The roadhouse that went from serving South Africa’s first hamburgers to being demolished

[wingnut771]

I had a friend who worked at the Doll House many years ago. He told the owner he wanted to resign. The owner told him "Here you do not resign. You just hand in your cap and apron, and go."

Those days you didn’t have to give 3 warning letters either.

 

[Smiggles]

McDonald's and KFC etc. replaced them decades ago.

 

[hellfire]

They made the best chips (note, not crrrisps) and a great toasted chicken mayo sandwich. Lived both sides of them, went to school next to them, used them from the 60's to their recent closure.
Born a year earlier.

My mom used to hang out at their place as a teenager.

Reason for closure was said to be the Nigerians who took over the flats and shops across the road, but the last owner looked tired and uninterested to me.

@wingnut771 - another trip down memory lane for you too I'm sure

I believe the reason for closure was a precinct improvement project for the 2 blocks east and west of Louis Botha road. Supposedly it was supposed to be a combination of commercial and higher density residential.
But obviously that didn't happen

 

[Brian_G]

there is still the fireplace roadhouse in the east rand, even today its still going, makes an awesome sunday lunch.

do remember the doll house dimly as this place next to Shul, but there was also a Falafel place we would go to across the road to it.

CPT from my understanding has Zero roadhouses now, or maybe I haven't been down here enough to find any.

That Shul a couple of blocks east is still going. Not sure about the one in Louis Botha about a block away if that's the one you mean (used to do the Betar kids camps) - haven't seen activity around there for years.

There was also a roadhouse near the N3 at the end of Linksfield's Club street in Jo'burg... I must go see if they're still operating, now craving some roadhouse munchies.

 

[Brian_G]

View attachment 1922480
McDonald's and KFC etc. replaced them decades ago.

*yawn*

 

[EMAM]

What was the name of the one on Louis Botha?
We used to fly to Joburg so often in the late 80's/early 90's....used to take the midnight flight and we used to go straight to that roadhouse from the airport

 

[wingnut771]

What was the name of the one on Louis Botha?
We used to fly to Joburg so often in the late 80's/early 90's....used to take the midnight flight and we used to go straight to that roadhouse from the airport

The Doll House.

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

Just yesterday, I noticed how many people drive around eating in their cars. Perhaps not interested in eating in a parked car, but driving and eating is popular.

Yes people alone eating while driving is something different. You don't buy something big in a plate. You have a pie or small burger that is wrapped in paper, so easy to eat and your drink is in a can.

 

[Flanders]

What was the name of the one on Louis Botha?
We used to fly to Joburg so often in the late 80's/early 90's....used to take the midnight flight and we used to go straight to that roadhouse from the airport

In Highlands North on Louis Botha was Doll House. I thought it was the one and only - wasn't aware that there were others. In the late 90s we'd go there after a night out at 206 up the road. Haven't been to the area in years.

 

[wingnut771]

Yes people alone eating while driving is something different. You don't buy something big in a plate. You have a pie or small burger that is wrapped in paper, so easy to eat and your drink is in a can.

 

[Flanders]

 

[wingnut771]

View attachment 1922489

Looks decolonised.

 

[icantchooseone]

What was the name of the one on Louis Botha?
We used to fly to Joburg so often in the late 80's/early 90's....used to take the midnight flight and we used to go straight to that roadhouse from the airport

the first 2 pics in the link are of that one

 

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

View attachment 1922489

Thanks, yeah I know this place...

 

[JerryMungo]

Pretty simple.
Roadhouses could sell cheapish food because they only needed a small space for the restaurant and people eat in their cars. These days people are not interested in eating in their cars. Its uncomfortable you have trays hanging on your window and you try to make space for plates and drinks in your car without making a mess.
Try eating a Dagwood in your car while using one hand to hold the plate and not make a mess.
So the last 30 odd years the surviving ones made space with tables inside to eat. They quickly realized that it all cost money and prices went up. Then they were just independent little restaurants that cant compete with the proper restaurants with food quality and they could not compete with the Burger Kings/KFC/ McDonalds on price for junk food.

The Windmill in East London calls BS. People love the Windmill - more now than ever. That place is busy! Best Dagwood toastie in SA I reckon.

 

[Brian_G]

What was the name of the one on Louis Botha?
We used to fly to Joburg so often in the late 80's/early 90's....used to take the midnight flight and we used to go straight to that roadhouse from the airport

That's the one this thread is about.

Thanks, yeah I know this place...

Live around here too?

Off pic to the left (behind) is my old high school.
I drive past this wreck at least once a week. Nothing going on around the area at all, and the thread title is wrong 'cos it was never demolished. Though looks like the roof above the partnership place next to it has been stolen.

 

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

That's the one this thread is about.



Live around here too?

Off pic to the left (behind) is my old high school.
I drive past this wreck at least once a week. Nothing going on around the area at all, and the thread title is wrong 'cos it was never demolished. Though looks like the roof above the partnership place next to it has been stolen.

No I used to work in the area in the latter parts of the 1990s

 

[icantchooseone]

That's the one this thread is about.



Live around here too?

im very close by

 

[Brian_G]

im very close by

I thought you look a bit like a Nigerian

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

The Windmill in East London calls BS. People love the Windmill - more now than ever. That place is busy! Best Dagwood toastie in SA I reckon.

You know I have questioned your IQ many times.
If 5000 roadhouses have closed down and a few are still surviving it does not proof anything, except what I was saying.
Its like someone saying DVD/video shops is not relevant today and then you say OH but there is one in Randburg and one in Montana.
I will bet your roadhouse makes most of its money from take-aways and not people eating in their cars.
Just like the 2 I mentioned, Margate and Hartbeespoort. They make most of their money from people sitting inside.
There is a nice roadhouse in Nelspruit or whatever the new name is. We always stop there when going to the Kruger. They have a few tables outside. I have never seen anyone eating in their car. Everyone just order take-aways and drives off. So is it really then a roadhouse. The others where 90% of people go sit inside, is it really still a roadhouse?