The Only Recap Of Big Boy's Downfall You Need

History

The Only Recap Of Big Boy's Downfall You Need By Brian Boone Nov. 10, 2025 5:40 pm EST

Now reduced to several strings of outlets with a moderate presence in a few far-flung regions, Big Boy is not the restaurant chain it used to be. Big Boy started in Los Angeles in the 1930s (as Bob's Big Boy) and grew into a national network by the 1950s, operating as a drive-in, early fast food spot, family-style diner, and casual dining establishment at different times. Like many other chains that enjoyed explosive growth in the mid-20th century, Big Boy's fare mainly consisted of grilled hand-helds, like hamburgers.

It made one innovation in particular, a burger so new and different — and eventually, phenomenally popular — that the chain bore its name: the Big Boy. The first major