The Vintage 1950s Burger Chain That Still Exists In Only One US State

The 1950s were undeniably the birth of the fast food burger boom in the United States. While mega-popular companies like White Castle and McDonalds were founded earlier in the 20th century (1921 and 1940, respectively), both saw explosive franchise growth in the '50s as American car culture soared to new heights. Even the Anthony Bourdain-beloved chain In-N-Out Burger, founded in 1948, became so popular during this decade that its founders perfected the drive-through service. But there's one vintage burger chain from the 1950s that's been all but forgotten by history: Henry's Hamburgers.

In 1954, Bresler's Ice Cream Company decided to stake their own claim to a piece of the expanding burger chain market by opening Henry's Hamburgers in Chicago. Named after one of the company's founders, the late Henry Bresler, the Henry's franchise saw massive growth over the latter half of the decade, establishing locations from California to Florida. Known widely for their "ten burgers for a buck" deal, there were over 200 Henry's Hamburgers restaurants across the U.S. by the early 1960s — even more than McDonald's at the time. However, due to competition and declining sales in the 1970s, nearly every Henry's Hamburgers location was shuttered, with the exception of one still-operational restaurant in Benton Harbor, MI.

In its heyday, Henry's Hamburgers was seen as a real competitor for McDonald's and Burger King. The foundation of the Henry's menu were 15-cent burgers, 10-cent fries, and a 29-cent tartar sauce-topped fish sandwich akin to McDonald's immensely popular Filet-O-Fish. The franchise even sold fried shrimp at one point, advertising their seafood offerings as part of the "adult menu that kids love." 

So what caused the downfall of Henry's Hamburgers? As other burger chains started to open up more car-friendly drive-through locations, Henry's failed to suit, which undoubtedly impacted sales. By the 1970s, it became more challenging to compete with the viral growth of these other chains, which were able to outspend Henry's when it came to advertising and updating their menus. Following internal mergers and ownership changes, many Henry's locations across the country closed down. 

The final blow came after a widespread rumor claimed that certain Chicago locations were cutting costs by incorporating horse meat (which was FDA-approved at the time) into their burger patties. Though any proof of the claims have been lost to history, this controversy led to the eventual closure of Chicago's remaining Henry's locations, leaving only Michigan's Benton Harbor location. Since opening in 1959, it has remained dedicated to the chain's "great tradition of better taste," and has succeeded due to the addition of drive-through service in 1988. To this day, the existing Henry's Hamburgers offers many of the original franchise's menu items like the fish sandwich, as well as new dishes like chili dogs and fried catfish.