Red's Giant Hamburg facts for kids
Red's Giant Hamburg is a famous restaurant in Springfield, Missouri. It's located right on U.S. Route 66, which is a very old and well-known highway. Many people believe Red's was the first ever drive-through restaurant in the world! After being closed for a long time, it reopened its doors in 2019.
The Story of Red's Giant Hamburg
Sheldon "Red" Chaney, who had red hair, came to Springfield after World War II. He bought a small gas station that also had little cabins for travelers. In 1947, Red and his wife added a small café.
They soon realized that a restaurant could be a better business. Since they raised their own beef cattle, they decided to focus on making delicious hamburgers. Red's Giant Hamburg quickly became a favorite spot on Route 66. It was a big part of the Springfield area for many years.
The restaurant closed in 1984. Red and his wife lived next door, so the building stayed the same for a while. Red passed away in 1997, shortly after the restaurant building was taken down.
The Famous Sign Returns
In 2013, people started a project to bring back the famous Red's Giant Hamburg sign. They raised money to build a new sign that looked just like the old one. This new sign was put up in 2015.
The sign is now a special part of a bigger plan for Springfield. It will be a main feature in a new park that celebrates Route 66. This park is located in the West Meadows area of Springfield.
A New Beginning for Red's
In early 2019, exciting news came out: Red's Giant Hamburg was going to reopen! This was 35 years after the original restaurant closed its doors.
The new restaurant is located on Sunshine Street, also known as Route 413. It's designed to look like the original Red's that was on Route 66. David Campbell and Greg Iott led the project to bring this classic restaurant back to life. Red's Giant Hamburg officially opened again in August 2019, bringing its famous burgers to a new generation.
