Can anyone help me remember the name of this place

I grew up in Kansas City back in the 60's and 70's. Sometime in the late 60's an innovative new fast food place started popping up around town. I think they started in Topeka, KS and they clearly had ambitions for world domination. Their big innovation was ordering by phone even from your booth inside the restaurant. They also offered tours of their immaculate kitchen areas.

They had burgers and fries and the like. But they also had a signature sandwich that was essentially a cheese sandwich coated in something like corn flakes and DEEP FRIED! This was before we knew what a cardiac nightmare this was (which probably has something to do with why it doesn't exist anymore).

They were a little pricier than McDonald's or Burger King (or the dominant local chain at the time -- Smak's). Anyone remember the name of this place. And that cheese sandwich thing?

Would it be Kings Food Host? They had a deep fried grilled cheese,something like a "Cheese Frenchee".I know they had a large presence in the heartland,I used to go to the one in Madison Wisconsin.If I recall correctly they had telephones at the booths to order with-which seemed quite cool in 1969.

I remember a Kings in Waterloo Iowa about 1968 when I was in college. We used to giggle and laugh a lot about ordering at the telephones at the tables. I don't remember anything about the food but we made the trip there several times during the school year.

King's Food Host! That's the one! Thanks, I never would have remembered that name. It was fun while it lasted. I'm pretty sure you got the Cheese Frenchee right too.

There were also a couple of restaurants that shared some of what you mentioned in your description.

Shakey's Pizza Parlor used to give tours of their kitchens. Great food and atmosphere. Only a few remain, today, mostly in the Northwest, if memory serves.

Also there is a little place on 18th St. in KC, KS called Fritz's. You use a phone to order from your booth, then your meal is delivered via trolley suspended from the ceiling. It lowers a tray with your food sitting in a basket when it reaches your table. They also have the old fashioned jukebox at each table.

Does anyone know what happened to SMAK's? That place brings happy memories, up until the time McDonald's came to town.

there used to be a restaurant like that called Round the Corner in Memphis, TN. I believe they had several locations.

cwujd1, which King's Family Food Host did you go to? We always went the the one on Johnson Drive. I always got a Cheese Frenchie. The Tuna Frenchie was good, too.

quote:

Originally posted by violetflower

there used to be a restaurant like that called Round the Corner in Memphis, TN. I believe they had several locations.

violetflower- i see you're in Memphis. Do you remember the Food Fare? It was a free-standing food court near Summer Ave. Back in the seventies.