Food of the Seventies, Henry's Hamburgers

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Before there was Burger King, there was Henry's, they were very small and it was all take out food. I believe they were about a $.25
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The following are comments left about Henry's Hamburgers from site visitors such as yourself. They are not spell checked or reviewed for accuracy.

NotSoOldBoomer - July 16, 2008 - Report this comment
It's the first fast food I remember (early 1960's). We would drive to Burlington, Iowa to shop, and if we were lucky--have Henry's Hamburgers for supper on a Sunday evening. It was all "eat in the car." I remember that sign--I think the Hamburger had blinking neon arms/legs. I can almost smell the food! I don't think we knew or cared about McDonalds at that time . . .
Marc - July 29, 2008 - Report this comment
I remember this place - we used to call them "Henryboogers" as we were wolfing them down.
Pat - August 28, 2008 - Report this comment
That is where we would go to 'hang out', in the 60's. Too bad kids today don't have a place like this, although, it probably wouldn't be so innocent now! Does anyone remember the King Henry Hamburger? I believe it had cole slaw, pickles and mustard. It was pretty good. Does anyone know for sure what was on it? I would like to try a make it.
Dean Barcelona - September 16, 2008 - Report this comment
I loved Henerys as a kid growing up in Chicago,in the 60s an early 70s it was at Archer Ave. and Cicero down from Midway Airport.Better than Mc donalds and more girls there, broke up with a girl there, well they had good food and the price was right.
Keith Walden - September 24, 2008 - Report this comment
I just heard NcDonalds say they invented the fast food restaurant ... Henry's was way before them Arby's was as well I believe
MiddleCincinnati - September 25, 2008 - Report this comment
We grew up in Cincinnati. There were at least two Henry's branches there in the early 1960's, one in the Finneytown neighborhood and the other in the Oakley area. This was years before McDonald's had a large presence in the Midwest. As kids, we loved their cheeseburgers and fries. I still remember the fries as being a cut above those of competitors. Still miss Henry's, and am glad to see pictures of their old signs.
Thomas Lane - September 29, 2008 - Report this comment
I grew up near Benton Harbor , MI and there is still a Henrys operating there as of summer 2008- they are located on M-139 just off I-94 Benton Harbor exit- their phone # is 269-926-6757. The help is surley, the burgers are chewy and the fries are greazey- and thats the way we like ,em- that's Henrys! tlanephoto@yahoo.com
john Quinn - November 20, 2008 - Report this comment
I grew up in Springfield, MO and worked at Henry's Hamburgers on East Sunshine Street from 1965-1967. It was my first job. I started at 50 cents an hour. The food was better than McDonalds but the owner was a miser and wanted to re-use the drink trays he found on the lot.
Mike Lynch - December 14, 2008 - Report this comment
I remember the Henry's Hamburgers in Chicago on the Northwest corner of Cicero and 79th street. I used to ride my bike there after a flag football games at Durkin Park.
Gene Janmeson - December 28, 2008 - Report this comment
I grew up in upstate New York and remember Henry's as a teenager. When I used to go there you could get a burger, fries and a milk shake (a real one, not one made from a mix) for I think it was $.42! Burger was 15 cents, shake was 20 cents and I think fries were an unheard of 7 cents! Oh, the good old days! They were on the scene before McDonald's and I remember my aunt taking me there when we were out for a drive in her car.
Richard Bulin - February 14, 2009 - Report this comment
Boy I remember Henry's Hamburger. I seem to recall we used to call it O'Henry's. But that was a great place and a great burger...better than McDonalds.
Jeff Long - April 01, 2009 - Report this comment
I remember going to a hamburger stand when I was a kid. I believe it was Henry's. Does anyone know if there was one in Ottumwa Iowa? One thing that stands out was the big cartoon glasses they had for promotion. Any help would be appriciated..thanks
Leo Stolba - May 02, 2009 - Report this comment
I remember back in the late 60's, early 70's, my daughter Terry Stolba, worked at Henry's Hamburgers at Memorial Drive & Mt. Vernon Rd. SE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. On occasion, there would be leftover 10 cent hamburgers that she and the other employees would get to take home to their families who enjoyed the delicious Henry's Hamburgers.
Freda henrys employee - May 07, 2009 - Report this comment
We're still here. The only Henrys still left is in Benton Harbor MI. on M139. We have a new building but our food is still the same. We're celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. Check out our new website, at henryshamburgers.com. There's a place on the site to tell us about your memories, leave some.
Mark Williams - May 23, 2009 - Report this comment
I grew up in Denver, Colorado. I clearly remember a Henry's on south Colorado Blvd. It was there during the 60's but was gone soon after that. I loved their burgers. Does anone else remember this particular one?
Steve n Ky - June 02, 2009 - Report this comment
Mc Donalds invented fast food ? Nooooo way ! Long before they even thought of the idea there was Henry's ,,, and even White Castle . I was lucky enough in the early 60's to have a Henry's about five minutes away from me here in Louisville . THAT was a treat believe me , and if I remember correctly it was all drive up (not drive THRU ) , there was no inside seating ,, just the inside of the family car listening to AM radio. Back then were several small chains in town that were much better than Mc Donalds ,, Triple Triangle , Ranch House and Jiffys just to mention a few . Man those were the days !
MamaByrd - June 16, 2009 - Report this comment
Wheeling, IL, 1970, just across the street from K-mart. What I remember (not trying to be gross) is the smell from blocks away. It smelled like stinky armpit! All you have to do is type Henry's Hamburgers into a search engine (I use Dogpile) and you will have tons of info. The best is retro pix on ameshistoricalsociety . org. .15, .20 cents? Phillips 66? Does that say .23 cents/gal??? I remember the Clark station when it was .26 cents. Wait... is that a Corvair? The O-Rings rocked.
SparKy - June 20, 2009 - Report this comment
hey Steve n Ky - wasn't there a Henry's on Cane Run Road near Algonquin Manor? I barely remember eating there and hating the mustard/ketchup on the burger... my neighbor's dad took us there. That was a million years ago. The building or sign may still exist.
Tom Merchant - July 17, 2009 - Report this comment
I remember being stationed at Niagara Falls in 1964. McDonalds and Henrys were both there, but Henrys was closer to the base. On weekends we would go through the barracks and everyone would put in their order. It was not uncommon to order 35 hamburgers, 45 fries and 15 cheese burgers. Oh yeah they were better than McDonalds. There were a few in Minnesota I recall, after I got out of the service, but they just seemed to disappear.
Tom from Homer Glen Illinois - July 17, 2009 - Report this comment
Henry's at Archer and Cicero near Midway airport will always have a special place in my heart. I met my future wife there in 1965 and I'm still married to her today!
Rich B. - July 23, 2009 - Report this comment
First fast food restaurant I ever dined at was a Henry's in Niagara Falls, NY. They actually had two in the city. Western NY had at least six and probably more. City of Tonawanda even had one. Henry's was my favorite so when I drove back from Chicago three years ago I detoured to Benton Harbor. While the prices were a lot higher than they were when I was a kid, they had a special, buy 2 cheeseburgers and get 1 free, so there was still a bargain to be had at Henrys!!
David D. Baker - August 24, 2009 - Report this comment
I remember going to the one in Chicago; located at Central and Fullerton; accross the street from Hanson Stadium and The Diplomat on the Northwest side of the city ! I created a group on facebook signup and share your stories !
Scott Bethune - September 29, 2009 - Report this comment
Yes there was a Henry's in Ottumwa Iowa. I believe it was where Taco Johns is on Church Street. They had The Henry's All American which was Mcdonalds Big Mac
TR - October 04, 2009 - Report this comment
There was a Henry's in Cedar Rapids Iowa on 16th Avenue near Jefferson High School. We went there all the time for burgers, cokes and shakes.
Judy P - November 22, 2009 - Report this comment
My husband is trying to remember one in Waukegan or Gurnee Illinois - anyone remember? P.S. I worked across from the Henrys in Springfield, MO!
Mark G. - December 04, 2009 - Report this comment
There were two Henry's in South Buffalo NY when I was younger.
Dollface - December 09, 2009 - Report this comment
I used to eat at the Henry's at 28th & Locust in St. Joseph, MO. It was a few blocks from my high school and we'd skip over there for lunch just about every day, unless the vice-principal was prowling around. The site is a convenience store now.
BeauxArtabazon - January 20, 2010 - Report this comment
My family's beloved Henry's was on Turney Road, in Turney Town, right near Garfield Park, in Cleveland, Ohio. The most important thing about Henry's from Artabazon family lore was their french fries: They sold them by the pound! You could buy a whole bag of their french fries which we often did. In the summer when we went swimming at Garfield Park, lunch was usually some soggy sandwiches Ma made and a big bag of Henry's fries. At Christmas when Ma drove us around to look at Christmas lights we always had to stop for a big bag of Henry's fries. Ma grocery shopped at the Pick n Pay in Turney Town often with my great Aunt Lottie. Afterwards we would usually stop at Henry's for lunch and I would get a hot dog with mustard and onions. Of course we had a bunch of fries. I remember dropping mustard from my hotdog on my favorite shirt and the stain never came out. Luckily no one but me could see the stain amid the psychedelic design on my shirt. That was about 1972 when I was in kindergarten. My family was very sad when Henry's closed, a crew demolished the building, and Burger King popped up in its place.
BMC - January 28, 2010 - Report this comment
Hey David Baker. My family ate at that Henry's as well on Fullerton and Central. I used to play little league at Hanson Park. Every once in awhile we would pile into the family car and pick up Mom from work and stop there for dinner. Sometimes if money was tight, my brother and I had to share the shake. Ironically my family was just talking about that place a few weeks back. Seems like that was when families actually enjoyed one another.
RamessesII - January 30, 2010 - Report this comment
I, too, used to eat at the old Henry's, on the corner of 79th St. & Cicero, across from the Scottsdale Shopping Center, where Chicago & Burbank (South Stickney) met. They had the best sauce on those burgers... ever. I'd kill for one of those now. Kids, today, will never know what they missed.
Mike Mickelsen - February 02, 2010 - Report this comment
I grew up in Chicago and still live in the area. Henry’s was at the corner of Narragansett and Higgins. My family would visit the fast food stop frequently because my mother and Dad loved the BBQ sandwich. So much so that he bought stock at $1.00 per share and invested heavily in Henry’s. Both Henry’s and McDonalds’ were at the same price per share. He always said if he had purchased McDonalds’ instead of Henry’s, no one in the family would ever have to work again.
John Martin - February 13, 2010 - Report this comment
I would like to buy an original stock certificate for Henry's Hamburgers or perhaps a good copy of one. I worked for them in the early 60's in Des Moines, IA and my brother and I both were given 25 dollars from our dad to either buy Mc Donalds stock or Henrys. We were too smart and bought stock where we worked since they had a much larger and diversified menu, "more likely to succeed" Wrong, my mother threw out our centificates while we were in Nam and now when I tell the story it would be great to have a copy to show everyone. I was told that if we had bought the 50 shares in McDonalds we would now be millionaires even if we never had one of their burgers or franchise restaurants. Scary to think about. Please contact me at jm6549@netins.net. THX
Mark Thode - February 13, 2010 - Report this comment
I do remember the Henry's Hamburger on 79th and Cicero loved the old neon sign..There is one still left in Benton Harbor Michigan..I go twice a year they are selling their 50th Anniversary shirts at a great price..food still good. Does anyone remember the Franksville off of 79th & Cicero SW corner? I go back to those days anytime!!!
Mark Thode - February 13, 2010 - Report this comment
Just remember there was a Henry's Hamburger off of South West Highway and 87th in Hometown across the street(west side) from the Hometown Center with Hi LO Foods,Kresges,National Foods ..use to pass it to my Grandmas.
Jeff Kaiser - February 20, 2010 - Report this comment
In Louisville,,yes,,there was definatly a Henry's on Algonquin Pkwy,,at Millers lane. The building and bare signage was there till about 5 years ago,,when it was cleared. I remember it well. It was just southwest of the "Big A" shopping center.Back when that part of Louisville was humming with progress. Sadly,,sometime in the mid 70's,,it died fast,,due to all the crime in the area and never recovered. The vacant lot is still there though,,along with a couple of the original light standards bordering the parking area.
Jeff kaiser - February 20, 2010 - Report this comment
I'm sorry,,in my post I was wrong,,I meant to say the location was on Cane Run at Millers,,,I had my mind on memories of the Big A shopping center and thats the way it came across,,but Henry's in Louisville was definatly on Cane Run road at Millers lane. I don't know if there were any other locations in Louisville though.

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