNPLEASANTNESS WARNING) the sign in the window of the Quaker Lane / Braddock Road branch (now a car dealer) that said something like "We do not have sufficient seating to serve members of the Negro race." I knew even at age 9 that there was something very wrong about that. Like I said, times changed.about that Tue May 25 23:05:50 -0700 2004 914821 0 Wayne Keyser 2 914864 Ah, but is anybody old enough to remember back when Roy Rogers was Tops (or was it Topps?) and had Kentucky Fried Chicken? The area and the times have changed a lot since then - Maybe I'm remembering wrong but I think I got it - my chief memory of Tops was the chocolate pie, and the (UNPLEASANTNESS WARNING) the sign in the window of the Quaker Lane / Braddock Road branch (now a car dealer) that said something like "We do not have sufficient seating to serve members of the Negro race." I knew even at age 9 that there was something very wrong about that. Like I said, times changed.about that Tue May 25 23:05:50 -0700 2004 914821 0 Wayne Keyser 1 914842 My mother and I ate at the Leesburg branch a several Sundays ago and I wouldn't say the food has improved. Also the ladies room was trashed and the fixin' bar needed refilling. I use to love Roys!! Tue May 25 18:49:50 -0700 2004 914789 0 chris f