Whatever Happened To Red Barn Restaurants?

When America was fast becoming a fast-food nation in the 1960s, the Red Barn Restaurant was one of the many popular burger joints that popped up in the Rochester area. The Red Barn was a smaller chain than contemporary competitors like McDonald’s and Burger King and bigger nationally than Carrols (which was featured in an earlier Whatever Happened to…? Installment).

Like those other chains, the Red Barn featured hamburgers and cheeseburgers, but also had fried chicken, fish sandwiches and a salad bar that predates its competitors.

Featuring a country theme in restaurants shaped like barns, the Red Barn had specialty sandwiches like the Barn Buster and Big Barney. Its catchy advertising jingle was “When the hungries hit…hit the Red Barn.” The chain’s headquarters were in Rochester for the final years… read more >