Winstead's facts for kids
Winstead's is a famous hamburger restaurant chain. It started in Kansas City, Missouri. The first Winstead's opened its doors in 1940. Today, you can find Winstead's restaurants in both Kansas and Missouri.
Besides its tasty burgers, Winstead's is known for its cool building style. The original restaurant has a "Streamline Moderne" look. This style uses smooth, rounded shapes, like old trains or cars. Winstead's is also famous for its super tall "skyscraper" sodas and milkshakes. These drinks are so big, they can be shared by five or six people!
Many people love Winstead's food. Food Network Magazine once said Winstead's had the Best Hamburger in the state of Kansas. A famous food writer named Calvin Trillin even thinks Winstead's makes the best cheeseburgers in the world!
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How Winstead's Started
Winstead's Drive-In was first opened by Kathryn Winstead in 1936. This was in Springfield, Illinois. It was one of the very first drive-in restaurants in the United States. Back then, customers would drive their cars into a parking spot. They would flash their car lights. Then, a "car hop" would come out to take their food order. The car hop would bring the food right to their car.
Around 1938, Kathryn's brother, Jack, opened a second Winstead's. This was in their hometown of Jacksonville, Illinois. Another sister also opened a location in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Kathryn's sister, Fannie Winstead Garst, moved to Springfield, Illinois. She helped her sisters run the Winstead's Drive-In there. The Winstead family really wanted to go back to their home state of Missouri. So, the Winstead sisters moved back to Missouri. In July 1937, they opened Garst's Drive-In in Sedalia, Missouri. This was a big deal because it was the first drive-in restaurant west of the Mississippi River!
Growing in Kansas City
Nellie Winstead and her husband, Gordon Montgomery, talked with Kathryn. They thought about opening a Winstead's in Kansas City, Missouri. They found a good spot near the Country Club Plaza. This new Kansas City restaurant opened in 1940.
The Kansas City Winstead's was special. It had the cool "Streamline Moderne" design. Unlike the first drive-ins, this location let customers eat inside or outside. During World War II, it was hard to get enough beef. This made it tough for the restaurant to stay open. But after the war ended, Winstead's became very popular.
Later, another Winstead's opened in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Today, a different restaurant called Johnny Ray's Drive-In is in that old Winstead's building.
New Owners and More Locations
In 1952, Kathryn Winstead decided to retire. She gave control of the restaurant to Nellie and Gordon Montgomery. They added new items to the menu in 1957. These included yummy french fries and milkshakes.
In 1969, the Montgomerys sold Winstead's. Two brothers, Morris and Victor Lerner, bought it. They owned a company called King Louie International. The Lerners helped Winstead's grow even more. They opened two new locations. One was in Kansas City North. The other was in Overland Park, Kansas.
In 1982, the Lerner family sold King Louie International. A local restaurant owner named Nabil Haddad took over Winstead's. He helped manage several Winstead's restaurants in the Kansas City area. Each Winstead's restaurant has a unique tower on the front. This tower adds to its special art deco style.
Recent Changes
Over the years, some Winstead's locations have closed. In August 2015, the Winstead's at 10313 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park closed. Then, on April 15, 2019, the location at 12056 W 95th St. in Lenexa, Kansas, also closed.
See also
- List of fast-food restaurants
- List of hamburger restaurants
Images for kids
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Winstead's Diner, Kansas City
