Mr. Fables facts for kids

Mr. Fables was a popular chain of family restaurants. It was known for its tasty burgers and onion rings. The restaurants were mostly found in Western Michigan, USA. At one point, there were 17 Mr. Fables locations. Their famous slogan was, "People like Mr. Fables, people like you."

History of Mr. Fables Restaurants

The story of Mr. Fables began in 1929. That year, a man named Gerald Boyles opened a Kewpee burger stand. It was located in Grand Rapids. Gerald created two special recipes for his restaurant. These were a secret burger sauce and a unique onion ring batter.

In 1963, Gerald's son, John Boyles, and his cousin, Dick Faber, took over the business. They decided to change the name. They combined parts of their last names, Faber and Boyles, to create "Fables." This is how Mr. Fables got its name.

In 1988, John and Dick sold the Mr. Fables chain. They made sure the secret recipes would stay secret. The new owners hoped to make the chain even bigger.

Why Mr. Fables Closed

During the late 1990s, many big national fast-food chains became very popular. Mr. Fables found it hard to compete with them. Even though Mr. Fables had great locations, the restaurants were sold off one by one.

Mr. Fables was one of the first restaurants in places like Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids. It was also in the Westshore Mall in Holland. Over the years, Mr. Fables also had locations in other Michigan cities. These included Grand Haven, Muskegon, Big Rapids, and Benton Harbor. The very last Mr. Fables restaurant closed its doors in the year 2000.

What Was on the Menu?

Mr. Fables was famous for its "Deluxe" burger and the "Mr. Fabulous" burger. Many other local restaurants have tried to copy their famous olive burgers.

Mr. Fables also had special meals for kids. These were called 'Munch Boxes' and came with fun toys inside.

Secret Recipes of Mr. Fables

The two secret recipes were very important to Mr. Fables. Gerald Boyles created them when the restaurant was still a Kewpee. These recipes were for the special burger sauce and the onion ring batter.

• Burger Sauce: Many people thought it was just mayonnaise and olives. However, the company that made it said it contained eggs and fresh lemon.
• Onion Ring Batter: Most employees believed it was a mix of Drake's batter and water.

Could Mr. Fables Return?

There is a chance that Mr. Fables could come back one day. Bill Lewis, who owns the Yesterdog restaurant, used to work at Mr. Fables. He now owns the Mr. Fables trademark. If he wanted to, he could get access to the secret recipes. This means he could potentially restart the Mr. Fables restaurant chain.