tesg's guide to big chain road food consumption

CHAIN -- Runza
Owner -- Runza National
Primary Operating Region -- Nebraska and three surrounding states (there were four, but South Dakota closed)
Number of Locations -- Over 60

The running joke is that they call it a Runza because, if you eat one, you get the Runzas.

You don't really, of course.  A Runza is an "ovenstuffed sandwich" (I used to say "overstuffed", but a Runza employee corrected me) by company definition.  It looks like a Hot Pocket, but it's a fresh-baked mini-bread loaf that is stuffed with a blend of ground beef, cabbage, onions and spices.  It's bread/bun soft, the outside is not a hard shell.  There's the standard Runza, a Mushroom-Swiss version, and a few other specialty varieties that come and go.  I think they taste kind of plain.  Wife #1 loves them.  Others must too...Every Runza I've ever been in seemed like half the town was eating there at the same time.

The original Runza Drive-Inn opened in 1949 in Lincoln, NE.  The chain is still based in Lincoln and run by the son of founder Sally Everett, who started the restaurant with her brother Alex Brening.  The Brenings were descendants of German-Russian emigrants who settled near Sutton. Their mother taught them the family recipe for the Runza, a German sandwich dating back to the 1700's.  The second location opened in 1966.  Franchising started in 1979.

The Runza menu does not end with the ovenstuffed sandwiches.  There's a lineup of burgers and "Famous French Fries".  The crinkle-cuts are famous because it says so on the fry container.  That was the only reason I knew of until a Runza employee clarified ("They're famous because we want them to be.")

We recently entered a busy Runza and had our order taken by a woman who had forgotten where she was.  She'd been working at the drive-thru all morning and, upon advising us of the total, started to ask us to pull forward before she realized she was at the counter.  Funny, yes.  So I was doubtful when she said "We'll bring it out to you" without taking a name or giving us a number, especially with the mayhem that was the dining room.  But when the food was ready, she pointed right to us and sent her minion on his way to deliver our lunch.  Thank you drive thru.

The Runza menu continues with chicken sandwiches, soup, salads, shakes, etc.  It's an All-American fast food menu aside from the German stuffed pocket bread thingies.

You know...Runzas.

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