Athens Diners and Burger Joints

Since someone posted a picture of the Varsity in Atlanta last week, I decided to respond with a picture of the Varsity in Athens. The Athens Varsity is truly a glorified hamburger stand, but on a grand scale. The modern awning and glass entry way make it unique, but this cannot hide the fact that inside a small army of servers and cooks are waiting to holler "What'll you have, what'll you have, what'll you have?" and plop a tray full of customized hamburgers and hotdogs in front of you.
Inside, the owners have tried to give the Varsity the feel of a diner with lots of stainless steel and chrome accents, and clean white tiles on the wall. To the front of the building, four or five separate dining rooms are partitioned off to give diners the close-knit feeling of an actual diner. Whether these ideas work or not is left to be decided, however, it remains that The Varsity has a distinct feel and atmosphere that is all its own. Interestingly its clientele is quite diverse, from businessmen on a lunch break to college students and blue collar workers which may testify to the success of the model created by the management.
Athens does have examples of true food stands, such as the OK Coffee stand pictured above. This small building can only hold about two people inside it to tend the single window. Like the modest stands located near factories, the OK is situated on a side street conveniently by a parking deck and a mere block from the entrance to UGAs historic old quad. Because of its location, it caters largely to college students on the go who cannot afford to sit in a coffe shop, especially when they are late for that 8am class. But, like most coffee shops, the OK serves a small sampling of fruits, muffins, etcetera. The sign is also reminiscent of earlier signs which used symbols rather than words to announce their services, much like a picture of a chicken on a KFC sign. Simple, and unassuming, the sign tells passersby all they need to know about the services of the OK, namely that they have coffee, and its not bad...its ok.

Restaurants

All these photos were taken along Buford Highway which is not only full of a diverse styles of food but also seems to have a restaurant every twenty feet.  The first picture is of an Asian restaurant (not sure of style because only sign in English was the one that read "Open").  When passing it the building immediately jumped out for its odd shape as well as it's many arched roofs.  It's also hard to tell if the building was originally designed as a restaurant or converted later on into one.  Another reason this picture was taken was it reminded me of the old dinners of the 50s in California as described in the readings.

Next is a photo another Asian restaurant along Buford Highway.  This one was located within a parking lot

 for a number of different stores.  What struck me as odd for this one (and difficult to encompass this in a single photo) is just how small this building is.  It originally looked as though it was a tiny drive thru restaurant.  Also, the drive thru is still in operation for this establishment.  But even t

hough it is still extremely small, the added a patio onto the front to increase the already miniscule amount of space.  Even with the add-on the building is still very much in the box style.

The final picture is one familiar to anyone who has travelled five miles in a car in the South.  We have a Waffle House.  Now although the building is very generic and very much in the style of a box restaurant, this particular one stood out for the sign.  Just as many Waffle Houses have very tall and recognizable signs, this one is no different.  The sign is easily noticed amongst all the cluttered signs of Buford Highway even from a ways off.  And inside, it was designed just like every other Waffle House with the open kitchen and the bar in which patrons can eat 

at.  It definitely also had an older feel and not that of the newer "updated" Waffle Houses.

There were many pictures of very unique restaurants to be had on Buford Highway.  It appeared as though any type of building could be converted into a restaurant.  There was one which obviously was an old bank (drive thru tellers) as well as restaurants that could hold no more than ten people, all of which sat outside and no parking to speak of in their parking lot.  Driving down this road, a hungry patron will definitely have their pick of a variety of different restaurants as well as an immediate recognition of the various buildings in which they inhabit.    

“...within this glittering spectacle ... a human centerpiece...”

On Oothcalooga Street, or the Highway 53 Spur which leads to Rome, Georgia, stands the Yellow Jacket Diner in an area of aged, ailing, and dead warehouses, factories, carpet mills, and repurposed early strip buildings now living as thrift stores and mercados. One mile away on Highway 41, roughly a mile from a major I-75 exit, the Sonic drive-in restaurant offers rootbeer, coney dogs, and slushies amidst ice cream shops, fast food chains, flower shops, real estate offices, and all the other bustle of a busy throughway. Both restaurants have longevity in Calhoun, Georgia; the Yellow Jacket diner has been in operation for over fifty years serving the lunch crowd of millworkers and the after-school crowd of the high school (it was named for their mascot); the Sonic is one of the oldest chain restaurants in town, built in the mid-70s. Both subscribe to an older ethic of fast-food eating by using “tray girls” (and guys) and a focus on the car, yet the diner emerges from the “chuckwagon” tradition described by Liebs while the Sonic clearly draws on postmodern and consumerist elements to stay a competitive chain. Yet the car and the gal who serves the car remain the “human centerpiece” (Liebs 211).

The first picture of the Yellow Jacket diner is taken around 5 pm and shows how busy this small box-of-a-restaurant is. The vehicles parked out front have ordered from the “tray girl” (Liebs 211) and are waiting for or have already received food. The drive-up window (where the white van is) allows a more familiar access to a 'fast-food' restaurant, yet the tray girl (not pictured) has also taken the order at the van. Driving up to the window is a means of picking up food. The human interaction is privileged at the diner. One can see elements of early road-side stand architecture in the graphic Coca-Cola signs, prominent menus, (very small) false front, and the utilitarian box shape of the restaurant. This is a functional, vernacular space which does not pretend to be other than what it is: a place to have a gal take one's order, get some chow, and all from the convenience of one's car.

The second picture is of the Sonic Drive-In, also taken around 5 pm, and shows roughly the same number of patrons although they seem scarcer in number because of the sprawling space available. The “tray girl” striding across the parking lot is a staple of this chain. Occasionally in the summers, one can still see waitresses on roller skates delivering food at this restaurant. The Sonic is the evolution of the roadside stand, as Liebs describes, with its additional architectural elements of shelters for cars, separate structures to shield cooking facilities and staff, and a focus on easy, quick food in one's vehicle. Additional consumerist architectural elements, as described by Chase, include the signage with its black, red, yellow, and white vivid colors; the hyperbolized red cones as a lure for passing cars and a postmodern Googie-esque element, as described by Langdon; and the rounded shapes of the canopies suggesting futuristic themes at this very old style of American dining. This is a chain which must use its building to sell its product, yet it also emerges from an older tradition to which it still adheres.

Two Generations of Golden Arches

When Maurice and Richard McDonald opened their first drive-in in 1939, they had no idea what their creation would amount to in the decades to come. From drive-in to self-service fast food, McDonald's has become a household name in 119 countries serving nearly 47 million customers a day. Their exterior facades may have changed, but the idea of low-priced, quality burgers, fries, and shakes has not.

McDonald's at Howell Mill and Collier. Two generations of the Golden Arches in one location.

The following two photos are also of the McDonald's at Howell Mill and Collier. It was not built in the 1950's off of architect Stanley Meston's design, but it was built to look like it (residents put it at around 25 years old). This store features stainless-steel edging of the overhanging slanted roof, red paneling, glass block, a mural, and the famous flanking golden arches.

Although the flanking arches do not go all the way to the ground (as you can see in the mural to the right) it gives the same effect as the originals. This mural is on the drive-thru window side of the restaurant and features the glory days of the 1950s McDonalds. The sign advertises 15cent hamburgers and 3 million customers served. To the right is a image of the original self-service, old cars, and the essence of the teenage hang-out. Even though the area surrounding this McDonald's is of the current era, the McDonald's fits in because it is a reminder to times past.

This later McDonald's on Peachtree showcases the remodeling done by the company to remove the so called eyesore connotation McDonald's and other food stands had become to be known as. It's red-and-white slant-roof was replaced with a mansard roof and the flanking arches replaced with modern signage. Surrounding this fast-food restaurant is a stone wall encompassing an outdoor playland. This design fits better than the previous because it is located in a modern city. However, as you can see the high rise behind the McDonald's dates it and drives the creation of even more modern food stands.

McDonald's on Roswell Road brings a more modern look to the long-standing food chain. It's white and red stone tile mimics the original tile, but is more contemporary and better fits the area. The red and yellow colors are incorporated, but without being overbearing. The mansard roof still stands around the perimeter, but the height of the building is increased bringing in a more modern flat roof. This location features an indoor Playplace allowing safe play for young children. As you can see, McDonald's has strayed from it's original Meston design, but it still incorporates his ideas that made the chain famous. Whether it be old or new, or new made to look old, McDonald's is still trusted for a quality low-priced burger and fries.