The Linden Springs Rocket Restaurant

The Linden Springs Rocket Restaurant, located in Staunton, Virginia, opened in 1959. A full-size, neon-lit rocket stood outside of it.

Going along with the theme of being a restaurant of the future, it boasted that it served food "cooked by radar." By this it meant that the food was microwaved.

This has to be one of the few times that a restaurant has actually bragged about serving microwave-cooked food.

image source: hippostcard.com



The restaurant went out of business in the 1970s, and the rocket was taken down. I haven't been able to find out where it ended up.

Staunton Daily News Leader - Nov 20, 1959



Staunton Daily News Leader - Nov 2, 1959



Staunton Daily News Leader - July 31, 1959

     Posted By: Alex - Thu Nov 02, 2023
     Category: Restaurants | Spaceflight, Astronautics, and Astronomy | 1950s





Comments
One of the big prizes on quiz shows used to be the Amana Radarange, which was the first commercially available microwave oven. Google reveals that "The first countertop microwave was the Amana Radarange, which debuted in 1967 and sold for $495." That's about $4500 in today's dollars.
Posted by ges on 11/02/23 at 08:05 AM
"Radar Cooked Foods" - reading that now in 2023, it is hilarious. Perhaps it inspired awe back in 1960.
Posted by Patrick on 11/02/23 at 08:30 AM
It's come full circle, from gosh wow to dirty little secret of commercial kitchens.

I suppose most of you are too young to remember how "untouched by human hands" was a great selling point, while now everything strives to be handmade.
Posted by Phideaux on 11/02/23 at 08:38 PM
I read somewhere that the original Radarange had a high enough output that, if it leaked out, would sterilize everybody living on your block.
Posted by Virtual on 11/03/23 at 05:35 PM
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