The Oldest Operating Fosters Freeze In Southern California Has Been Serving Mouthwatering Burgers And Ice Cream For Over 75 Years
By Natasha Kayes|Published October 10, 2022
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Natasha Kayes
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I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
Fast food is a Southern California staple, with burgers and shakes a long-time favorite. In fact, burger-flipping fast food restaurants seem to be on every corner in every city in the state, with more popping up all the time. Everyone has their particular favorite, of course, but one restaurant has been serving up delectable burgers and creamy soft-serve ice cream for three-quarters of a century. The oldest operating Fosters Freeze in Southern California has faithfully served generations of Californians and visitors.
In 1945, George Foster opened Foster's "Old Fashion" Freeze at this location in Inglewood, California, and it still operates today. The ice cream shop featured soft-serve ice cream which was previously not available in California, making this restaurant an almost instant hit.
Foster had initially come to California to open the first Dairy Queen franchises in the state, but local laws prohibited the use of "dairy" in the name, so he opened a restaurant under his own name instead.
Shortly after this first location opened, Foster added American classics like freshly prepared hamburgers and french fries to the menu. This was years before Burger King and McDonald's were established in California.
The restaurant chain that almost never happened grew rapidly. Foster opened many other locations throughout the state. "Little Frosty," the smiling ice cream cone became the mascot.
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Early in its history, Fosters Freeze had a few ice cream trucks that played music and delivered 10-cent ice cream cones and other frozen treats to various areas where people lined up to buy them.
Fosters Freeze, as it has become known, prides itself on commitment to the original Fosters experience and quality that made this restaurant so popular to begin with.
In addition to classic American cheeseburgers, customers can now enjoy turkey burgers, fish filet sandwiches, and seasonal offerings such as the Southwestern Chicken Sandwich with green chilies.
The variety of available flavors and types has changed and expanded through the years, but true to its original concept, ice cream still features prominently on Fosters menu.
Like ice cream, burgers still make up a large portion of the menu. There may be far more options than Foster imagined, but quality made-to-order burgers remain a major reason people come to this iconic California eatery.
Have you ever visited Southern California’s oldest operating Fosters Freeze restaurant, or maybe a franchise location? Tell us about your experience in the comments. Keep up with what’s going on at Fosters by following on the Facebook Page. Looking for more fun places to try in SoCal? Check out these nine classic Southern California restaurants you should try!
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