The Burger Chef Reliquary

RE: Homemade Big Shef

Hey, RT,

This is what I had for lunch today, two Big Shefs.

I made the tartar sauce myself from the recipe we used back in the day, and I didn't have a B150, so I cooked the patties on my grill outside and toasted the buns. I made two, but nobody showed up to share so I ate them both!

Talk to you later,
Bill

Scene

LicenSCENE was a bi-monthly publication that communicated news and information from Headquarters to licensed operators and management personnel.  Its sister publication, Briefs, was oriented toward company restaurant employees.  The name LicenScene was later shortened to Scene.  The publication ran from October 1972 until November 1977.  The following are excerpts and highlights of the issues contained in the Reliquary's collection:

Vol. 1, No. 1

This issue, from October 1972, was the First Edition of LicenSCENE.

Cover:

It featured an article recognizing Chuck Farthing and his stores in Colorado:

 

It also announced the completion of the move of Burger Chef Executive Offices to Tarrytown, New York.

Vol. 1, No. 7

This issue, from December 1973,  featured the new training program and news about the Fun Interchange.

Cover:

This issue also includes information about Burger Chefs in Arizona:

Bob Donlon and his Florida Burger Chefs also receive recognition: 

 

Vol. 5, No. 4

This issue, from July 1977, features an interview with Burger Chef's new president Terry Collins.   

Cover & Table of Contents:

   

It also introduces its readership to the new "stripes" uniform....

and the Hickory, North Carolina location is recognized for its incrediburgible grand-reopening (which coincided with the King Kong Glass promotion.)

There's also an article about the Disney World Sweepstakes winner, Scott Baugh of New Castle, Indiana:

 

Vol. 5, No. 5

This issue, from September 1977, features articles about how Burger Chef is trailblazing the concept of movie tie-ins in the fast food industry.

Cover & Table of Contents

Burger Chef made fast-food history with its King Kong and Star Wars promotions.

Additionally, there's an article about Burger Chefs with Railroad themed interiors in Pine Bluff, AR, St. Louis, MO and Indianapolis, IN.

Pete Burtness is recognized for bringing the first fast food franchise to Hot Springs, AR and keeping it up-to-date.

And lastly,  Burger Chef responds to an underground tabloid distributed in Indianapolis claiming that the chain was going all vegetarian!

Vol. 5, No. 6

This issue, from November 1977, was the final issue of Scene.

Cover & Table of Contents:

 

Just as the first edition of Scene announced that the executive offices had just finished settling in Tarrytown, NY; the final edition of Scene recognizes that the offices have moved back to Indianapolis:

Art Dolan opens a store in Vandercook Lake, MI:

Woonsocket, RI to get a Burger Chef:

   

There's news about the Lego promotion:

 

And lastly,  Eva-Tone presents Burger Chef with a gold record for its order of 2,000,000 soundsheets.  The Monster Fun Records were distributed with Funmeals as a Halloween promotion:

1981 Zionsville Women's Softball Cards

This is an uncut, sheet of cards that reads "Burger Chef Systems' 1981 Women's Softball Team & Zionsville, IN Champions."  It measures 11" x 17".

Thanks to the miracle of modern technology we've been able to virtually cut the sheet so you can see the cards individually:

Roberta Bush

Bonnie Nunnery

Brinda Beaver

Laurie Ayer

Rhonda Drew

Hilda Hoogeveen

Amy Snyder

Diane Boardman

Diana Wood

Sandy Cooper

Linda Boyewsky

Pam Mabrey

Judy Rogers

Linda McKee

The back of the sheet contains a scorecard that's written in by hand:

Briefs

Briefs was a monthly publication that kept franchise owners in the know of what was going in the company.

Vol. 4, No. 4

This issue, containing 14 pages, is dated December 1972.

The cover features Lynn Drybread, secretary in the Modernization Department, showing off the new Jeff and Shef Yo-Yo.

The article about the upcoming yo-yo promotion includes a Burger Chef and Jeff cartoon:

There's also an article about the events surrounding the recent Grand Opening of the Grosse Pointe, MI store:

"Your Guide Lines to Success" handbook

This Burger Chef employee handbook is undated, but appears to be from the early 1960s.  It contains 24 pages and measures 3 3/4" x 6 1/2".

Front cover:

Sample pages:

 

 

"Help!" pamphlet

Burger Chef recruiting flyer, circa early 1960's, measures 3 1/4" x 5 1/2". 

Front

Inside

Back

RE: Order Ticket & Tie Pin

Hello again, RT,

I found a couple of other items I thought would be good for the Reliquary. I think these are the last two items I have, but then again I wasn't sure about these, either!

The first pic is a sheet off an order pad used by the frontline cashiers to take the customers' orders. Notice the "W" and "WO" next to the sandwich columns. This was for "With" or "Without", for the Works Bar. All the menu items of the time were listed, plus some that were probably still sold by some of the franchisees. This was from 1976, when I worked at Tyson's Corner, VA, because there's a note written on the back from somebody who worked for me there at the time.

The second is a tie pin. I don't remember when I got it, and it was only by looking for something else that I found it.

I hope these find their place in the Reliquary, as probably nobody has seen either one of these items for years.

Talk to you later,
Bill

RE: Waymarking

R.T.

You have a wonderful resource of Burger Chef information.  I wanted to let you know that I have recently created a "Remembering Burger Chef" category on Waymarking.com.  It is only a couple of days old right now, but hopefully we will begin to see locations and photos of former Burger Chef from all over.

Here's the link: http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=65766bda-9049-4276-9ee6-1fe3ed9e6d1f

Rupert2

Thanks for the info.  I'll add it to my Burger Chef Links.

R.T.

RE: Name Tags

Hello, RT,

I've known all along that I had these, and ran across them when I was looking for something else in my storage unit the other day. They are name tags from the different BC eras, and I thought they would make a great addition to the Reliquary. It's amazing the things you tend to hold onto over the years, and these brought back some great memories for me.

The first pic is an "Open Flame Cooking" patch from the late '60's. I know you already have a pic of one of these, but it's a part of my collection.

The second pic is a nametag from that same era. I think it was the first style of nametag used by BC.

The third pic shows a nametag from the beginning of the General Foods era. Note the "ball and flame" logo.

The next pic is a hostess nametag with the "lollipop" logo. No, I wasn't a hostess, but I do remember Jeanne very well!!

The last pic is my nametag from the late '70's, when I worked in Northern Indiana. It clipped over your pocket and was always falling off, so it's really amazing I still have it.

I think these will bring back some memories for others who visit the Reliquary, as they did for me.

Talk to you later,
Bill

Bill,

Thanks, these are great!

R.T.

RE: Button and Order Ticket

R.T.,

I found this order ticket I used at the cash register when I worked at Burger Chef in the 70's.  I had written the prices on it so I wouldn't have to keep turning around to see the prices.  I have also attached a picture of a button I found recently.  You've probably seen it but I just wanted to show you. God bless.

Alan Crabtree