Wendys Hot Dogs

Back about 25 years ago someone built a hot dog/soda fountain place named Ritz’s next to the Wendy’s on Rt. 1 in Daytona Beach. I do not remember why, but rumor was that it was Wendy’s, as Dave Thomas owns a home right down the road and wanted to test the waters for this kind of place. It was always busy, sometimes very much so every time I went there, which was often. It had a big flat iron grill loaded with hot dogs; all they did were dogs, fries, and various soda fountain ice cream concoctions, no burgers. IIRC it was there about a year, one day they closed the doors??? Today it’s a very good Italian restaurant that specializes in NJ style pizza. Does anyone ever recall seeing a Ritz’s hot dog/soda fountain elsewhere?

John

I think you mean G.D. Ritzy's. Graydon Webb, who started G.D. Ritzy's worked for Wendy's for several years before going off on his own. While I think Dave Thomas did invest in the startup, the concept didn't seem to work and I bgelieve all the G.D. Ritzy's are long gone.

Thanks Michael. It certainly appeared to be working here when they suddenly closed.

John

Actually....Ritzy's is back in the picture. The new Ritzy's are now being developed in Texas and are awaiting a franchise roll-out in the future.
Their new site is at www.ritzys.com

And the older locations still exist in the following areas, thanks to a small group of dedicated owners.

3 in Evansville, IN....2 in Owensboro, KY..... 1 in Huntington, WV and 1 in Bowling Green, KY

That's interesting. I see that Webb is not connected with it, though. It was a good idea, I thought. The main feature of the place originally, through, was the ice cream.

Yep, Ice Cream was the focal point of the one here in Daytona. However, at lunchtime, and throughout the afternoon, they kept a large flat grill loaded with hot dogs. I still get my same seat at the counter only now I’m eating pizza, not that that’s a bad thing (I'm Italian) but it’s not a hot dog.

John

I know the ones in Cincinnati did a great business until they closed in the mid 80's....and the ones in Lexington, KY remained until the mid 90's. I assume all the ones in Lexington were under the same franchisee...and slowly, they closed them all over a few years.

I know in Columbus, there was also a chain called Daddy O's. I heard that Webb was involved in that one too but not so sure.

I have been to the G.D. Ritzy's in Huntington, WV and in Bowling Green, KY. All the memories came back for the one in Bowling Green...but the one in Huntington is getting kinda old and they are not keeping it up as nicely as they could.

Anyway, its great that the name is still out there.

Right. Graydon Webb did start Daddy O's. They were double-drive thrus. They're gone,too.