1971 Red Barn restaurant - The Barnbuster!

[dturner5923]

Don't know why this place shutdown ... but I remember as a kid always going to Red Barn with my Dad and Mom after the Drive Inn to eat and I always had the chicken ..it was awesome ! and then I fell in love with Ponderosa ...another place that left Canada !!! WhY !!!!!!

[MsPandaRosa]

I always did think Hamburger Hungry looked a lot like Ernie from Sesame Street.

Like the bit at the end: "For ladies and little folks, we'll cut 'em in half." A shame you can't say that kind of thing anymore.

[JakeandElwoodBlues]

Ernie?

[Jcolinsol]

I don't think I want to eat something that will bust a barn.

[kgrueschowjr2010]

We had Red Barn in Milwaukee across the street from the Tower Automotive plant

on Capitol Drive at W.33rd or 32nd Street.

[WarshipAngelus]

That Chicken Hungry puppet looks like a brown penis.. LOL.. I couldn't help to notice that...

I doubt any company today would use such a puppet like that..  LOL.

[mburmy]

Proud to be from Racine, Wisconsin-home of one of the two surviving restaurants known as The Farm, keeping the Red Barn legacy alive for years to come!

[yelofmot2035]

We even had a Red Barn in town - Belleville, Ontario Canada. Were there any others in Ontario? We even had a shitty Dixie Lee Chicken - the well fare version of KFC.

[JsgHair71]

There are three former Red Barns in Casper Wyoming-one two on Second Street and one on CY Avenue-they turned them into Peaches restaurants and they kind of serve the same menu but they got rid of the chicken long ago.

[romeodiscos]

No they were gone long before wendys came along ,I want to hear the commercial i still remember  " When the hungrys hit, When the hungrys hit, hit the RED BARN lol

[orioleadams]

I would give up my first born (if I had any children) for just one more Red Barn fried chicken dinner.

[Steph111868]

this was my favorite restaurant when I was a kid, back in the 70's! We always went to the one in Owensboro, KY, on HWY 431!

[Steph111868]

this was my favorite restaurant when I was a kid, back in the 70's! We always went to the one in Owensboro, KY, on HWY 431!

[U686ST]

Still one standing in Wyomissing, PA. I think it's a chinese joint in there now.

[judacia]

that last line caught me by surprise!

[TimelordR]

Another lost restaurant chain claimed by the evil McDonalds Empire...

[Citylife10]

Franchise licenses were allowed to expire and stores were closed.

[jln55]

The RB building in dowtown Erie, PA. is a day care center. There is a RB building in Bradford, PA. still operating, but of course under another, though similar, name.

[macdaddybill]

we had one in my hometown and i remember eating a few of those burgers.

[kandauelliot]

I can remember when RB was around,no wonder they went out of bus.The food was awful and Burger Chef was right up the road.

[NDulge1]

When the hungries hit, when the hungries hit...hit the Red Barn.

[Mitch3264]

When the hungries hit, when the hungries hit. Hit the Red Barn!

[rsscbell]

Still have several of the buildings in Erie Pa. They were the first fast food chain to offer a kids "meal" package. At least before McD's and BK boxed them up special.

The chicken leg puppet has a upsidedown nut sack for a head...

[tobyradloff]

A longtime Red Barn franchisee in the Slavic Village area of Cleveland kept his restaurant going long after Red Barn itself went out of business. His restaurant was called "The Country Grill", and kept the old Red Barn recipes alive for the hamburgers and fried chicken, although the "Big Barney" became the "Big Country" and the Barnbuster/Cheesebuster became just the "Buster". Sadly, Country Grill closed in 2005, and the building was torn down, replaced by a small strip center with a Subway.

[jgrab1]

I love the sexist comment at the end. That'd never pass muster today.

[reallink2000]

i remember when i was 10 i could eat 2 with 2 fries and a coke and my friends are like staring at me :P

[ford9572]

I gotta say I had a Barnbuster & fries & while I didn't think it was all that shitty, It really wasn't all that great either when compared to a Big Mac & large fries from Mickey D's!!! Big Macs & Mickey D.'s fries were WAY superior to Barnbusters & fries in those days!!!

[riotgearhead]

I think this was filmed in the days when Ernie was drinking and eating more. He looks very bloated in this clip.

[Love4SK]

we got a mr. sub in my town housed in an old red barn building. the bricks are still so bright red, great place.

[tritonrocks]

Red Barn had some of the $hittiest food, especially the chicken - it sucked. Not surprised they quickly went out of business.

[zengreen7]

@tritonrocks

But you gotta admit that YOU miss the BARN BUSTER!

[tritonrocks]

Oh, Lord no! I remember eating one when I was 12 years old. It was the first, and last, time I ate one! It was HORRIBLE. The whole chain was HORRIBLE. Glad to see it gone.

[loveunderlaw]

You must've encountered a really poorly run R.B. then, the ones we had here in Central New York made excellent food!

[tritonrocks]

@loveunderlaw  If they made such excellent food, why have they been out of business for over 3 decades? I remember bringing home a bucket of their chicken and it being cold and very greasy. It even tasted old. Good riddance.

[loveunderlaw]

Bad management coupled with competition with places like KFC, Popeyes, Churches, etc... Sadly enough the market can't sustain them all:(

[kemetian09]

We had Red Barns in Northeastern Ohio. The food was so-so. Nice to see the commercials, as they are nostalgic.

[Quinxcunz]

Why did this place shut down,Why?

[robichj]

@Quinxcunz

Red Barn was doing well and sold to City Investing in 1979. But for some reason after the sale, franchise leases were allowed to expire with the last of the leases expiring around 1988. Probably purchased with the intent of closing the business for a tax write off.

[tritonrocks]

@Quinxcunz Ummm, because their food was lousy, that's why.

[jln55]

@Quinxcunz Couldn't compete financially with the McD juggernaut!

[wtf66611]

@Quinxcunz Because They got caught serving horse meat. Its true.

[rayjr62]

@Quinxcunz Couldn't compete with the Burger Kings and McDonald's of the world. In fact, I think Wendy's bought them out years ago.

[kristam67]

@Quinxcunz they got shut down for making their burgers out of horse meat i used to eat there allthe time when i was a kid $1 got you 2 burgers fries and a drink and change back

[TheZepmeister]

@kristam67 Pllleeeaaasee don't eat me Wilbur!!Lol,horsemeat,that's F'd up!

[hunglo1967]

@kristam67 Your horsemeat claim is completely false. They were bought out by Motel 6 who let them die on the vine.

[rayjr62]

Are you guys kidding me? They were death. Christ, their food was terrible. We had em' all over here in Northern California. Several of the Red Barn buildings are still intact. . . occupied by other businesses, thankfully.

[snarkdetriomphe]

*stomach growls*

[TruWatcher]

There was a "Fish Hungry" too, because they also sold fish. But the Barnbuster was my favorite...boy, the thing about a Red Barn is that even decades later when they try to make the building look like something else, it always looks like a barn...the sign, too, with the sun with the rays coming out...you can always tell an old Red Barn!

[sabrinamessenger61]

I totally remember the Barnbuster! When I was a pre-teen, I once won a free Barnbuster in a contest on WIXY 1260. It was such a big deal I remember...those were the days you didn't eat fast food every single day.

[ITCJon]

They were better than a Big Mac.

They had good fried chickn too.

[yockybunny]

Our town's Red Barn is a tanning

place now. :)

[ITCJon]

Ours is now a liquor store - "The Beer Barn!"

[DeliDeb73]

Talk about memories! We had one in Morrisville, Pa...now the building is a dry cleaners but if I ever give directions I still call it the Red Barn!

[JVHBand]

There used to be a Red Barn in Falls Church Virginia.. They really had some great burgers!

[supremes1964]

THE RED BARN! WOW .....its been over 35 yrs since I have seen these commericals.

I remember there used to be one in San Pablo and Castro Valley, California.

the hamburger cost $0.15 lol

[mduncan81]

Red Barn and Krystal were the only two burger places in West Nashville when I was a kid. The building is still there and houses a Mexican resturant. I used to love a good Barneyburger.

[BadNews88]

Note to katrus:

I *do*, as a matter of fact, remember the "Hamburger Hungry" looked *very* much like "Ernie" from Sesame Street.

To tell the truth, I actually thought these blokes *were* also associated with Henson and his folks...until I heard different in the 1990's.

Never saw the clips featuring "H.H." with a hat, mind you.

And I origianlly saw the ads when I visited the Ohio area a couple of times in the Spring during the 1960's.

Thanx, m8..

[perriwinkle79]

i miss red barn!!!!!!

when we were kids, santa would be there.

i miss it Im in cleveland, and there are still the buildings but they are of course other restaurants.

[jhillst]

Ever notice how a lot of commercials from the 70s end with a fast zoom-out?

[WAIATA4U]

The burger at the end of the commercial looks like a cross between a junior bacon cheeseburger from Jack In The Box & a whopper from Burger King.

Women & children have to cut up the "barnbuster"...Either the burger was really big, or people were actually healthy with minimal appetites.

[wutzernutzer]

Today thats probably the junior sized burger.

[WAIATA4U]

There used to be two RED BARNS in my area of San Jose, Ca...One closed down on the east side back in the early 80's. The other one located on the west side near Valley Fair Mall was recently bought--now, it's a Chinese fast food place, but the "barn-shaped" building with the brick red color is still there.

[Love4SK]

i have an old red barn right near my home, but its been converted into a Mr. Sub. still red and white though, it looks soooooo 70's

[PreviewSubscription]

Yeah alot of those Red Barns still have there building,but operate as another business.We had one that became A furniture store.

[jandarian]

i cannot believe that ending tho. Funny commercial...i think I might remember it, not sure.

That ending is frightening tho..lol

Did I mention that ending?

[hamtrak]

That fried chicken leg puppet is making me hungry!

[daytonaturbofreak]

that one puppet looks like he could be related to ernie...

[katrus]

There was actually a lawsuit that made them put a hat on Hamburger Hungry because he looked too much like Ernie.

[Wa3ypx]

yeah!

[draxx77]

Hamburger Hungry, The Fried Chicken Hungry and  The Big fish Hungry, are evil!

[z4rt4n]

bring back red barn

[OpenArms81]

I loved Red Barn,man now I'm craving A Big Barney,too bad there are no more here in Trumbull County,Ohio.

[mgdoran123]

There are no Red Barns at all. What a shame! Even though I never had Red Barn because I was born in the '90s.

[EdgarKritik]

OMG...I thought that 'Ernie' looking puppet was going to eat that kid!!

[neatohguy]

For those of you old time Red Barn fans, check out barnbuster dot net. It contains all sorts of nostalgia about the Reb Barn. It also contains info on 2 restaurants, both who go by the name The Farm, which are housed in old Red Barn buildings and serve Red Barn type food. One is in Winconsin and the other in Pennsylvania.

[risicofyeo]

Miss Red Barn :) You can still to this day see what USED to be a Red Barn.. lol :) That Building Shape

[squonkamatic]

I still remember my dad taking me to lunch at Red Barn on my birthday when I was in like the 5th grade, maybe 1975 or so, came and picked me up at school & everything. We had one on Erie Blvd. in Syracuse, NY until the early 80s, I think it burned down but it could have become a McDonald's (Seely Road & Erie) though I am unsure of the exact location it used to occupy.

[DaveysMom]

Best fries in the world...you could buy them by the pound!

[jbn1971]

Looking back at these vintage ads makes me realize how backwards North Carolina was in the 70's. Hardees was as close as it came to this place (before it became crap). Hell, even my wife knew what this place was as they had one in Connecticut.

[jbn1971]

OK, I stand corrected. I never knew there was a Red Barn in Raleigh on Wake Forest Rd. Then again, I never went to this side of town till the late 70's when it was already closed and replaced with Biscuitville. I did see something this weekend where I live in Winchester, VA that looked like a Red Barn. It's on Rt 7 by Long John Silver. Can anyone verify if it was?

[34airflow]

Our Red Barn became several things before it lost its barn roof. It's now a Spaghetti Shop.

[34airflow]

OMG! We had a Red Barn in Springfield, Illinois. I went there as a youngin'. I hadn't seen anything remotely related to it until just now.

[28if]

Yeah the one in Walnut Creek turned into an insurance office or something, probably another title company. Why do we have SO many of those and yougurt shops?

[frankd1965]

Actually they built a Burger King Restaurant on the site.

[ssllsskk]

Now this place sucked.Had one in Newark,Ca. Low rent burgers. Funny seeing this after 30 yrs though

[mobilene]

About the only place my dad would take us for dinner was the Red Barn until it closed. There was one on Ireland Road in South Bend, Indiana -- the only one I ever saw or knew about!

[wendyluvselliot]

"When the hungries hit - When the hungries hit - HIT the Red Barn."

[NicAgent]

There's a red barn right where i live in Westport, CT. However, it sux ass and my great aunt got food poisoning from them. Also very bad food. No idea it was a chain...

[DiAnno13]

He does look like Ernie at about 19.

[DiAnno13]

In my neighborhood we didn't have a Red Barn, but we did have the Trio Diner, where a lot of wiseguys used to hang out.

[alan1963]

That look like Whataburger (Just Like You Like It). LOL

[kneejerker]

Sister Tangent, WTF does that have to do with anything??

[DiAnno13]

Be happy to explain it to you, but I don't have time to post a reply. Good day!

[peterproscia]

When muppets go to the dark side.

[kneejerker]

Yes, Sesame Street took Hamburger Hungry to court and he had to lose the turtleneck and started sporting a cap to differentiate.

[DiAnno13]

Wow, I'd like to see those courtroom sketches.

[Cheryldqt]

My older sister worked at a Red Barn when she was a teenager. I just had to send this to her. Thanks for the video.

[Love4SK]

a red barn still stands in use today about 2 miles from me, but now its a "Mr Submarine". bring back the barn

[visor109]

Wow! The last time I saw a Red Barn was in the early 70's in West Des Moines, IA! Thanks for the memories!

[DNS67665]

That looked like Ernie from Seasme Street.

[rotkiv]

there used to be a red barn near the detroit zoo main gate (10 mile and woodward)

once again, great job wookie cookie. wtf do you find these?

[nancystnly]

I would be more concerend about what Chicken Hungry resembles a little too closely.

[cpowers94]

"For ladies and little folks, we'll cut it in half."

It doesn't look that big. It looks exactly like a single Whopper at Burger King. The kid and mother looked like they were going to dive into it.

[timharrod]

Restaurant portions have gotten steadily bigger throughout the late 20th Century, as large chains have managed to process more food, more cheaply-the book "Fast Food Nation" tells the story well. Today Burger King sells a "Quad Stacker" that would horrify people in the '70s.

[DNM35]

yes i tried the quad once and couldnt finish it...way too rich meat wise