Historic sandwich shop serving classic loose meat sandwiches from a nationally recognized landmark believed to include the nation’s first drive-through window.
Saturday: 10:00am to 3:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Food and beverages available for purchase
How to Get There
From Downtown Springfield (1 mi): Travel west from the Capitol area on Jefferson Street to Pasfield Street, where the historic restaurant sits along the original Route 66 corridor.
Overview
Maid-Rite is one of Springfield's most distinctive Route 66 landmarks and among the few surviving early Maid-Rite franchises in the United States. The restaurant is best known for its signature loose meat sandwich, a Midwestern specialty featuring seasoned ground beef served on a soft bun. Housed in a building dating to 1921, the establishment has welcomed generations of travelers, local residents, and Route 66 enthusiasts seeking an authentic taste of Illinois culinary history.
The property is especially significant because it claims to feature the nation's first drive-through window and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over the decades, the restaurant has preserved its nostalgic character while continuing to serve the same classic menu that made it famous. For travelers exploring Springfield's rich Route 66 heritage, the combination of architectural history, local tradition, and unique regional cuisine makes this landmark a memorable stop along the Mother Road.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for http://www.maid-rite.com/Maid-Rite, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
