Recently, I bought a 45 record at an estate sale just because of the sleeve it was in. Well, not really because of the sleeve, but because of what was on the sleeve.
This sticker, deserving of a close up below, was pasted to it.
Most people wouldn't understand the significance of this Frankenstein knockoff, but being the devotee I am, I recognized him immediately as a member of possibly the greatest cast of fast-food mascots ever.
Picture Courtesy Booksteve's Library
The now-defunct Burger Chef chain pioneered the "Kids Meal" concept with their "Fun Meal". And they knew what 1970's kids liked. MONSTERS!
Each Fun Meal contained a small burger, fries, soda and a Fun Money token which could be traded in for an ice cream sundae or toward the purchase of other food items. Their "Works Bar" allowed you to convert the meager kid-sized burger into a deluxe with everything.
Image courtesy Louisville Halloween
Image courtesy Louisville Halloween
I previously wrote about the Monster Fun Records that had been included as a prize in the Fun Meals, but even the Fun Meal boxes were a premium in themselves such as this punch-out Haunted House.
Image courtesy Louisville Halloween
Image courtesy Louisville Halloween
Or this Crankenburger mask.
Image courtesy dickchodkowski.com
Image courtesy dickchodkowski.com
Image courtesy dickchodkowski.com
From my own personal collection; I received these in my own Fun Meal when I was a kid. They were similar to Colorforms.
Burger Chef was bought out in 1982 by the Hardees chain of fast-food restaurants and the days of Monster Food Fun was over.
Awesome post! I loved going to Burger Chef when I was a kid. I remember those "colorforms". We had a bunch of them stuck on a metal cabinet.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Erick. Burger Chef was our go-to fast food restaurant. We rarely ate at McDonald and never at Burger King. Ours was located in the same strip mall as the drug store where I bought my comic books and the Ben Franklin where I bought my candy. A Saturday spent there was like Heaven for a kid.
DeleteThat's a new one on me. I've never heard of Burger Chef.
ReplyDeleteWhat area did you grow up in? I think it was mainly a midwest chain.
DeleteNew Jersey. Yeah, that would count me out.
DeleteI love this post! I loved Burger Chef when I was kid. Those kids' meals topped Happy Meals back then. Such a great memory. You are like a Pop Culture Historian, man! Kudos.
ReplyDeletethey had Burger Chef in colorado, i know that much, so maybe not just a midwest thing. i LOVED that place, and all their toys, but i had completely forgotten about the monsters. great find!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the Midwest, but do not recall this at all. I had a sister who only ate Burger King so we never went to any other fast food.
ReplyDeleteI just found a monster fun record walking to work. Wish I could've experienced this cool place. Stupid hardee's
ReplyDeleteWow, great find! Burger Chef was indeed magical.
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