The Forgotten Ohio Fast Food Chain That Only Your Grandparents Remember
If you grew up in the 1960s, 1970s, and into the 1980s, you might remember many iconic fast-food restaurants that have since closed their doors or fallen enough in number to be almost nonexistent. Some of these restaurants were actually innovators in one way or another, having unique marketing or culinary attributes that spurred the conditions for the next wave of eateries to replace them.
Red Barn was one such restaurant. Founded in Ohio in 1961 and open through the 1980s, most people of the time recognized the country-style eatery housed in a big red barn-style building with large windows. Many people still have fond memories of the Red Barn, evidenced by a Facebook group called "I Remember The Red Barn Restaurants," which has about 9,400 members.
At its zenith, Red Barn had about 400 restaurants spanning across 22 states, Canada, and Australia. It began to experience competition with the new selection of upcoming fast food giants, such as McDonald's, which ironically began as a barbecue joint before transitioning to a seller of fast-food burgers in 1948.
What was special about Red Barn?
Red Barn served burgers such as the Big Barney, which was similar to a McDonald's Big Mac, and the Barnbuster, which was like a Quarter Pounder or Whopper. Other American classics on the menu included fried chicken, fish sandwiches, and an ahead-of-its-time salad bar. Red Barn broke the mold with a buffet-style salad bar, predating Wendy's introduction of the SuperBar in 1987.
Red Barn employed a unique marketing and advertising angle with cartoon characters named "Hamburger Hungery," "Big Fish Hungery," and "Chicken Hungery" to promote its food. Though Red Barn utilized these interesting characters to sell food, the restaurant's decor was pretty standard compared to some of the quirky restaurant styling that occasionally appeared in this era. One example of a uniquely stylized retro restaurant from the 1970s that has survived is PoFolks, despite the fact that this particular eatery now only has a few remaining open locations.
Red Barn survived for a while, despite the emerging competition. However, it eventually lost its standing and filed for bankruptcy protection in early 1986. Its final 22 locations operated in New York, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. before the last franchise lease expired in 1988.