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December 3rd, 2004

Maid-Rite

On our move back to Chicago from Denver, we naturally passed through Iowa (what a fun experience!) and stopped at the Amana Colonies, which is often our stopping-off point for this trip. This time we noticed a new restaurant had opened – Maid-Rite. We’d both seen signs for Maid-Rite before so we figured we’d give it a shot.

The restaurant itself was pretty nice. It was a 50s diner style, pretty clean too with foam soap in the bathroom. We both ordered a Maid-Rite, without really being sure what it was. All we knew was that it was meat and, “Too good to be called a patty.”

What this meant, however, was that we both got our first ever loose meat sandwich. I mean, loose! Meat! Sandwich! Three words that shouldn’t be together, anywhere. The overall opinion of the sandwich was that it was pretty good, but it did a terrible number on our stomachs.

I don’t know if I ever need to have a loose meat sandwich ever again, although I think there’s a golden opportunity for a loose Boca Crumbles sandwich restaurant here. (It’d probably be better anyway.)

Posted in Food and Beverage

Obi-won January 6, 2007, 6:16 pm

We had Maid-rites in Central WI. The stores did not go over very well and closed within a year. We really liked the sandwiches. The hoop-la over the fact that ground meat is bad for your health. That can easily be rectified by using a 50/50 mix of ground turkey-ground chuck or even leaner beef.

I regret our 2 locations closed down…Thank Maid-rite for at least giving it a try here in Wisconsin. If we didn’t consume so many cheese curds. Moderation is the key to anything.

Obi-won

Wayne King April 1, 2007, 4:29 pm

I grew up in Hannibal, MO. One of the two popular local drive-Ins was the Maid-Rite. There were several rows of autos were parked there every night. The Maid-Rites were out of this world. I now live in CA. and wish there was someplace locally that made them.

Darlene November 11, 2007, 5:18 am

I was born and raised in Iowa lived in Davenport for years when we moved to Nebraska we really missed the Maid Rites- Live in Texas now my Bother lives in Missouri we were to take a trip back to Kansas City area we got on the Inter-Net to find out where the Maid Rite shops were on our way. Iwas visiting Davenport a year or so ago I had bragging rites to my brothwer how many Maid-Rites I had while I was there. I even sent him 1/4 of one of my sandwitchs so he woudn’t feel left out.HA! I have eaten in Red Lobster and get an upset stomach after wards, or even my own cooking.
Waiting for a Maid Rite Shop in Texas Hurry Up.

Diana June 12, 2009, 6:14 pm

We had a Maid Rite in the town I grew up in in MN. I even worked there the summer before my junior year. Those were the best burgers I have ever had. We also made our own french fries (not frozen) — I never peeled so many potatoes in my life. And, we had the best shakes and cherry cokes. I live in AZ now and I would love to have a Maid Rite here. One opened here quite a while ago (in the late 80’s early 90s), but the owner was a jerk and he obviously was cutting corners because his Maid Rites were very dry — went there once and never went back. That’s probably why he is no longer in business here. I look for Maid Rites every where I travel just to get my fix — can’t wait to go back to MN next summer and hunt down the nearest Maid Rite!

John September 2, 2009, 9:35 pm

Gotta say maid-rites are the bomb, I used to live in Davenport, Iowa we had a couple of stores there and everytime I got a chance I would have a couple, I could probably live on the things, I moved to Texas back in 79 and hadn’t had one in years when I discovered that someone had opened one up in south Arlington, went there with my wife whom had never had one , even she was impressed at how good they were, the only thing I can say to the guy who got a upset stomach is maybe you ate too many, its easy to do.

Paul September 2, 2009, 11:01 pm

If by “too many” you mean “one,” you’re right.

Lin January 16, 2012, 11:52 pm

Paul, whatever you ate, it could not have been the Maid-Rites that caused you to have such an upset stomach. Absolutely not! I have eaten them for years every single time I go back to Iowa. They are just ground beef and seasonings with fabulous taste. I have eaten at Marshalltown and Cedar Falls as thousands of other people have done. Yours is the only complaint I have ever heard about a Maid-Rite. Sorry, but I do not believe you are on the right track blaming a Maid-Rite. For all you know you and your wife got exposed to someone who had the flu while on your trip. There can be no other reason. Again, it was NOT the Maid-Rites you ate!

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