by Steven Doyle
Time reminds us that restaurants have become ever more popular in television as in real life, so we decided to think of as many fake restaurants that we could come up with that have been featured on television or a movie. For the older crowd maybe the first you can think of was when Aunt Bee pulled out $400 from savings to open Bee’s Restaurant on the Andy Griffith Show. Or a few generations later perhaps Arnold’s Drive In run by the future Mr. Miyagi on Happy Days.
Whatever your age or proclivity for television, we can almost bet that there is a fake restaurant in the midst. Are we right Jerry Seinfeld (Monk’s)?
One of the more prolific programs with fake eateries can be found on The Simpson’s who have fun making up a new name almost weekly. Do you remember The Texas Cheesecake Depository or Prof. VJ Cornucopia’s Fantastic Foodmagorium & Great American Steakery? What about Griddler on the Roof or General Chang’s Taco Italiano?
The kids might enjoy a visit to SpongeBob’s Krusty Krab or Chum Bucket, while the adult in you may prefer Friend’s Central Perk. If you were a 90210 fan you might remember the Peach Pit.
Here is a list of others you might have forgotten. What are some of your TV or movie favorites?
City Wok – Chinese restaurant from South ParkCaptain Hook’s Fish and Chips – Fast Times at Ridgemont High
The Prancing Pony – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Native American Ice Cream (Formerly Big Chief Crazy Cone) – The Simpsons Skip Church Bistro – Arrested Development McDowell’s – fast food restaurant in Coming to America Guadalajara Brown Drip Gourmet Coffee – Futurama Tip Top Cafe – Groundhog Day Al’s Pancake World – Gilmore Girls Tacos Tacos Tacos Tacos – Reno 911!
Mooby’s – Dogma Luly’s – King of the Hill Jackrabbit Slim’s – Pulp Fiction Flingers – Office Space The Egg and We – Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Pnin
Der Waffle Haus – reaper hangout in Dead Like Me Chez Quis – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Big Kahuna Burger – Pulp Fiction
Great idea. this is pretty funny.
The Peach Pit – Beverly Hills 90210
Alice’s Restaurant – where you can get anything you want
Bronto Burger – The Flintstones
The Happy Gizzard – Jethro’s restaurant in The Beverly Hillbillies
Mel’s Diner – Alice
Olympia Cafe – SNL; “Cheeburger! No fries, cheeps! No Pepsi, Coke!” play on the original Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago
Krusty Burger – The Simpsons
Crust E. Crotch’s – South Park
Chotchkie’s – Office Space; Jennifer “37 Pieces of Flair” Aniston was a server at this Flingers competitor
… and let’s not forget
Buttfuckers – Idiocracy
Paisano’s – Seinfeld; Steinbrenner likes their calzones.
C’mon, cravers. Ms. Korn, Doyle, and I anticipated a livelier topic.
This could be the best crave piece to date. And I love crave.