8 Michigan Fast Food Chains We Wish Were Still Around

There was something special about grabbing a burger or a basket of fries from a fast food joint your parents used to take you to. Maybe it was the toys, or maybe it was the thrill of finally being old enough to step up to the counter and order your own food.

For many of us, those memories are tied to chains that have long since vanished—or in some cases, are very close to extinction. From Hot 'n Now drive-thrus to the roast beef at Rax, here’s a look back at some of Michigan’s most-missed fast food spots.

Some Are Extinct, Some Are Hanging by a Thread

Before we dive into the list, it’s worth noting that not all of these chains are completely defunct. But we couldn’t put together a list of fast food joints we miss without including Hot 'n Now, could we? That drive-thru was always rockin’—especially in the days leading up to payday, because the food was dirt cheap. At its peak, there were around 150 Hot 'n Now locations across the country. Today, the Kalamazoo-based chain is down to just one neon-signed holdout in Sturgis, Michigan, about 45 miles south of Kalamazoo near the Indiana border.

Also not completely extinct is Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips. Damn, my dad loved that place! I grew up in northern Michigan, where there was exactly one fast food joint within a half-hour’s drive (it was McDonald’s, of course). So whenever we headed south, we knew we’d be stopping at Treacher’s. I’m not complaining—the hush puppies were killer.

So let’s take a look at eight fast food joints we wish were still around in Michigan.