I Visit The ORIGINAL Burger King Est. 1952 In Mattoon, IL

[@harryjpotter7]

Fascinating. Thank you for this story. Never knew about the true original Burger King.

[@StevenDobrzykowski-yo5ve]

I live there, and stopped by Burger King yesterday for lunch! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@SetsStreetsEats]

That's awesome! It's definitely a Burger King worth visiting!

[@caseysmith544]

@@SetsStreetsEats If you ever get the chance to visit the best burger chain in the Midwest and are near Sauk City Wisconsin, the first Culver's is still open. One of the first outside of the original Restaurants 2 in Sauk City Wisconsin of which only one is left other died around 1993 when I was 4, was in Middleton-Soon to be a part of Madison in 2028, near Madison in the very late 1980's no later then 1990 and When I was a kid We went to that one because it was the closest to the house. Somehow becuse of the way the beef is done and the fries not done in Trans fats from Canola Oil but actual veggie oils people feel better with a bonus, the food is not kept under a warmer it ends up like very quick food Diner places that are nearly Fast food then true fast food.

[@Steve-318]

@@caseysmith544 Culverts isn't known for their fries, not the best but the beef is great.

[@BearStar1]

I was born in Decatur, IL in 1950 and grew up in Decatur and Mt.Zion, IL and I have been to and ate at the Burger King in Mattoon when I was a child growing up .

[@FutureTrunksSSJ1]

I’m sure you get this often, but your channel deserves more attention. It’s a “breath of fresh air” if you will. Very relaxing too 🥂

[@SetsStreetsEats]

I really appreciate you saying that I definitely enjoy making the videos I make and putting a lot of time and effort into them and yes, the dream is someday people will notice till then, I'll just keep Slogging away, lol.

[@sillyolryan]

This makes me happy. I love a good legal battle where the little guy wins!

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Yeah, its great!

[@shanewebb7537]

We lived in Mattoon before moving to Tennessee. Loved that place. My wife worked there in high school.

[@Nunya442]

Good video. I work in mattoon and eat at this BK weekly. One of my favorite and only places I eat at. Good stuff

[@jweast6005]

Great video and thanks for coming. You don’t know (common mispronunciation) but it is Mat-Toon not Ma-TToon. Think of it like Mat-Tress and Ma-Ttress.

[@wraith66642o]

Thats local to me, you can get 4 double cheeseburgers and a lb of fries for 20 bucks. Probably the best burger in a 50 mile radius too.

[@joec4765]

Love your videos. Reminds me of my childhood and all the good stuff that's gone. Thank you for the great memories.

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Glad you like them!

[@burglenturds6718]

I was born raised and still live in Mattoon (pronounced Matt-toon;). Our OG Burger King is a point of pride. I always tell out of state folks to eat there. The McDonalds he is at use to have a playland right behind him where those stone benches are. It had a big grimace cage on a spring, pirate ship play set, big fiberglass apple tree etc.. loved playing there in the 80’s

[@SetsStreetsEats]

That's awesome. Yeah, I went into the McDonald's, but it had been modernized like all the others. It's just the old outside that remains!

[@burglenturds6718]

Funny thing is, even though original BK is a point of pride….its kind of annoying sometimes because I like woppers, so I have to drive like 25 miles to get one.

[@elimgarak7330]

It was mildly annoying to hear him continually pronounce it that way.

[@misst5648]

Thank you for correcting the pronunciation! I can't help getting annoyed hearing people say it wrong although I understand why they do. Also if I'm not mistaken that McDonald's just had a fire on the roof a few days ago so it probably won't have that exterior look much longer! That building holds so many memories for me! I had my 10th birthday party there while the old school decor was still in it. 6 years later I got my first real job there! The outside play area was still there then too!

[@dennisjones7996]

looks good !, very interesting story , which I have never heard, I've lived in Springfield Ill. my entire life, but never even about this.

[@brentamania89]

Double hooter 😂 awesome video

[@savagescotttwines536]

First 🎉 Wow i just love to see the classic Macdonalds and burgerking restaurants. Great video hope you hade a great time

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Thanks for watching!

[@spankyham9607]

I love your vintage restaurant history videos! We had that Mc Donnalds building here in Cheyenne till a few years ago they tore it down for the Ikea style building.

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Thanks for watching!

[@aenoymotors]

Welp... Told my wife we are going to have to take a trip down this summer. Im only like 3 and a half hours away from there so it'll be a fun day trip.

[@slargo83]

Interesting. I just checked and I'm exactly 3 and a half hours away too lol. I love near Rockford, IL

[@tdawg5510]

@@slargo83come on down

[@kirkjurgens3137]

Great story...I have eaten there many times and met Gene Hoots years ago when he operated "Hoots Haus"...nice guy.

[@adamjackson9870]

Awesome video, glad you enjoyed it. Good breakdown. Love that place. But I gotta say, I can't believe you didn't get the fries 😧 you HAVE to go back and get the fries. Truly one of a kind! You won't regret it. Keep up the good work!

[@wolfman205]

I’ve been there numerous times, I’ve had family that used to live there, we would come down from Chicago for all the holidays, especially Fourth of July back in the mid 70s it was magical. And we always made a stop at Burger King, this was before the Holiday Inn enclose the pool. Good times.

[@AkamexAris1023]

OG BK!! So cool it's still around to this day! I love the old school design, very unique among any Burger Kings I've ever seen Edit: AND an old McDonald's?? Insane!

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Yeah, it was a pretty cool little town I have to say

[@slargo83]

You do realize this one is separate from ALL other Burger Kings right? It's not the same company

[@JohnnySalami6]

Mattoon looks straight out of the 80s! Stranger Things final season should film there.

[@Spacecadet690]

entirety of southern illinois generally looks like this, upstate and all the university ladden cities of Illinois get the majority of tax dollars allocated to them and down state are the peasants who get scraps if theyre lucky. Most everything in southern Illinois only exists because local citizens or organizations, funding the efforts. The rest of the state is just constantly being pumped with money and obama era increased it 10 fold.

[@icspi1970]

I travel for work and live approximately an hour and 20 minutes from Mattoon. Have worked there on multiple occasions and always make it a point to eat at Burger King. Although the legal history is interesting, the good food here cannot be stressed enough. Outstanding food. Always hot, fresh, and delicious. I highly recommend.

[@danielsottilejr6268]

Great Break Down! Great Video man.....wish you mad success

[@Zay279]

I’m from Mattoon il super cool u came to our town

[@thepunadude]

MY MOM WAS FROM CHARLESTON .. RIGHT NEXT DOOR .. I WAS SURPRISED ABOUT THIS ... THEN AGAIN MY DAD WAS FROM GLENDALE CA, BOBS BIG BOY, BASKIN ROBBINS ... MACDONALDS FAME .. AND OTHERS IM SURE .. KINDA IN THE BLOOD!

[@georgerobarge7826]

Been eating there for 35+ years! In the corner where the claw machine in now, there used to be one of those old Pac-Man arcade tables from the 80's. Hasn't been there for a while though. This place will always have a place in my heart. Great food! And milkshakes as well!

[@ShowbizPizzaGlobal]

This video was super cool to watch! The McDonald's bonus clip caught me off guard too lol

[@SetsStreetsEats]

I know, how cool was that!?

[@krazykid2002k]

Dude what a great story and watch keep up the great content

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Thanks! Will do!

[@joshuabear5121]

They have a second restaurant in Shelbyville, a neighboring town about 20 miles west, called 'The original'.

[@coopert.9290]

I used to stop there when my kids went to college At EIU in Charleston. They were very good. Thanks for the memory!

[@carlbyronthompson]

I used to live in Mattoon and I went to EIU, small world.

[@chilicheesejay]

I live near the area and have been going there off and on for 30 years now! Very cool to see this! There's three Burger King's in Champaign Illinois alone, just 40 miles north of Matoon.

[@ryanannis898]

Great video! Just so you know the correct pronunciation of Mattoon is, Matt…like the name then toon like cartoon. Lived here in Mattoon my entire life and it’s a pet peeve of the residence if it is not pronounced correctly. Anyway love your video on our small part of the world.

[@juniorandrade6038]

I live 2 hrs away next time i go a little south im going to try this joint i love supporting small businesses i used to be a small business owner as well

[@raphaelcodebecq8664]

Hey man! Just discovered your channel! Great to watch you eat and chat while I work. Love your vibe! No frills, comforting, informative. Keep it up!

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Thank you, I really appreciate you saying that!

[@AlanSanders-ij2pk]

Have eaten there several times. Great food! Worth the trip.

[@darealone4480]

Funny here in Australia, Burger King had to be called Hungry Jacks due to a different burger joint also named Burger King, it was operating for many years prior to the American owned Burger King opening up shop, the name Hungry Jacks just stuck all these decades later even when the other Burger King shut down.

[@CrookedCreekShooting]

Great place! We eat there frequently.

[@jamesaragonastudio6476]

This will be excellent.

[@Thunderboid]

i live near here, i guess imma have to check it out.

[@cynthiarose7534]

There’s a really cool looking retro all glass windows BK on 183rd and Harlem in Tinley Park Illinois. It’s been there for decades. Hope they never turn it into a boxy blah gray building.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

The first franchise of McDonald's under corporate founder Ray Kroc, as well as Sandy's Hamburgers (a McDonald's restaurant clone who would later be sold to Hardee's in the 1970s), also started in Illinois...

[@JJSInnz]

This is insanely interesting!! I'm in chicago, 2 and a half hours away. Ill definitely hit up the REAL burger king if i ever find my way down champaign again or something

[@adamaizenberg756]

I might have to hop in the car and try this myself, only a couple hours away, but the nostalgia is something to experience I bet!

[@lfader]

That char taste rocks still also the rings ill swing by just to cop rings This place as a kid blew McDonald's away the sliced raw O's tomatoes lettuce huge burger 👑 Hey you ate that upside down I'ma try that 😜🤸🤸🤸

[@GregMcClellan]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Thanks for watching!

[@gitgeronimo9375]

I do wish you’d have spoken to at least one local who could have helped you pronounce “Mattoon” correctly (also, it’s Naperville, not “Napierville”).

[@tjn2254]

Matoon is a shit hole. I've been there several times and my sister lived there for 4 years. I've only ever heard it pronounced the way he said it.

[@quincee3376]

How do you pronounce Mattoon?

[@gitgeronimo9375]

@ instead of “mah TOON” it’s more like “matt TOON”

[@Captfuntastic]

I definitely have to make this a place to visit!

[@CaliDBan]

It's nice to see some of the OG fans having their last meal from their youths in the background of your vid. 🤧

[@SetsStreetsEats]

@@CaliDBan Yeah, it seemed like I was one of the youngest people there. Lol

[@AJ-tp9bk]

Looks like a nice place I'd like to move to.

[@icspi1970]

Mattoon is a nice little town. Unfortunately it is located in the state of Illinois. Unless you already live in Illinois or California, anywhere in Illinois would not be an upgrade due to political corruption. As a lifelong resident of Illinois, trust me.

[@AJ-tp9bk]

@@icspi1970 Yeah, I live in Illinois. I'll probably never leave, though.

[@TimeForCrusades]

Usually, the KZbin algorithm is dog shit but every now and then it blesses me with a gem like this…

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Thank you so glad you enjoyed it!

[@SeanNewhouse-mv9ez]

Just a semi modern building That burger looked DELICIOUS!

[@user-sw4qd2up2s]

An old Wendy's

[@stephenglasgow8374]

I'm an hour away from there, so I think I have a Saturday day trip this weekend :). Great Video!

[@mrmrstlbeebe]

The way you say Ma--ttoon is killing me . Great video though , Thank you . I was born and raised near Mattoon . Mat-toon .

[@jcavenagh]

The Naperville BK used to have the old sign our front. But about 10-12 years ago they replaced it with the less attractive modern design. And right next to that BK was the Price Castle Ice cream factory was right next door for many years. Of course, Ray Kroc worked as a salesman for Prince Castle before working at that other burger joint.

[@edwardseward3696]

Watching from Bay City Michigan. keep up the good work.

[@SetsStreetsEats]

@@edwardseward3696 Thank you I appreciate that!

[@davecarr3317]

Granddaughter works there and so proud of her job Jaelynn Rose Kemper

[@saschasmommy05]

I live up the highway in Urbana and have passed that BK hundreds of times, but haven't eaten there. New Years resolution?? Maaaaybe 😂

[@stannamichelleslater5625]

Was the Double Hooter fried or flame-broiled?

[@SetsStreetsEats]

It was fried.

[@OhioGuy216]

The Florida based BK has done so far downhill in the last decade. Here in the Cleveland, OH area, the workers will literally shut off the lights to the whole store after dark, and sit in the parking lot smoking weed. I’m glad we have Swenson’s. Speaking of Swenson’s, you haven’t visited Swenson’s here in N.E. Ohio have you?

[@SetsStreetsEats]

I have not, Ill look them up :)

[@TheOhioConnection]

Which BK are you seeing that happen at?

[@OhioGuy216]

@@TheOhioConnection North Olmsted, multiple times.

[@TheOhioConnection]

@OhioGuy216 Thought it might be the Fairview one. Always looks shady to me....

[@OhioGuy216]

@@TheOhioConnection The 3 Lorain Rd locations all seem to be garbage. From N. Ridgeville to Fairview lol.

[@bare365]

I’ve been through Mattoon and I’ve seen the restaurant with the BK sign out front but I never knew. 🤯

[@barberjeff67]

Great video! Have you been to the Naperville, I'll Burger King that's almost all originally built in 1965?

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Yep, check it out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJevnoauibB1jLM

[@gearmeister]

Hey, buddy, would it be safe to say that you like a great burger? 😂😂😂... seriously, thanks for another great burger history story! I remember that king sitting on the sign when I was a kid, but sadly, it went the way of the Jack in the box clown

[@SetsStreetsEats]

You could definitely say that 😂

[@ChuckE.CheesesIllinois]

I've always wanted to go here especially since I live in Illinois. I bet it's better than the chain

[@eddierascalhaskell4954]

Wow. Never knew about this. And I live in IL.

[@ImRmed2]

102 counties in Illinois. FYI.

[@JOgleJSO1]

I live in Neoga a few miles away from Mattoon. I've been there a few times.

[@parrothead9516]

They use to have one in Charleston, about 10 miles east of Mattoon but he sold it and new people ran it out of business in 6 months. Great food, building still looks like Mattoons except now it’s a Subway

[@joedutton3413]

Have ate there many times and its good food .

[@llbslater23]

I live in mattoon , love that place ! Ohhh , the town is pronounced MATT-TOON , not muhhtoon. People can’t stand it being mispronounced here for some reason . Great video !!! Thank you for recognizing it

[@caseysmith544]

I noticed a bunch of the famous fast food chains started in the Midwest, Arby's, Wendy's, Dairy Queen, Culvers, technically the modern McDonalds chain after Ray Croc bought the rights in Illinois, Jimmy Johns, and last but not least, Dominos.

[@GonnaRunAmuck]

Jimmy John's was started in Charleston il., 12 Miles East of Mattoon

[@caseysmith544]

@@GonnaRunAmuck I grew up in Madison Wisconsin area in November 1991--to end of 2001 age 2, almost 3--12 where Culvers took off not too far away. I remember, one time as a kid saying I want to eat in a blue Restaurant as a kid on the rare chance we went out to eat. My parents were confused but knew the then pre 2000's all Culvers had a Metal blue roof and Blue sign, 95% of Culvers still have a blue roof. Funny thing is when looking it up Culvers since 1990 when they got better wording for the sign has not changed the sign. Now the closest Culvers is in Madison South Dakota, and yet my town got an Arby's that is so mismanaged from day one that I am not eating there. Also Missed Uno Pizza that is now a franchise chain from Chicago with the not good deep dish pizza.

[@boostedstinger]

Best burgers around!!!!! And on Friday nights in the summer we have car cruises and fill the bank lot behind there!!!!! Imo the OG smash burgers make it a triple!!!!

[@andrewmondt771]

I went to Eastern Illinois University in Charleston which is the next town over. We all were aware of the Burger King but never bothered with it. We had to settle for a Hardee's.

[@GunnReqwan]

We have a ton in McHenry county. In McHenry alone, there’s 2 Burger King locations. 3 McDonald’s locations though

[@johnjames1813]

Great stuff!!!

[@thefools]

There was also a Burger King in Springfield, Ohio, before the real burger King and when the real burger king came to springfield, they had to be called "home of the whopper."

[@bossfan49]

Hey Chris, speaking of BK.... there's a chain of drive-in's (similar to the old A&W drive-ins) in Indiana called B&K Root Beer. Besides their own root beer, they make their own chili and chili sauces for burgers, chicken sandwiches etc. There was one in Marion, IN. I ate there once, and it was closed the following week. I was only visiting, so I don't know if it re-opened. But there was another in Wabash, IN about 50mi SW of Fort Wayne. Those are the only two I've seen with my own eyes, but they are in IN, OH and MI. But anyway, they had their own legal battles with Burger King Corp when they started the BK Kids Club stuff in the 90s.

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Interesting, thanks for the tip!

[@Tedbrick]

Interesting history. I really wanted to see the inside of the McDonalds too

[@SetsStreetsEats]

Sadly, I went in and it looks like every other modern McDonald's. It was just the outside that hadn't been remodeled yet.😢

[@NicksCollectableCreations]

There is nothing better than a local home town hamburger joint.

[@kahlilpoet6751]

I got a local burger for you. I hope you like extra mayo

[@kerosene0532]

Fun fact - Illinois also has the last and only Mister Donut in America.

[@spiritualhammer392]

Been there many times, my grandparents lived in Mattoon.

[@kevinbraden9445]

It’s mattoon not ma toon Illinois

[@Prence]

I should go there, I only live like 45 miles from Mattoon.

[@XRingcutter]

They also own a location in Shelbyville,IL but it's too far away so they can't call it BK. It's called Original Burger.

[@vanpub]

The next town over, Charleston, IL is the birthplace of Jimmy John's sandwich restaurant

[@paulslajchert937]

One of the best burgers around.

[@ZiggZagg11]

Nearest BK to me is 70 miles away (according to google maps)... Franchise owner closed all the nearby restaurants near me (Quartzsite AZ)... 👀

[@brently1973]

Hooter lol reminds me of another more famous restaurant for different reasons haha

[@SetsStreetsEats]

@@brently1973 lol same!

[@1Lilbike]

Can’t even lie this mf place so good, I stopped eating beef tho, I’d still go just for the fries

[@Amxracer]

Cool 😎 !

[@matthewmoshe6315]

I remember when the mcdonald's over Pierson rd Flushing mi had the old mansard roof and the mcdonald's in Linden rd me and my grandma used to go and and get chocolate milkshakes God I miss my grandma

[@jbooh88]

Doesn’t bother me we don’t have a Burger King around here. Jimmy John’s started 15 minutes away in Charleston too

[@DOSBoxMom]

So I assume no BK in Charleston (Coles Co. county seat, very close to Mattoon)? I lived in Mattoon as a newlywed in the early 1980s, and somehow I didn't notice the lack of the national BK chain. (It helped that there was a Long John Silver's directly across the street from our apartment.)

[@ramiroperez7060]

That Whopper dows not look like the ones we get here in Chicago , I guess i will be making a stop in Mattoon when down south fishing .

[@TommyVercetti-z2u]

As a person born and raised in Mattoon, now living a few miles down the road in Charleston, I just have to correct you on your pronunciation of our town. You said "MuhToon" its pronounced "Matt toon"

[@MikeJones-fh1xb]

It looks like a Burger King whopper are they both the same

[@michaeldalessandro3020]

Interesting history of Burger King different story in Australia 🇦🇺

[@SetsStreetsEats]

That's true, someday I'm gonna get to visit that country and eat at a Hungry Jack's!

[@DOSBoxMom]

102 counties in Illinois. (I'm a legal secretary, and it seems that every one of those 102 counties has unique quirks in how their local courts are run!)

[@SetsStreetsEats]

@@DOSBoxMom Thanks for the update!

[@bossfan49]

Jimmy John's was founded in IL, right up the road from Mattoon in Champaign.

[@jweast6005]

Charleston Illinois. The corporate headquarters was in Champaign.

[@bossfan49]

@jweast6005 ..one of those "Ch" towns! Chicago, ...Chillicothe....😀 Thanks 👍

[@JohnnyReb92]

Yeah, Charleston not Champaign

[@bossfan49]

@@JohnnyReb92 ok so 12mi east of Mattoon.

[@NiceGuyAndyPodcast]

Need to try burgers and shakes in Lexington KY

[@YakkoWarnerTower]

Oh man, that's a Burger King that is nice and passé.