Druther's

"Burger Queen" redirects here. For the Placebo song, see Burger Queen Français.

Druthers, 2008

Druther's was a chain of fast food restaurants that began as Burger Queen restaurants (a defunct restaurant chain that was based in Louisville, Kentucky); it existed from 1963 through 1981. The name was a play on the word druthers, and their mascot was a giant female bee named Queenie Bee. In 1981, Burger Queen changed to Druther's restaurants, although the changes were mostly cosmetic. One reason given for the name change was to eliminate the perception that they were "just burgers", when they also had fried chicken and a serve-yourself salad bar. Druther's featured a character named "Andy Dandytale" on their kids meal items (and a live-action version in early TV advertising). Their slogan was "I'd Ruther Go to Druther's."

History

The first Burger Queen/Druther's was built in Middletown, Kentucky in 1963, and still stands today as a Dairy Queen at 11806 Shelbyville Road. The last operating Druther's (as of July 2011) is in Campbellsville, Kentucky.

Several Druther's restaurants were converted to the Dairy Queen chain in the late-1980s/early-1990s. The company that owned Druther's - Druther's Systems Inc. - retained ownership of many of the restaurants after they became Dairy Queens. It was reported in 1996 that a company called International Dairy Queen Inc. bought 31 Dairy Queen/Brazier outlets in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana from Druther's Systems Inc. for an undisclosed price. The lone existing Druther's restaurant is located in Campbellsville, Kentucky.

References

• Druther's may bail out ailing chain
• Dairy Queen buys outlets from Kentucky owner.
• Do you remember (Burger Queen)