All-American Burger

Last updated

All-American Burger
Company typepublic
IndustryFood service, restaurants
Founded1968;57 years ago (1968)
FounderAaron Binder
Defunct2010;15 years ago (2010)
FateBankruptcy, followed by gradual closure of independent franchises
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
U.S.
Number of locations
~12
Area served
Los Angeles County
Products Hamburgers, fries

All-American Burger was a regional fast food chain in Los Angeles, California.

History

The first All-American Burger restaurant was founded by Aaron Binder in the 1968. [1] [2] The restaurant was known for its quarter-pound burger patties, as well as chili burgers and hickory burgers. [3] [4] It also sold half-pound patties, which accounted for up to 25% of sales at some stores. [5] Binder opened several other restaurants in Los Angeles during the 1970s.

Binder led the company until January 1980 and remained on the board of directors until March 1981. [2] In April 1981, the chain filed for bankruptcy. [6] A few months later, the SEC accused Binder of selling stock in the company when he knew the company was insolvent but before the information was made public. [2] The case was later settled out of court with Binder neither admitted nor denied wrong doing. [7]

In an unrelated case, Binder became involve in a scheme to defraud investors and the IRS in a short lived Ilinois-based package delivery service in 1983. [7] Binder was later imprisoned for this fraud. [8] Binder served 44 months in prison for his involvement in a tax shelter fraud. [9]

The chain continued to operate after the bankruptcy filing and Binder's imprisonment. [5] The San Vicente Blvd. location in Brentwood was prominently featured in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High . [8]

The last All-American Burger restaurant was an independent franchise that was on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. It was closed in 2010 [4] and was replaced by a Chipotle Mexican Grill. [10] The restaurant served as the filming location of the 1991 film Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead . [11]

References

  1. ↑ Keller, Sabrina (March 1, 2024). "Do You Remember Any of These Canceled Fast Food Chains?". So Yummy. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Delaugh, Al (October 8, 1981). "All-American Burger Founder Is Accused of Fraud by the SEC". Los Angeles Times . p. 63 – via newspapers.com. The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a civil suit accusing the founder of Los Angeles-based All-American Burger Inc. of fraud in selling his stock shortly before it went into bankruptcy. Aaron M. Binder, the defendant, immediately consented to entry of a permanent injunction without admitting the allegations. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday, said Binder was president of the hamburger restaurant franchiser from its founding in 1968 until January 1980, and a director until last March 30.
  3. ↑ "The All American Burger coupons" . Los Angeles Times . November 27, 1975. p. 495 – via newspapers.com. Offer good only at 829 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica. Free Cokes & Fries. 60c Value with purchase of one of our three famous All American Burgers: The Hickory Steak Burger, The Chili Beef Burger, The All American Burger
  4. 1 2 Thurman, Jim (March 7, 2011). "Top 9 Now-Defunct L.A. Fast Food Restaurant Chains + The Return of #3". LA Weekly . Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Unknown article". Restaurant Hospitality. Vol. 60. Penton/IPC. 1980. p. 94 – via Google Books.
  6. ↑ "All American Burger said it plans to file for bankruptcy". Los Angeles Times . April 20, 1981. p. 51 – via newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 Stein, Mark (March 21, 1983). "Abrupt Shutdown Disrupted Illinois City Inquiry Focuses on Defunct Delivery Firm". Los Angeles Times . p. 10 – via newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 Wilder, Ashlen (September 20, 2025). "Yes, That Burger Joint In Fast Times At Ridgemont High Was Real. Here's What Happened To It". Mashed . Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  9. ↑ Martinez, Al (October 25, 1994). "Aching With Aaron" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  10. ↑ Tomicki, Hadley (April 30, 2010). "Is Burritofication Kinda Like Scarification?". Grub Street . Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  11. ↑ Blake, Lindsay (February 20, 2014). "The All American Burger from "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead"". IamNotaStalker.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.