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 Bun and Run were the sponsors on the ill-fated Fernwood Tonight program. Win a pair of tickets to any show at Alamo Draft House just by telling us your favorite phony restaurant. Winner chosen at random this Wednesday, May 13th before 5pm.
The White Dragon noodle bar in Blade Runner!
los pollos hermanos
I watch “The Rockford Files” reruns almost every day, and still can’t figure out how California zoning would allow him to park a trailer house next to a restaurant called “The Sand Castle”! I think the resto was real, but didn’t use that name. Rockford hardly ever went there, except to use the phone to call the cops. His favorite place was a taco stand near the pier. Even though I was born and raised in Texas, I had never eaten a taco until after I saw Jim Garner do it. I still believe he singlehandedly popularized tacos with an entire segment (white) of American society.
The Max – Saved by the Bell
So who won?