9 Restaurants Every ’70s Kid in Georgia Ate At
Back in the 1970s, going out to eat wasn’t something most families in Georgia did every day. It was a treat—something special for birthdays, after a ball game, or during a road trip in the family station wagon.
Some kids were lucky enough to have these restaurants right in their Georgia hometown, while others only got to visit them when they traveled out of state.
Either way, these places left a lasting mark. The smells, the sounds, and the feel of those red vinyl booths are still fresh in the memories of any Georgian who grew up during the ’70s.
Pizza Hut
For kids growing up in the ’70s, Pizza Hut was the ultimate Friday night hangout. With its dark wood paneling, stained-glass Tiffany-style lamps, and those unforgettable red Coca-Cola cups, it felt like the fanciest place a kid could go without needing to wear church clothes.
Families slid into big red vinyl booths, and while they waited for their pan pizza, they’d drop quarters into the little jukebox at the table to play Elton John or the Bee Gees.
The wait always felt long, but when that steaming hot pan came out with a cheesy pepperoni pie, it was worth every second.
Kids would burn the roofs of their mouths on that bubbling mozzarella and still go back for seconds. There was something about how the crust got all crispy on the edges in those black pans that made it unforgettable.
And for the bookworms out there, the late-’70s kids were just starting to catch wind of the Book It! program.
Read a few books, get a sticker, and earn a free personal pan pizza. That little cardboard button with the gold stars on it was worn like a badge of honor—and the pizza reward felt like winning the lottery.
Howard Johnson’s
Any ’70s road trip kid can remember the moment they saw that bright orange roof on the side of the highway. Howard Johnson’s—“HoJo’s” if you were in the know—meant it was time to pull over, stretch your legs, and maybe argue with your siblings about which of the 28 ice cream flavors to get.
They weren’t kidding either—28 was a lot when your choices normally hovered between vanilla and chocolate at home.
Inside, the place had this warm, sunny feel with teal booths and waitresses in crisp uniforms who always seemed to bring an extra spoon for sharing.
The menu was classic comfort food: hot open-faced turkey sandwiches, grilled cheese with crinkle fries, and a tall glass of orange sherbet punch. And somehow, the clam strips—yes, clam strips—were a kid favorite, especially when dipped in tartar sauce.
Howard Johnson’s wasn’t just a restaurant; it was a staple of cross-country vacations in the station wagon.
Families would stop in for a meal, grab some postcards in the gift shop, and hit the road again with sticky fingers and full bellies. For a generation, it was the flavor of the open road.
Shakey’s Pizza Parlor
Shakey’s was like stepping into a saloon straight out of an old Western movie—but with way more pepperoni.
Walk through those swinging doors and you’d be hit with the smell of garlic bread and the sound of a ragtime piano. Some locations even had live music, and kids would dance around the tables while parents tried to enjoy their meal in peace.
The pizza came out hot and fast, served on metal trays that clattered when the server slapped them down. But the real draw for many kids?
The mojos.
Those crispy, golden potato slices, sprinkled with just the right amount of seasoning, were basically 1970s french fry royalty. Pair them with a piece of fried chicken and you were in flavor heaven.
Birthday parties at Shakey’s were a rite of passage. There were balloons tied to chairs, pitchers of root beer, and paper hats that made everyone laugh.
And if you were lucky, there was a game room with pinball machines, maybe even Pong. Shakey’s wasn’t just a restaurant—it was where the good times rolled, literally.
Bob’s Big Boy
Bob’s Big Boy was impossible to miss with that chubby little mascot holding a giant hamburger over his head out front.
Every kid in the backseat of a ’70s Buick would spot him from a mile away and start chanting, “Big Boy! Big Boy!” until the parents gave in. Going to Bob’s felt like eating at a cartoon.
Inside, the vibe was pure diner nostalgia—chrome accents, sparkly red booths, and little jukeboxes at each table that played everything from The Jackson 5 to Three Dog Night. The Big Boy burger came with that special tangy sauce, lettuce, and double patties—basically a work of art in burger form.
And the shakes?
Thick enough to bend your straw.
If you were really lucky, your location had carhop service. A teenager on roller skates would wheel up to your window with your tray of food, clip it to your car, and you’d chow down while watching people pull into the lot blasting disco from their 8-tracks.
For ’70s kids, Bob’s Big Boy wasn’t just about burgers—it was about the whole scene.
Woolworth’s Lunch Counter
Woolworth’s wasn’t just where you went to buy socks and school supplies—it was also home to one of the most magical things in the ’70s: the lunch counter.
Right there in the middle of the store, with spinning stools and shiny countertops, was a place where kids could sit down, place their own order, and feel like grown-ups.
The menu was simple: tuna melts, BLTs, grilled cheese sandwiches with a pickle on the side, and the best chocolate malts in town.
Everything came on those heavy white plates, and you always got a paper straw, which usually collapsed halfway through your drink but still felt fancy. Moms would let kids sit there solo while they browsed, and it felt like a huge responsibility.
What made Woolworth’s lunch counter special wasn’t just the food—it was the feeling. Sitting elbow-to-elbow with strangers, listening to the clatter of dishes and the buzz of fluorescent lights—it was the heart of Main Street.
And for kids in the ’70s, it was often the first restaurant they got to order from all on their own.
A&W Drive-In
There was something uniquely wonderful about not having to leave one’s car to eat. A&W Drive-Ins made every kid feel like they were in a movie.
You’d roll up in your dad’s Chevy Impala, turn the knob on the AM radio, and wait for the carhop to come skating over with a tray full of burgers, fries, and those legendary frosty mugs of root beer.
The mugs were ice-cold—literally frosted over—and the root beer had that perfect balance of sweet and bite. It fizzed right up your nose and made your eyes water, but kids loved it.
And the food? Classic.
Chili cheese dogs, crinkle-cut fries, and thick cheeseburgers with juice that dripped down your chin.
Sometimes the family would pile out and sit at picnic tables under strings of lights while the radio played Donna Summer or the Doobie Brothers. On warm summer nights, the air smelled like burgers and freshly mowed grass.
It was simple, delicious, and perfectly 1970s.
Burger Chef
Before the Happy Meal took over the world, there was the Funmeal. Burger Chef knew what kids wanted—food, fun, and toys—and they delivered.
Each Funmeal came in a colorful box with puzzles, comics, and sometimes even a cardboard spaceship to punch out and fold. Getting one felt like opening a birthday present.
The food was straightforward—burgers wrapped in paper, fries in a waxy bag, and a milkshake if you could talk your parents into it. But the real excitement came from the tie-ins.
Burger Chef teamed up with Star Wars, Scooby-Doo, and Batman, making every visit feel like an event.
Burger Chef started disappearing by the early ’80s, but ’70s kids still remember the logo with the smiling cartoon chef and that sense of joy that came with opening a box full of fries and treasure.
Sizzler
Sizzler might’ve been more for the grown-ups, but that salad bar? Pure gold for a ’70s kid.
After picking up your tray and placing your order, you got to hit the buffet line with tongs in hand like a food warrior. The cold bar had shredded cheese, cottage cheese, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, and a whole rainbow of Jell-O cubes.
The best part was the pudding station—usually chocolate and vanilla swirled together in a giant metal bowl with a ladle.
You weren’t supposed to fill a whole plate with pudding, but plenty of kids tried. And those little round crackers and hard-boiled eggs from the salad bar always somehow ended up on every plate, even if no one liked them.
It felt fancy but relaxed. Parents ordered steak and Malibu chicken, and kids made repeat trips to the ice cream machine. For some ’70s families, Sizzler was where Sunday dinners became tradition.
Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour
Farrell’s was a sugar-fueled circus disguised as an ice cream shop. When a kid ordered “The Zoo,” the staff would bang drums, blow whistles, and parade through the restaurant carrying a giant bowl of ice cream with sparklers sticking out of it.
It was loud. It was chaotic. And every kid absolutely loved it.
The place was decked out like an old-time soda shop, with servers in striped vests and bow ties.
The menu was full of goofy names and massive desserts: the Pig’s Trough, the Banana Bonanza, and the original sundae served in a real glass goblet. Kids didn’t care about the names—they just wanted as many scoops and sprinkles as humanly possible.
Birthday parties at Farrell’s were legendary. Every table sang, clapped, and cheered as the birthday kid got showered with attention and a mountain of whipped cream.
No place on Earth felt more like a celebration. It was over-the-top in every way, and that’s exactly what made it perfect for a ’70s kid.
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