Posted by Bill Kaufman
My mouth used to water as I would drive east past Warrenton en route from Kansas City. That’s because I would be stopping in Wright City to pick up my to-go order from Big Boy’s Restaurant. Fried chicken, coleslaw, applesauce, and mashed potatoes all made the trip back to my kitchen in St. Louis. If there was time, sitting down to eat at the restaurant was an experience, with portions delivered family style. You would never leave hungry.
Big Boy’s in its hey day
Big Boy’s opened in 1924 in Wright City and was a throwback to the roadside establishments that were prevalent before interstate highways and 70 mile per hour speeds made us all in a hurry. In 2005, the restaurant was abruptly shuttered. Since then, all that remained as I sped by was an empty building. Eventually, that was gone, too.
An empty lot
Another restaurant borrowed the moniker, Big Boy’s, and opened not too far from the Wright City location. However, the name may be the same but the menu is completely different. There will never be another Big Boy’s like the original.
