1969 Burger King Phone Book Ad

1969 Lorain Phone Book ad

Last week I posted the late June 1960 Grand Opening ad for the McDonald's on West Erie, which got me wondering when McDonald's arch-nemesis – Burger King – entered the local fast food market.

Burger King was kind of a latecomer to the area, arriving after McDonald's and Sandy's. Its first ad appeared in the November 1969 phone book (above), promoting two locations: one out in South Lorain on Fairless Drive near Kmart, as well as one in Elyria on Broad Street. By the time of the 1970 phone book, Burger King had added the restaurant on Leavitt Road (Route 58) near W. 21st Street.

The 1969 phone book ad is interesting to me because it includes the original, little-remembered king mascot that looks like he belongs in a nursery rhyme. He was replaced in the late 1960s by the more cartoony guy at right, who was featured in TV commercials and had a blustery personality. The burger chain later went with a live-action king.

To visit a great website with a visual history of not only Burger King advertising but McDonald's, Wendy's, Dairy Queen, Arby's, Hardee's, and a few others, click here. And to learn specifically about all of the various Burger King mascots through the years, click here.

The Burger King restaurant on Leavitt Road was the one my family went to once in a while. I remember we were fairly excited to give it a try after seeing all those Whopper commercials – and we weren't disappointed.

Speaking of commercials, here's a few vintage ones to jog your memory. The one I remember well – with the poor guy in handcuffs trying to eat his Burger King french fries – is in there too.

I don't make it to Burger King too often these days, although ironically there is one just a little over a mile from my house. But it comes in handy once in a while.

In contrast to McDonald's, who closed all three of the original Lorain locations (and built new restaurants elsewhere), Burger King still has restaurants at both the Leavitt Road and Fairless Drive locations.

The Burger King at Leavitt Road & W. 21st Street today