# What "Original Locations" have you been to? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 23, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224 "2025-10-23T15:40:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/81 "2025-10-24T22:03:39Z")
I visited Frederick’s Of Hollywood back in the late 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/82 "2025-10-25T00:13:11Z")
I also have been to the original Culver’s many times.. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/83 "2025-10-25T00:38:25Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > How about the original Legal Seafood in Inman Square? I used to live right down the street but not when it was open. I never knew Legal’s started there. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/84 "2025-10-25T01:00:19Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I visited Frederick’s Of Hollywood back in the late 70’s. My sister insisted that we visit Frederick’s when we were in LA in 1988. So I have been there too. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/85 "2025-10-25T01:24:14Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > The original was in Isla Vista in the early 80s and then moved to Hollister Ave in Old Town Goleta in the late 80s where it still is. It doesn’t look anything like the franchise ones. The Habit on State Street is fairly different from most of the franchised ones, too, in that it’s just a walk-up window with some outdoor seating. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/86 "2025-10-25T01:30:17Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I visited Frederick’s Of Hollywood back in the late 70’s. Good one! I went there also with my fiancee, now wife, in 1977. I’ve also been to the original Legal Seafoods when I was at MIT. The Monterey Aquarium hasn’t moved, but I was there before it expanded. A conference I was program chair of had dinner in front of the big tank in 1985. The one transported to Golden Gate park for the Star Trek movie with the whales. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/87 "2025-10-25T01:31:50Z")
> Chefguy > Charter Member > > Same here. I’ve also been to the original 5 Guys in Virginia. In fact, at that time, there were only two of them, both in that area. The one in Springfield? I’ve been there. I’ve been to the original Carnegie Deli (There were a few spinoff locations, briefly) and Kell’s Irish Restaurant and Pub in Seattle (There are or were other locations in Portland and San Francisco). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/88 "2025-10-25T01:38:26Z")
Oh yeah. You’re right. As I recall it was a different hamburger stand before it was a Habit. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/89 "2025-10-25T01:49:32Z")
I got the most amazingly large (and delicious) Reuben there, the year before the Twin Towers fell. We also did the Empire State Building that trip. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/90 "2025-10-25T02:34:27Z")
I was just in Goleta last week’; I missed an opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/91 "2025-10-25T02:38:58Z")
I’ve been to the original Macy’s, Nathan’s, and Century 21. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/92 "2025-10-25T07:08:39Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > My sister lives right by the original Waffle House location. You can’t eat there anymore… Could you _ever?_ 😄 > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I’ve been to the original Original Tommy’s Burger on Rampart in LA. This is about the only one I can claim. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/93 "2025-10-25T07:25:13Z")
I went to the original Sambo’s in Santa Barbara while it was still Sambo’s. Not a bad breakfast. Tommy’s (Beverly & Rampart) is the ONLY place to get a Tommy Burger. Yeah, there are others under the same ownership and still more pretenders, but there’s something special about standing/leaning on the counter while chiliburger grease runs down your arms. Haven’t been in ages, but used to love to go there when I was in the area. Also have been to the original location of A&W in Lodi, CA, but it hasn’t been a restaurant in ages. I think it’s now a dog groomer? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/94 "2025-10-25T12:09:30Z")
Tommy’s for me as well. I’ve also been to the original location of Del Taco in Yermo. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/95 "2025-10-25T12:32:40Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > The original Wendy’s in downtown Columbus, now gone. I was at the first Arthur Teachers in Columbus as a kid. I later learned Dave Thomas of Wendys was involved in it. BFD. Meh 🙄 I’m from Wisconsin. Home of the Friday fish fry. I don’t know if we knew that was the first Arthur Teachers but either way we weren’t impressed. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/96 "2025-10-25T12:40:02Z")
> [@ricepad](#): > > I went to the original Sambo’s in Santa Barbara while it was still Sambo’s. Not a bad breakfast. How could I have forgotten about that? It’s Chad’s now. Owned by the grandson of one of the founders. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/97 "2025-10-25T14:00:55Z")
I’ve been to the original Tubby’s Subs location in St. Clair Shores, MI. I don’t know how well known the Tubby’s franchise is outside of the SE Michigan area; they get eclipsed by Subway and Jersey Mike’s. But their steak and cheese sub is one of my favorite fast food things to eat. I’ve been to the original Buddy’s Pizza in Detroit. Again, a smallish chain possibly unknown outside the SE Michigan area, but Buddy’s invented Detroit style pizza, originally cooking the pizzas in the rectangular steel pans that auto assembly line workers used to keep small parts like screws in. Can’t get much more Detroit style than that! On a family trip to Washington D.C., we went to the original ‘Red Hot and Blues’ on the Virginia side for dinner one night. It’s a BBQ chain that used to have spots in SE Michigan years ago. The menu had a big origin story about how Lee Atwater and a couple southern Congressmen founded the place because they were disappointed by the lack of good BBQ in the D.C. area. Our table had several squeeze bottles of various regional styles of sauce, which I took to be a good sign that this place meant BBQ business. I ordered the brisket plate. What I got was some sort of thinly-sliced mystery meat, having the consistency and texture of Arby’s roast beef. It was clearly not even brisket at all. And it came pre-slathered with a ton of some generic Open Pit style sauce, probably to hide the fact it wasn’t real brisket. Worst BBQ meal ever. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/98 "2025-10-25T20:24:38Z")
Bill’s is pretty ubiquitous here in England. Quoting myself > [@Tell us about your local/regional restaurant chains](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-local-regional-restaurant-chains/973392/182): > > I knew Bill’s before it was a restaurant, let alone a chain. Back in the day it was a trendy grocery store in Lewes (god, I have posted so many times about Lewes), on the south coast pretty much due south of London. Then they opened up a few tables selling amiable snacks as an extension of the grocery - we used to go there often back then, as it was cheap and rather good. And we have watched with a degree of puzzlement as it grew. Nearing 100 branches now. I would never have thought that would happen with such a simple idea. [Locations](https://bills-website.co.uk/locations/) - I counted 49. I know they took quite a hit in the pandemic. j ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2025, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/99 "2025-10-25T23:46:51Z")
I’ve been to the one near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge within the last couple of years and the pulled pork was good. Not North Carolina good, but pretty good. I’ve never had the brisket, though. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2025, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224/100 "2025-10-26T00:51:13Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Could you _ever?_ 😄 Waffle House shows up the in the news so much I don’t know whether to go there for the food or for the adventure. 😉 (there aren’t any around here but I do like Waffle House) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-original-locations-have-you-been-to/1024224.md?page=6)