I absolutely love all things Americana. Visual reminders of the way things used to be at their most ideal. Small town living where the produce was grown by Mr. Brown and delivered daily to the one café in town to sustain the miniscule population and where Mrs. Thompson dons her apron while making fresh pies for the 4th of July picnic at the lake. Where the flatbed Chevy is filled with happy kids that just got out of school for the summer and somewhere the iconic sounds of Mel Allen calling the Yankees game can be heard squeaking out of the transistor radio “How about that…”.
But this place, Fuddruckers, has had me in a mental quandary since the first time I ate there. On paper, this franchised corporation is everything I should repeal. Huge warehouse style eateries involved in massive service of hamburgers, located predominantly in (or near) shopping malls. There is no Mrs. Johnson or Mr. Brown here….but wait! Perhaps there is—if only in spirit.
What drew me to Fuddruckers and propelled into the internal mental debate between right-and- wrong, is exactly what propelled me to begin this column. The business side of this establishment is not only unique, which is a huge accolade these days, but brilliant as well.
Let’s pop the hood of this early model Ford and see what I’m talking about.
First off, anybody that has managed a restaurant before knows that one of the only costs that you can affect on a daily basis is labor. As a manager I used to constantly walk the tightrope of servers to clients to find the proper balance of money going out to money coming in without sacrificing service or reputation. Fuddruckers does without the servers entirely. You walk in and scope the huge printed menu on the wall and step to the ALWAYS lively and positive cashier to make your way through options. Pay then sit. I know this is not unique, but this is not “fast food.” The quality and décor help tremendously. On each table is a roll of brown (recycled) paper towels. Again, Brilliant! This not only allows the diner to use as much or as little cleaning accoutrement to their meal but allows the minimal bus staff to peer over the whole dining room from one vantage point and see which tables are running short, without having to x-ray vision the small metal boxes that host the single ply sheets that launch out 15 at a time.
Their patented, “Build Your Own, Market Fresh Produce Bar,” in the middle of the dining room is a burger-fixens bar fit for a king, and it’s replenished regularly. All farm fresh produce—never frozen (nothing is frozen here)—of tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, peppers, etc. This cuts back on the kitchen staff having to assemble with little to no care with the pre-conceived appropriate amount per burger. Pile it on!
State of the art-touch screen soda fountain. Kids line up just to use it because it is so “Jetsons.”
The menu selections are rare, exciting and healthy. Where else can you get a fresh Bison or Elk burger? And, if you haven’t, you should. The dessert counter is done in the soda fountain décor of yesteryear and across the room from the main course activity as to not interfere. The brilliant part about this is that you can’t leave the building without passing the counter.
But it is the décor in general for me. Checkered table cloths, rich exposed wood, corrugated metal siding (easy to clean), light fixtures with soft light instead of anything resembling fluorescent, real wood chairs and tables like at grandma’s house, and an antique Queen-Mary housing extra sauces!
Whoever designed the Fuddruckers concept and business plan did it right, it is only a shame that I will never meet them because they are probably at their home in the Hamptons. And my quandary begins again.
4910 Dublin Blvd., Dublin, CA 94568 (925) 551-8052
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