DINER'S DOOR LEADS TO ANOTHER ERA.Byline: Eric Florip The Register-Guard In a small, modest building on Main Street in east Springfield, employees at Giant Burger serve the same kind of hamburgers the restaurant did when it opened as the Silver Bell in 1947. And that's just the way customers like it. Starting this month, Giant Burger will launch a yearlong celebration of its 60 years serving Springfield, and its operators say they will continue to build its reputation as a landmark in the community. As part of the promotion, the diner diner, restaurant resembling the railroad dining car that is its source. In the mid-19th cent., the first dining cars that appeared on trains were nothing more than an empty car with a fastened-down table. George M. will add new items to the menu and offer coupons for some existing dishes until July of next year. The restaurant has operated under several managers and owners over the years, but the nostalgic, 1950s-style atmosphere inside has remained constant. "We want to keep this a blast from the past," manager Marilyn Magill said. "When people come in here they reminisce rem·i·nisce intr.v. rem·i·nisced, rem·i·nisc·ing, rem·i·nisc·es To recollect and tell of past experiences or events. [Back-formation from reminiscence. of memories and what it was like when they were growing up." The restaurant's interior still maintains the look of an old diner with several quaint quaint adj. quaint·er, quaint·est 1. Charmingly odd, especially in an old-fashioned way: "Sarah Orne Jewett . . . , bright red booths that line the walls, along with four old-fashioned bar stools bar stool n → Barhocker m placed in front of the main counter. And the menu includes all the essentials: Visitors can get a handmade hand·made adj. Made or prepared by hand rather than by machine. handmade Adjective made by hand, not by machine Adj. 1. burger, fries and a milkshake any time during business hours BUSINESS HOURS. The time of the day during which business is transacted. In respect to the time of presentment and demand of bills and notes, business hours generally range through the whole day down to the hours of rest in the evening, except when the paper is payable it a bank or by a . The Giant Burger name has been around for only 30 years, Magill said, but there's plenty of tradition to live up to. Even with the building's long history, Magill and owner Brad Welt said they often get first-time customers who say they've always seen the Giant Burger sign, but never stopped in to try it. "It's hard to believe someone saying that as long as we've been a fixture here," said Welt, whose Lucky Five Inc. has owned and operated the restaurant since 1998. The signature meal at Giant Burger also happens to be the restaurant's namesake name·sake n. One that is named after another. [From the phrase for the name's sake.] namesake Noun - the two-pound Gigantic Burger, which comes with fries for $14.50. Magill said she's witnessed only a handful of people finish the behemoth behemoth (bē`hĭmŏth, bĭhē`–) [Heb.,=plural of beast], large, fanciful primeval monster, like Leviathan, evoking the hippopotamus mentioned in the Book of Job. burger by themselves. "Usually it's skinny teenagers about this big around," Magill said, making a small circle with her hands. "We get these big guys who come in and try it, and they always have to ask for a to-go box." Giant Burger's celebration starts during its busiest time of year, Magill said. She hopes the historic restaurant will be around for years to come. And if the first 60 years of business are any indication, that shouldn't be a problem. "The food that we serve is consistent," Welt said. "We don't really have to change a whole lot." |
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