REAL ESTATE | VIDEO | Remember Randy’s Drive-in Restaurant in West Bend,

West Bend, WI – There are some changes ahead on the local restaurant scene as a new diner will open soon in the former Alma’s Cafe in Allenton, a Mexican grocery in West Bend is also in the works and there’s been a change of ownership on a popular location in Newburg.

On a history note: One well-known hangout from the late 1960s through 1983 made its mark in the community. Who remembers Randy’s Drive-In Restaurant, 1307 S. Main St., in West Bend, WI?

Neighbors remember the restaurant’s red roof, barn theme and, of course, the chicken. In 1972 a box sold for $1.35, a bucket was $4.19 and a barrel of Little Red Hen Chicken was priced at $5.69. Other popular menu items were the Big Max burger for 55 cents and the Dandy burger for 59 cents.

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“Big Max stood for maximum value,” said Carol Santini, daughter of restaurant owner Ralph Roberts.

Santini remembered the advertising for the burger had a picture of a cartoon character with his mouth wide open biting into the Big Max. The pitch line underneath read “Maximum: Double deck eating pleasure.”

“There was also a salad bar and a build-your-own burger bar, which may have been the first of its kind in any restaurant in the area,” she said.

Roberts started his restaurant chain in the early 1960s with a place called Robby’s.

“Dad was a meat delivery driver for Swift & Company and delivered to a McDonald’s in South Dakota,” said Santini. “When he saw the quantity of meat being ordered by McDonald’s he saw the potential in opening a local business.”

The first Robby’s was in Stevens Point; after that Roberts added six similar chains in Minnesota and Wisconsin, including outlets in Fond du Lac and in Wisconsin Rapids.

Next, Roberts opened Kristy’s restaurants, named after his oldest daughter, Christine. There were three Kristy’s, including one in Beaver Dam and another in Sheboygan.

In 1968, Randy’s Drive-In opened in West Bend. Santini said it was her father’s final venture, however, to this day she can’t figure out the origin of the Randy’s name.

“My oldest brother Sheldon remembers a family discussion about picking a name, but there wasn’t a Randy in the family,” she said.

In addition to the Randy’s restaurant in West Bend there was one in Jamestown, N.D. and another in Red Wing, Minn.

“The Red Wing location is still in business today under the ownership of the daughter of Joe and Rhonda Dube who worked with my dad for many years,” said Santini.

Back in the late 1960s, Randy’s was the big high school hangout; it’s where you went when you first got your driver’s license or needed food after a night at the bar.

Susie Krueger remembered how she and her sisters schemed to get their parents to take them to Randy’s. “We had a jingle for Randy Burgers that we would sing…