Another Route 66 stop - serving Maid Rite sandwiches. What is that you ask? It is boiled ground beef served on a white bun. I know. I thought it sounded weird too, but when in Rome..... Whatever the seasoning is - this is a delicious sandwich! The fries are great - although you may want more than the one order we shared. They also serve homemade root beer - don't miss that! People are incredibly friendly and the place takes you back to the old Route 66 vibe! read more

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Route 66 100 year plus gem! Horseshoe sandwiches and super friendly staff! He overheard it was my birthday and gave me a treat ! Appreciate the kindness! read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

a bigger Sloppy joe version of a white castle slider with excellent crispy fries and super friendly service The Maid Rite is basically a slider but with loose sloppy joe meat (no sauce) with pickles for that nice tartness that goes great with a white castle slider. Fries are thin and crispy, sooo good Staff are super friendly. Place is dated but go for just an enjoyable time. read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Maid Rite - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

While traveling from Virginia back to Orange County, California, we stopped in Springfield to check out Lincoln's home. We looked up what's iconic to eat and "loose meat" sandwich came up, and Maid-Rite is an iconic Springfield location. This repurposed caboose dates back to 1924 and it is also America's first drive through restaurant. The menu is fairly simple. Loose meat burgers or get the iconic "horseshoe", which is loose meat, fries, cheese, served open face over a bread. For $13, we passed on the horseshoe and went with the cheaper sandwich, with and without cheese. The side of fries is small, so one can easily finish it by yourself. I washed it down with the ice cold (served in a frosty mug) rootbeer. Delicious! I had to take away a star because we actually went the day before at 3:45, and they were already closed (and the sign said 4:00). I get it that on a slow day, they may want to close early, but it was still disappointing that I had to come back the next day. read more

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Had my first maidrite sandwich many years ago in Missouri. Great flavor even though it is a little messy. So glad that this shop is in Springfield IL. read more

This place has a lot of history to it, that it wouid take a couple of paragraphs to explain. But to sum it up, it's basically loose meat sandwiches they serve. If you've watched the TV show Roseanne, you'll probably have an idea about what it is. Anyway, so I went in there, ordered right away (you gotta order by the soda fountain). Food came out quick - just like that. Still tasted good. The sandwiches looked small, not the average size of any burger-like sandwich. I was still hungry after I ate my two sandwiches, fries and RC Cola. But oh well. At least I got the experience out of it. And I can say I have eaten here now. Unfortunately I didn't get their famous root beer but maybe next time! read more

I love nostalgia. We stumbled across this place that has been here for 99 years. We thought it would be pork tenderloin sandwiches but it was loose meat hamburgers. We had two with fries and a homemade root beer. I also had chili. I liked everything about it. I'm going to go back again soon. read more

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Iconic restaurant. Historic Springfield eatery opened in 1924. Homemade root beer was awesome. Basic Sandwiches - loose meat hamburger, with pickles and onions. Only $3.99. They also have horseshoes and vegan chili I think. Fries. VERY short menu. Three other sets of parents in there with kids. My daughter had never been there. Try it out. #Visityourtownlikeatourist. read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Est 1924 - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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This is my kind of place. Funky, real, great at what they do and reasonably priced. The owner is as friendly as all get-go too, even to a novice loose meat sandwich customer like me. The basic sando is a bit smaller than a Mickey-D's basic burger, so you'll want at least two. The seasoning is great - have at least one plain before adding cheese, condiments, etc. Fries are perfect crinkle cuts. And root beer, in a frosty mug, is absolutely heaven-sent! (But there are other sodas if you must). Downtown Springfield. Small parking lot. Have fun, my fellow divers and nostalgia fans!! read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Street view. First drive thru window in IL !! - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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Visiting from Seattle and never heard of loose meat sandwiches. WOW IS ALL I CAN SAY! Love this hidden gem! read more

Best sandwiches in Springfield paired with the best customer service and nicest owner who works there every day.

I have always heard of loose meat sandwiches and finally had the opportunity to try one. They are an acquired taste but I enjoyed the experience. I appreciate the fact that they make their own mustard using pickle juice and the homemade root beer was amazing! Creamy and smooth. Made from real sassafras roots. I enjoyed the vintage feel of the restaurant and the gentleman behind the counter was friendly and informative. Definitely worth trying if you have never had loose meat before. read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Loose meat sandwiches, fries and homemade pickle mustard and root beer - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Expensive for loose meat sandwiches. We went to the drive-thru and ordered a few sandwiches and an order of fries on a Saturday. We were the only ones there but it took a long time to get our food. The fries were cold and the meat was sparse. Disappointing. read more

This is the "original" Maid-Rite. The menu is simple (4 combo options), but prices seemed high (but I guess everything seems that way anymore). The days of the $5.99 special for 2 Maid-Rites, fries and a drink are way gone! For a hamburger-size Maid-Rite sandwich, handful of fries, and frosty mug of root beer, it was $11 (2024). So, the portion and quality was a bit low compared to price. Service was quick and friendly. The inside could stand to be tidied up a bit. The owner (I think) was very friendly and explained that this particular Maid-Rite is "the" original from the 1900s/1910s. The inside seemed a bit cluttered and old; I understand wanting to keep the authenticity of the original, but having boxes and books and various junk stacked in a corner gives a very unkept feel. Nonetheless, the food was decent. read more

Cute spot. Love maid rite. Solid service. I think they even make their own root beer. Classic spot

Frosty mug root beer, crispy fries, a Cheese Rite (Maid Rite with added cheese) and fast, friendly service. This is the place you'll tell your friends about. A family run restaurant. read more

Love this original fast-food destination. I eat here any time I come thru Springfield, Illinois. I love the maid-rite with cheese, fries and a root beer. Owner is super friendly and service is lightning quick. A must-have when in town! read more

Lived in Iowa for 5 years and always loved me a classic loose meat sandwich! When I discovered they had a location here, I had to try it! Owner is super nice and gave my daughter a free root beer! Fries were decent and sandwich was good, just didn't seem like they gave as much meat as the ones on Iowa. Classic old school jukebox was a nice touch to a classic loose meat lunch! read more

So glad we went! Juicy, oniony, beefy, deliciousness. The homemade root beer was frosty and sweet with a slight bite. The room is old school, you can sit at the counter or take a seat at a table or TINY booth. A wonderful sandwich! read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Order window - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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I was in town for the IL State Fair..the fair food was boring, I mean to say, how many food booths are there that sell corn dogs? Like every other one! Food at the fair was really pretty bad (good pork chops though)..I went to Maid Rite and I am glad I did. The history of the place is not as old as Springfield politics, but close. Just go, get the Maid Rite with Cheese! Have a homemade Root Beer. They claim to be the first drive thru..I say OK, but go inside and check it out, you can also eat outdoors if it's nice out. Love this place. (see my pictures posted) The staff was super nice, and appreciate everyone who stops by. read more

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Maid Rite is an old fashioned steamed "loose" burger franchise. It's a smallish sized burger with loose meat, like a sloppy joe without the sauce. It's on the national historic registry and if you're nearby it's worth stopping by for the old fashioned charm. When you walk in you walk right by the little counter and can see them cooking everything. The staff and owners are all EXTREMELY (yes, that needed to be capitalized) friendly and welcoming. They will inform you of the specials and that they make their own homemade root beer. I ordered the special which had two burgers, fries, and a drink, and I also ordered chili. The fries were a small portion of crinkly cut fries and were average at best. The burgers seemed to lack a lot of taste and the cheese seemed non existent and didn't add to the flavor. You're really going to have to LOVE steamed meat to like this burger. The chili was liquidy and had more of the steamed meat thrown in the middle of it. It just wasn't the meaty type of spicy chili I prefer. Unfortunately I would not go back for the food. But it was worth the visit (once) for the great service experience and historic value. I would only recommend this if you were flying out of the airport and needed something quick on the way out or back. Otherwise there are other restaurants in the downtown area near the Lincoln museum I would go to first. read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Steamed burger with cheese, crinkle cut fries, chili, and a lemonade. - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

I must travel 2,500 miles to get to Springfield, but Maid-Rite is always one of my first stops. The food is unique and tasty (first-timers should stick with the 2 sandwich special with fries and root beer for the traditional experience). The more-adventurous might enjoy the shop's version of a "horseshoe" sandwich - a Springfield original. But I also go to Maid-Rite to get my dose of home-town nostalgia. This location is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is certainly one of the first drive-thru windows in the country. The current owner seems well-aware of the historical significance, and maintains much of its old-time charm. (Hand-painted signs on the wall for "The Law" of the dining room, etc.) I'm sure there can't be much profit for the owner, so I am thankful that he puts in the love and effort to keep the place going. Personal note: I can recall sitting with my grandpa in the tiny little benches in the original "caboose" section - and now I am old enough to be a grandpa myself. So it is more than the food that brings warmth to my tummy when I visit. It's worth the $7 to enjoy the history - and the food is darned good too! read more

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Maid Rite is the brand name for a franchised group of restaurants that sell what is generically referred to as "loose meat sandwiches." Created by a butcher in Muscatine, Iowa, there are plus/minus a hundred outlets in the Upper Midwest selling Maid Rite type sandwiches, whether they are paying to use the name, or not. If you are not from, or have traveled through the Upper Midwest, you still may have heard to this specialty via telecoms: Roseanne used to refer to them, and her and (then ) husband started a restaurant to sell them in his home town of Ottuma, Iowa, which was also the fictional home town of Cpl Radar O'Reilly on MASH. So what the heck are they? Crumbled ground beef, cooked on a steam table with a bit of mustard and finely diced onions stirred in. A scoop is placed on a lightly steamed hamburger bun, and there you are. Ketchup and mustard on the tables. I stopped into one of the first ones, in Springfield, IL, on the old Route 66; the Springfield outlet is also credited with having the first fast food drive through in America. It's on the National Historic Register, in fact. Their menu is simple: Maid rites, Cheese maid rites, hot dogs, fries, soft drinks including a house-brew root beer. Lunch is gonna cost you about $7.00. I actually think it's kinda spendy for what it is. read more

This is a cute spot. It is very historic and the owner is very friendly. The food was good and authentic. Definitely stop and check this when you ate visiting Lincoln hometown. read more

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As always for decades excellent service and fun atmosphere plus awesome jukebox with oldies! Sam is a wonderful owner super friendly! My grandfather Fred Gorsek Sr dined here in 1920s when he went to Springfield High School! read more

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Actually 4 1/2. Very friendly, quaint, original old style diner. Yummy Maid-rites and delicious fries. Eat here if you love the chain, and if you don't know the chain, then also eat here. It's a cultural experience. They do why they do and they do it well! Convenient to Lincoln Museums, too. read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

I have loved this place since I was a child 50 years ago. Never too crowded and always very tasty! A must stop at destination when I am in Springfield. read more

I delivered Milk to Maid Rite about 40 years ago when I worked for Meadow Gold company. Before that I worked for A.W. Sikking appliance store and we stopped there often when we were out on deliveries. I loved eating there often when Donelly ran it and still stop in whenever I can when I'm in Springfield. I think the sandwiches are great. Some think they are a little expensive, but what the heck. It's a great sandwich and I don't care what it costs. Sometimes I eat three of them. I love the root beer too. Very friendly people to talk with while having lunch. I'll continue to have sandwiches there as long as I'm able. Buck Gonterman Pawnee, Illinois read more

What can I say my grandmother was present the day Maid rite first opened it's doors in 1924. She went to high school up the street at Springfield High School. Then my mother and father were both introduced to the Maid. Soon my sister and I were. It is the 1st drive thru and it is listed in the national historic society. Although the original owners are long gone and several new owners have followed. The maid is true to the original recipe, thank you! If you have never had a maid you need to get one. Actually you need to get more than one at least 2. The maid is a very well seasoned loose meat burger served with mustard onion and pickle relish just a dab of each on a soft steamy bun. Make sure you smoosh em together to keep the meat in the bun. Also do have the homemade root beer it is delish~~~! Just drive up order 2 maids and a beer you wont be sorry! read more

This shop claims to have the first drive-thru in the nation, and I tend to believe it. The place looks like it was built before cars, but in a good way. It has the heavy wooden interior and big windows that remind me of every CCC-era camp canteen that I've been to. It feels well worn and welcoming. I had no idea what a rite burger was walking in; so I was lucky that the gregarious old lady at the register highly recommended (actually just plain told me what to get) a few items on the menu. And it was great. A couple of loose-meat burgers, fries, and root beer only cost me a couple of bucks. I'd love to stop in again if I'm in the Land of Lincoln. read more

I love this place, it just screams "1936." I say that as I don't think anything has changed since the day it opened, very old timey and charming. Sitting off of a busy corporate strip stands a neat and unassuming little building hiding a very tasty secret - the "Maid Rite." You order from a tiny little window, and lo, a few minutes later, your taste bombs - aka Maid Rites- come out of the window, wrapped in waxed paper and accompanied by gum drops, also wrapped in waxed paper. The Maid Rite itself is DELICIOUS, some kind of a loose meat, White Castle sized concoction w/chopped dill pickle and onions. Sides (french fries and such) are seemingly home made and fantastic. The staff is friendly, the food is ridiculously cheap and delicious, and it's a family run business - what's not to love? In a world of fast food restaurants, Maid Rite is an absolute prize. read more

"What is a loose-meat sandwich?" my coworker asked. "We are going to lunch, right?" Delicious. That's what it is. It's like a hamburger that isn't a patty. It's a no-patty party. A steamed bun, some seasoned ground beef, a bit of mustard, and something relishish. They make their own root beer, just as they have been for the last 113 years. It comes in a frosty mug. I had mine with ice cream. The crispiest fries I've had in eons. Dine al fresco at their charmingly battered picnic tables. Interesting bit of trivia shared by the guy at the counter: they are the nation's first drive through. read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Loose-meat sandwich (teehee) with fries and a root beer float. - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Great loose meat sandwiches and real root beer. Small 3 seat counter, or order at the window inside. Also a drive up window. Special is usually 2 meat sandwiches, fries and a root beer. read more

My first loose meat sandwich--the perfect additional to our Chicago to St. Louis road trip. The Nathan's hot dog was tasty too for my kid, and the owner was very friendly. If we're in town again and needed lunch I would stop again. read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Known as the first drive through restaurant, this Maid Rite location provides for a tasty meal. It is a great lunch stop and make sure to give their house root beer a try, if that's your cup of tea(or root beer). read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Maid Rite Burger and fries with a mug of house rootbeer. - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

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So glad we stopped here! The owner came out to help us park with our trailer and then welcomed us in telling all about the shop and it's history. We got the horseshoe and lots of maid-rites with cheese. The meat is so flavorful. I also loved the cheese curds. And the root beer... my family is big root beer connoisseurs and they love this homemade root beer. A little hint of carmel, a little spearmint... lovely flavor. My husband is excited to add another tshirt to his collection from here! read more

The worst food I've had in a long time. Being that I'm from Iowa, and Maid Rites are a staple restaurant, I was pretty confident when choosing to eat here. I was wrong. The loose hamburger was not only completely bland, but it seems as it if was rinsed off with water as well. The cheese sauce tasted like it came straight out of a can, a week ago. The fries were typical. They were the best part of the meal. The lady who assisted us was extremely monotone and borderline rude. This is one restaurant I will not visit again. If you're looking for an authentic Maid Rite, take the drive to Iowa. You'll taste the difference. read more

My kind and generous Dad treated me to lunch here after a doctor's appointment. He told me that this is the first drive through restaurant in the United States. We both got the #1 special with root beer. The loose meat sandwiches and root beer were to die for. The fries were just okay. The service was fast and friendly. The only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars was because it is pricey. $8 for 2 small sandwiches, a small fry and root beer is just too much $$$. read more

I don't get it. Browned hamburger on top of boring French fries and topped of with a very plain cheese sauce. For almost ten dollars. No seasoning added or any effort to make it taste good. Blecch! read more

Maid Rite Sandwich Shop - Little too divey for me. - Sandwiches Near Me - Springfield, Illinois

Great, great loose-meat sandwiches. Get two or three with cheese and you won't regret it. This place makes me understand how Roseanne could make a living running a place that sold loose-meat sandwiches. If they were anything like this place, then they must have had customers going in and out all day long (yes, i just referenced Roseanne, the sitcom). Sure, the sandwiches are the main attraction, but the root beer here is incredibly delicious. Make sure to get a frosty mug and a side of fries to make your experience complete. read more