Fast Food and Car Culture | Lost LA | Season 6, Episode 1

Fast Food and Car Culture | Lost LA | Season 6, Episode 1 | PBS SoCal

Рет қаралды 122,300

7 ай бұрын

From McDonald’s to Taco Bell, many of the world’s most iconic fast food chains were born in Southern California. This episode explores how car culture and the restaurant industry collided in the Los Angeles region, forever shaping the way Americans dine and drive.
Featured interviews include Los Angeles Times writers Gustavo Arellano and Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Magazine’s Chris Nichols, and author/chef George Geary, who also discuss the histories of In-N-Out Burger, Bob's Big Boy, Carl's Jr., Wienerschnitzel, Del Taco and more throughout LA and beyond (and even in San Bernardino).
CORRECTION: The date for the Lopez v. Seccombe desegregation case was 1944, not 1994.
Lost LA's Season 6 Episode 1, "Fast Food and Car Culture," premieres on KZfaq January 2, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. PT. Click above to receive a reminder, and watch the premiere live with Lost LA host Nathan Masters, who'll be chatting and answering questions in the comments.
Want to learn more? Watch more Lost LA at bit.ly/3sNXHYb
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#history #tacobell #mcdonalds #fastfood #LostLA #tacos #burgers #drivethru #carculture #route66 #foodie

Пікірлер: 96

@roberthaysley4245 7 ай бұрын

I used to eat at the original McDonalds in San Bernardino. I also used to work with Stan Meston the architect who created the Golden Arches for the McDonald’s brothers.

@TimHunold 6 ай бұрын

This series went to what we all missed from Huell Howse's passing. Excellent research, fascinating stories, and passionate people. WE WANT MORE

@AtomicPunk51 4 ай бұрын

Respect for Huell Howser

@sameaston9587 Ай бұрын

@@AtomicPunk51 Huell truly was part of California's Gold.

@orangelion03 4 ай бұрын

Excellent program! My first meal in the USA was at the McDonalds in Downey. We emigrated from Argentina, my father first in October 1963. He got a job and rented an apartment in Downey a few blocks off Lakewood Blvd. My mother, brother, and I arrived in March 64. Dad picked us up at the airport and drove us to McDonalds. I remember it had a small playground next to it (or a city park?). I ate there again in 2010 when I worked for a company located nearby. As new residents in LA, and not having a lot of money, our family would take a road trip every Saturday. We got to know LA pretty well. Ate at a lot of fast food places, and Bob's was my moms' favorite. Met friends on many a cruise night at Bob's in Burbank. Thanks for the memories! I'm looking forward to watching the entire series now =)

@rml1919 4 ай бұрын

I'm glad the McDonald's brothers are getting the respect they deserve. They're a classic example of what happens when outsiders (Ray Kroc) comes in and take your business away thru the law. They're also a classic example as to why you always put everything in writing. That revenue they were promised word of mouth? They received none of it because it wasn't in writing.

@xr6lad 2 ай бұрын

Also when Americans accept a corrupt legal system.

@Ochoduckie 7 ай бұрын

Gustavo Arellano is a national treasure.

@moryan6447 5 ай бұрын

I just had to watch although I haven’t lived in the L.A. area since 1967. I graduated from H.S. in 1963 and my whole world from 1961 when I got my DL centered on cruising with friends and drive ins…Twohey’s, Henry’s, Bob’s BB, A and W, and McDonalds, which was a thrill when I was 8,in San Gabriel Valley but venturing to Whittier and Hollywood. This was a sweet walk down memory lane and found In n Out as an adult where I check it’s locations when driving particularly long trips🥰

@albyjam 3 ай бұрын

Twohey’s (an Irish name) relocated to South Pasadena, and in-n-out took over their former plot.

@joshweinstein5345 7 ай бұрын

I thought I knew so much about fast food history that I almost didn't watch this but am so glad I did. There's tons here I did not know and I like how it's all tied in to the pioneers of this new way of eating and the place where it all began, Southern California. Genuinely fascinating and fun.

@OH.A.M. 7 ай бұрын

Los Angeles has so much endless culture and this is no surprise. Thanks KCET

@troyflatland5299 7 ай бұрын

How did you leave a comment 1 day ago when this video was posted an hour ago?

@troyflatland5299 7 ай бұрын

It’s 11:38pm est right now for reference

@OH.A.M. 7 ай бұрын

Hello @@troyflatland5299 The comment section was available when I posted my comment.

@troyflatland5299 7 ай бұрын

@@OH.A.M. ok but how - you posted a comment technically before this video was even posted. Odd

@OH.A.M. 7 ай бұрын

Since it was a premier at 9 O’ Clock in my time zone@@troyflatland5299The video was available only to post comments before it started to be live. Hope that clears your question. 🥂

@astroArtTV 7 ай бұрын

Lost LA, great show! I have many of Mr. Heimann's books, these have informed me of much of Los Angeles' lost history in regard to Hollywood and architecture.

@kplante7881 7 ай бұрын

Excellent…!!! So happy to see this series again. Great story telling. Thanks for sharing!

@SuperMustache555 Ай бұрын

Bob's brought back the car hop during the pandemic. My dad and I enjoyed many a meal from the comfort of the front seat

@scofab 5 ай бұрын

Now I want a burger... nice piece. Here in Japan McD's and all the rest are still squeaky clean and very decent to eat at. Thanks and regards,

@speedracerjeff 7 ай бұрын

Gotta love the So Cal car culture and burgers served on wax paper “fast food” history.

@johnallred716 7 ай бұрын

Thanks Nathan, another great episode! Regarding the Mitla tacos, I remember the fried taco shells stuffed with meat, lettuce, tomato and cheddar from a Mexican fast food place in Wichita that my parents loved around 1958. Seeing them again in the program was a lovely memory.

@1amissingno 7 ай бұрын

Fantastic episode! Loved the experts who were passionate sharing their knowledge.

@troyflatland5299 7 ай бұрын

Love this!!! More videos like this please 🙏

@elvisfan61 3 ай бұрын

I just discovered this page, have seen two episodes and LOVE it! I can't wait to dig in to some of the other videos. This was a nice trip down memory lane. I especially love hearing about In N Out. Keep up the great work.

@FastFoodLegend 6 ай бұрын

I really enjoyed this episode. I've visited many of these places, and have read the books mentioned. It was nice to see it all put together and I love the drone photography over the McDonald's in Downey.

@toastnjam7384 5 ай бұрын

I believe I worked the last Bob's Big boy drive in. I was night drive-in manager at the Canoga Park Bobs on Sherman Way in 1979 when a few months in they changed their drive-ins to Drive-through's. I believe we were the last. The year before I was night drive-in manager at the Van Nuy's Blvd location. I left Bob's in 1981 when I moved out of California. I came back to visit in the early 90's and all the Bob's restaurants were gone. I couldn't believe it or understand why. They couldn't' be losing money, Bobs were always packed from opening to closing.

@j.e.g2321 4 ай бұрын

Great book the volume #2 was😊 moved from April to May can't wait to get it .

@user-cy9kj3ns6k 7 ай бұрын

Love lost la watch it with my clients learn so much about la

@johnchedsey1306 5 ай бұрын

Very cool slice of Americana. Slice of American cheese on a burger, of course. I'm too young for the old timey era of fast food places in Los Angeles, but I loved visits in the 90s to find a corner burger stand that really says "California" to me. My diet is more oriented towards health now, but I do love a trip to In n Out every so often.

@johnbehneman1546 5 ай бұрын

A MUST WATCH!!!!!!

@nono-zb8px 5 ай бұрын

I was married at Bob's in 96!

@robbyarcher670 2 ай бұрын

I miss Huell. That Tennessean had more passion for So Cal than anyone I've ever met from LA. R.I.P Huell 🙏

@riccarrasquilla379 4 ай бұрын

thanks for the video

@alwaysshifting9574 5 ай бұрын

Gotta love California and Cars❤

@jakebrakebill 4 ай бұрын

yep, growing up in Colton Ca. in the late 50's, 60"s and 70's and visiting so many of those places that are gone now, I consider myself lucky. Even good old El Burrito in Colton.

@johnbehneman1546 5 ай бұрын

A TOTALLLY AWSOME EDUCATION!!!!!

@whomanbeing 6 ай бұрын

Love this show. Great to see it shared here.

@barberjeff67 5 ай бұрын

Great episode! I've been a fan of Googie since the mid 80s.

@ManiaMusicChannel 5 ай бұрын

Nice report 👌🏽 car culture definitely something special

@johnbehneman1546 5 ай бұрын

THANKS FOR SHARING!!!!

@SpaceGhostPurps 4 ай бұрын

3:23 out of all the slideshow picture My City’s old Bowling Alley made the cut 🏁. Covinas Bowling Alley is closed but considered a landmark now.

@hebrewloc9416 5 ай бұрын

I know that McDonald's, In N Out, Carl's Jr, Hot Dog On a Stick, Bob's Big Boy, Lyons, A & W restaurants, Johnny Rockets, Woody's, Mel's, Taco Bell, Del Taco, Orange Julius, Shakey's Pizza and many more were started in California

@SpaceGhostPurps 4 ай бұрын

Tommy Burgers

@ianstewart8301 5 ай бұрын

Really well done! I miss in and out!

@PiggyFuktoy 5 ай бұрын

That original golden arches of McDonalds is what I remember when stopping for food coming home from Redondo Beach every week night after my father would take me to the beach after he came home from work. 5hat wnd the later and more local Chicken Delight (THE BEST!!!)

@DashRiprock513 4 ай бұрын

make LA cool again... please..we miss it.

@johnbehneman1546 5 ай бұрын

SAVE CALIFORNIA CAR CULTURE!!!!!

@user-zx8de8op9l 4 ай бұрын

The boy used to wash dishes for food, the double burger came about do to some hungry jazz musicians.

@aaron5121 4 ай бұрын

First Big Mac ever???? Why send this guy lol

@xr6lad 2 ай бұрын

You just know this guy will be Mr Virtual Signaller on everything he does.

@Becauseimme 6 ай бұрын

WEST COAST!🙌

@user-yc9cd5rv3q 5 ай бұрын

I'm about as far from LA on the continent as you can get, but this was really interesting.

@Gryphonisle 5 ай бұрын

The East had diners. Bobs Big Boy, Dennys, Norms, Ships; were all Coffee Shops, the West Coast equivalent of the diner, and built around the car. Seattle took an even older form and brought it into the present, a coffee house

@slimjim23 5 ай бұрын

A&W was the last operating local drive inn for me !! unfortunately the Ontario California location closed years ago !! 😢

@johnbehneman1546 5 ай бұрын

I NEED TO BUY THOSE BOOKS.

@blores95 4 ай бұрын

As much as I want LA to be more walkable and pedestrian friendly compared to needing a car to go anywhere, it's hard not to love the unique things that have come out of the car culture LA/SoCal cultivated. There's no reason why this kind of wacky style and architecture couldn't still happen without so much space needed for parking lots everywhere. Walking up to In n Out or McDs would be the same if more businesses were able to be squished together closer.

@xr6lad 2 ай бұрын

You will never have a city of near to 9 million and 60 miles across as ‘walkable’. You might have individual areas walkable but you will always need a car for that wider reach. Urban development has gone to far and global population to big for us to go back to walkable cities as such.

@paulrom446 5 ай бұрын

Read Alan Hess's Googie -Coffee Shop Architecture book years ago! Yes! LA is a mecca Ship's Never Close! Wichstand's Patio Chip's and of course the venerable Bob's Big Boy on Riverside which I've eaten at and bought the Burger 🍔 Boxer shorts too!

@frankmartinez4856 5 ай бұрын

Midland Cafe! Would stop there after stopping at Kenny’s Shoe (1961) been going to up till 1990’s 😳need to go back soon 😬

@GothGuy885 6 ай бұрын

I had a friend who grew up near San Bernardino. he said back in the 40's he used to go to the original MacDonald's drive in owned by the McDonald bros there. before it was bought out by Ray Crock. and he said that you could get a larger order of french fries and huge breaded shrimp for 75 cents. and then Ray Crock bought them out, and like was said in the video, closed it down, fired all he carhops and retooled everything. and McDonald's as we know it now was born. he told me San Bernardino was really nice back then, and around x-mas, the city would decorate the light poles and string x-mas lights across the Blvd, and have x-mas Music playing through outdoor speakers. But it was a different time, so unlike today. . .

@SuperMustache555 Ай бұрын

Bob's didn't invent the concept of putting two patties on a burger, they invented the concept of putting another bun in between. That's why the sign says: the original Double Decker

@Jambi14 4 ай бұрын

So you completely ignore A&W Restaurants, founded in 1919 in California - oldest franchised restaurant chain in the world!! They still have several Drive-in units in California as well as is other parts of the country. Last time I was in Modesto, their car-hops were still on roller skates.

@WWIIRanger 7 ай бұрын

Is there a reason you showed Mitla Cafe but not the McDonalds Museum in the same city, looks nothing like that arch building

@johnbehneman1546 5 ай бұрын

SUGGESTION: GOODGUYS ROD AND CUSTOM. HAMBURGER, ROCK AND ROLL AND RODS AND CUSTOMS.

@FastKiwiBoss 4 ай бұрын

I've stopped going to McDonald's here in New Zealand, they've made I'd too difficult to walk up, verbally order and pay in cash.....many out there like me but doubt they care.

@realbosstakea Ай бұрын

20 cent cheese burgers thats 4 burgers for 1$... now its like 20$ for 1 meal... lol

@SchwinnXchange 4 ай бұрын

That is a 1956 Chevy not a 1957

@eutimiochavez415 5 ай бұрын

To bad it cost to much have to eat a bologna sandwich ,cheaper can’t afford it 😂

@danielalfaro3118 6 ай бұрын

Let’s explore together how?

@ryanfgrantjr3009 2 ай бұрын

i love fast food but these days Del Taco & Taco Bell are trash, yuck. i like our host, good job

@xr6lad 2 ай бұрын

Hate to break it to the LA Times reporter but ‘In and Out’ burgers isn’t known globally. They don’t have a global reach. Why would people in Europe, Australia, Asia know about it unless they have been to the USA

@dusty7264 5 ай бұрын

Now they have having to close down burger joints because of the rampant crime, sad

@huerosantos7563 2 ай бұрын

Too bad McDonald's is expensive and crap now..Burgers shrank, Fillet O Fish shrank. No more shakes. McDonald's on Lakewood is about 2 miles away from me. So is The Tamale lol

@orl2222 4 ай бұрын

I will never eat at In and Out ever again. I will never forget that during the pandemic, when masking up was mandated to protect everybody's health, In and Out refused to enforce mask wearing, not only for customers but also their employees. They didin't care about anybody's health, the public and their employees. Just because the pandemic is over, remember that they refused to comply with the law, or cared about public health.

@99hamcam 6 ай бұрын

Ray croc gets to much credit and should never be called the founder. It already existed. They should do bakers and they had a deal with glen bell not to expand past the ie. Bakers has a dual kitchen with Mexican and the other hamburgers

@davidcarper5411 5 ай бұрын

Fast food bred laziness in food culture, more obesity today than ever.

@Blueskys1972 7 ай бұрын

How did we go from fast food to racism 🤔🙄😡 everything you watch now, they always have to bring that up.

@oladeebiazazi4538 6 ай бұрын

Because we live in a racist society sorry to burst your bubble

@finnmcginn9931 5 ай бұрын

Humans are tribal creatures, whether it be by ethnicity,religion, neighborhood, or choice in sports team. In your country of America that's different though. Only white people are tribal while everyone else is righteous and pure (sarcasm)

@kaeserd 5 ай бұрын

@@oladeebiazazi4538only because some people insist on keeping it alive.

@blandrooker6541 5 ай бұрын

@kaeserd yeah, those people are called "racists".

@davidcorrales655 4 ай бұрын

It's necessary to bring it up because lowriders are an LA icon, which incidentally were finally allowed to "cruise", something that was illegal to do for decades.