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[[Image:Milo's sign.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Sign for Milo's on August 22, 2006]]
[[Image:Milo's sign.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Sign for Milo's on August 22, 2006]]
'''Milo's Hamburgers''', known colloquially simply as Milo's, is a Birmingham fast food chain founded by [[Milo Carlton]] as '''Milo's Hamburger Shop''' in [[1946]]. The chain is best known for its secret-recipe hamburger sauce, and for its '''Milo's Famous Sweet Tea'''.  
[[File:Milos cheeseburger meal.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Milo's cheeseburger meal]]
'''Milo's Hamburgers''', known colloquially simply as Milo's, is a Birmingham fast food chain founded by [[Milo Carlton]] as '''Milo's Hamburger Shop''' in [[1946]]. The chain, with 20 franchised locations, is best known for its secret-recipe hamburger sauce, and for its '''Milo's Famous Sweet Tea'''.  


== History ==
== History ==
Milo Carlton got his start in the restaurant business by working for one of his brothers at a restaurant called Dipsey Doodle in [[1939]]. The following year, Carlton joined the National Guard and was mobilized in [[1941]].  He was assigned to the Food Service Division and served through [[World War II]], being discharged in [[1945]].
Milo Carlton got his start in the restaurant business by working for one of his brothers at a restaurant called Dipsey Doodle in [[1939]]. The following year, Carlton joined the National Guard and was mobilized in [[1941]].  He was assigned to the Food Service Division and served through [[World War II]], being discharged in [[1945]].


On [[April 16]], [[1946]], Carlton, with his wife [[Bea Carlton|Bea]], opened the original '''Milo's Hamburger Shop ''' at [[31st Street North|31st Street]] and [[12th Avenue North]] in [[Norwood]]. The restaurant remained there until the construction of [[I-20]]/[[I-59]] forced it to move to 2820 [[10th Avenue North]] in [[1963]].
On [[April 16]]<!--August 19 according to Bea's obituary-->, [[1946]], Carlton, with his wife [[Bea Carlton|Bea]], opened the original '''Milo's Hamburger Shop ''' at [[31st Street North|31st Street]] and [[12th Avenue North]] in [[Norwood]]. The restaurant remained there until the construction of [[I-20]]/[[I-59]] forced it to move to 2820 [[10th Avenue North]] in [[1963]].


The restaurant's famous hamburger sauce did not exist when the business started. Carlton experimented with it, taking his customers' advice to improve it. According to Carlton, "when they started telling me to put alot [sic] of that sauce on their burgers I knew I had it just right."<sup>1.</sup> Another tradition is putting an extra "plug", or cut piece of beef patty on top of each burger. The practice dates to when the hand-shaped patties were prone to losing their edges during cooking, and has been preserved as a signature of a Milo's hamburger.
Carlton began brewing his own sweet tea because supplying soft-drinks was too expensive. In the late 1940s the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms contacted Carlton to make sure that his large orders for sugar weren't being funneled into moonshine production.


Milo Carlton's son, [[Ronnie Carlton]], and his wife, [[Sheila Carlton|Sheila]] eventually went to work for Milo. In [[1983]], Milo's began selling franchises under Ronnie's direction. The first was on [[Southside]], which opened [[February 7]], [[1983]]. Franchisees originally had little leeway in operations as the parent company dictated many facets of the business, from what vendors were used to  employee uniforms.  Shortly after the Southside store's opening, the original store closed. (It is now [[The Pit B-B-Q]].)
The restaurant's famous hamburger sauce did not exist when the business started. Carlton experimented with it, taking his customers' advice to improve it. According to Carlton, "when they started telling me to put alot [sic] of that sauce on their burgers I knew I had it just right."<sup>1.</sup> The recipe for Milo's sauce is still a carefully-guarded secret. The company manufacturers it in a 6-hour process, producing 250 gallons per batch.
 
 
Another tradition is putting an extra "plug", or cut piece of beef patty on top of each burger. The practice dates to when the hand-shaped patties were prone to losing their edges during cooking, and has been preserved as a signature of a Milo's hamburger.
 
Milo Carlton's son, [[Ronnie Carlton]], and his wife, [[Sheila Carlton|Sheila]] eventually went to work for Milo. Ronnie purchased the business from his father in [[1980]].
 
In [[1983]], Milo's began selling franchises. The first was on [[Southside]], which [[Dean Chitwood]] opened on [[February 7]], [[1983]]. Franchisees originally had little leeway in operations as the parent company dictated many facets of the business, from what vendors were used to  employee uniforms.  Shortly after the Southside store's opening, the original store closed. (It is now [[The Pit B-B-Q]].)


==Separation==
==Separation==
Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to [[Dean Chitwood]] in January [[2002]]. The business is registered as the '''Milo's Franchise Company'''.
Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to Chitwood in January [[2002]]. The business is registered as the '''Milo's Franchise Company'''. Long-time customer [[Tom Dekle]] led a group of local investors who acquired the business from Chitwood in [[2011]]. Dekle serves as CEO.


Carlton continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services (now known as '''Milo's Tea Company'''), to sell hamburger sauce and tea concentrate to Milo's locations. The restaurant chain began experimenting with brewing its own iced tea at some locations in May [[2012]]. That practice led Milo's Tea Company to end its supply agreement in the Summer of [[2012]]. The matter was taken to court that August.
Carlton continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services (now known as '''Milo's Tea Company'''), to sell hamburger sauce and tea concentrate to Milo's locations. The restaurant chain began experimenting with brewing its own iced tea at some locations in May [[2012]]. That practice led Milo's Tea Company to end its supply agreement in the summer of [[2012]]. Milo's Franchise preemptively sued Milo's Tea over the matter that August.  During the lawsuit, Milo's restaurants switched to using tea provided by [[Royal Cup Coffee]].  The two companies resolved the issue in March [[2013]] and Milo's restaurants began serving Milo's Tea again.
 
During the [[2020 Coronavirus pandemic]], Milo's began selling 16 ounce bottles of its hamburger sauce to the public at its restaurants. The $5 price included a $2 donation to help fund school-provided meals to families in need. The company raised $13,000 by selling 6,500 bottles before the week was out and Dekle anticipates making the fund-raiser an annual event.


==Locations==
==Locations==
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* 1120 [[Forestdale Boulevard]], [[Fairfield]]
* 1120 [[Forestdale Boulevard]], [[Fairfield]]
* 604 [[Fieldstown Road]], [[Gardendale]]
* 604 [[Fieldstown Road]], [[Gardendale]]
* [[Regions-Harbert Plaza]], [[Birmingham]]
* 208 [[State Farm Parkway]], [[Homewood]]
* 208 [[State Farm Parkway]], [[Homewood]]
* 1210 [[Inverness Corners]], [[Inverness]]
* 1210 [[Inverness Corners]], [[Inverness]]
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* 2020 [[Pelham Parkway]], [[Pelham]]
* 2020 [[Pelham Parkway]], [[Pelham]]
* 209 [[Gadsden Highway]], [[Roebuck]]
* 209 [[Gadsden Highway]], [[Roebuck]]
* 410 [[19th Street South]], [[Birmingham]]
* 401 [[19th Street South]], Suite 130, [[Birmingham]]
* 5887 [[Trussville Crossing Parkway]], [[Trussville]]
* 5887 [[Trussville Crossing Parkway]], [[Trussville]]
* 1449 [[Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)|Montgomery Highway]], [[Vestavia Hills]]
* 1449 [[Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)|Montgomery Highway]], [[Vestavia Hills]]
* 1830 Patriot Way Southwest, [[Cullman]]
* 1103 First Street North, [[Alabaster]] (opened September 9, 2021)
===Former locations===
* [[31st Street North|31st Street]] and [[12th Avenue North]], [[Norwood]] (1946-1963)
* 2820 [[10th Avenue North]] (1963-1980s)
* 509 [[18th Street South]], [[Southside Station]] (opened February 7, 1983; closed early 2000s)
* [[Regions-Harbert Plaza]], [[Birmingham]] (1989-2015)


==Notes==
==Notes==
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* Nicholson, Gilbert (February 1, 2002) "[http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/02/04/story5.html Milo's serves up a warehouse in Bessemer]" {{BBJ}}
* Nicholson, Gilbert (February 1, 2002) "[http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/02/04/story5.html Milo's serves up a warehouse in Bessemer]" {{BBJ}}
* Mackay, Steven (December 13, 2002)  "[http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/12/09/daily41.html It's teatime (Milo's style) in Bessemer]" {{BBJ}}
* Mackay, Steven (December 13, 2002)  "[http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/12/09/daily41.html It's teatime (Milo's style) in Bessemer]" {{BBJ}}
* Carlton, Bob (May 25, 2012) "Year of Alabama Food: Milo's Hamburgers, Birmingham." {{BN}}
* Poe, Ryan (August 31, 2012) "Battle brews over Milo’s tea." {{BBJ}}
* Poe, Ryan (August 31, 2012) "Battle brews over Milo’s tea." {{BBJ}}
* Poe, Ryan (March 4, 2013)  "Milo's Famous Tea back on the menu at Milo's restaurants." {{BBJ}}
* Thornton, William (April 13, 2020) "Milo’s Hamburgers selling sauce for a limited time." {{BN}}
* Carlton, Bob (April 29, 2020) "The story behind Alabama’s famous Milo’s hamburger sauce." {{BN}}


==External links==
==External links==
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[[Category:1946 establishments]]
[[Category:1946 establishments]]
[[Category:31st Street North]]
[[Category:31st Street North]]
[[Category:Academy Drive]]
[[Category:Calera]]
[[Category:Montclair Road]]
[[Category:Bellview Drive]]
[[Category:Forestdale Boulevard]]
[[Category:Fieldstown Road]]
[[Category:1901 Sixth Avenue]]
[[Category:State Farm Parkway]]
[[Category:Inverness Corners]]
[[Category:Moody]]
[[Category:Pelham Parkway]]
[[Category:Gadsden Highway]]
[[Category:19th Street South]]
[[Category:Trussville Crossing Parkway]]
[[Category:Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)]]
[[Category:Southside Station]]
[[Category:20 Midtown]]

Latest revision as of 11:09, 28 April 2023

Sign for Milo's on August 22, 2006
Milo's cheeseburger meal

Milo's Hamburgers, known colloquially simply as Milo's, is a Birmingham fast food chain founded by Milo Carlton as Milo's Hamburger Shop in 1946. The chain, with 20 franchised locations, is best known for its secret-recipe hamburger sauce, and for its Milo's Famous Sweet Tea.

History

Milo Carlton got his start in the restaurant business by working for one of his brothers at a restaurant called Dipsey Doodle in 1939. The following year, Carlton joined the National Guard and was mobilized in 1941. He was assigned to the Food Service Division and served through World War II, being discharged in 1945.

On April 16, 1946, Carlton, with his wife Bea, opened the original Milo's Hamburger Shop at 31st Street and 12th Avenue North in Norwood. The restaurant remained there until the construction of I-20/I-59 forced it to move to 2820 10th Avenue North in 1963.

Carlton began brewing his own sweet tea because supplying soft-drinks was too expensive. In the late 1940s the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms contacted Carlton to make sure that his large orders for sugar weren't being funneled into moonshine production.

The restaurant's famous hamburger sauce did not exist when the business started. Carlton experimented with it, taking his customers' advice to improve it. According to Carlton, "when they started telling me to put alot [sic] of that sauce on their burgers I knew I had it just right."1. The recipe for Milo's sauce is still a carefully-guarded secret. The company manufacturers it in a 6-hour process, producing 250 gallons per batch.


Another tradition is putting an extra "plug", or cut piece of beef patty on top of each burger. The practice dates to when the hand-shaped patties were prone to losing their edges during cooking, and has been preserved as a signature of a Milo's hamburger.

Milo Carlton's son, Ronnie Carlton, and his wife, Sheila eventually went to work for Milo. Ronnie purchased the business from his father in 1980.

In 1983, Milo's began selling franchises. The first was on Southside, which Dean Chitwood opened on February 7, 1983. Franchisees originally had little leeway in operations as the parent company dictated many facets of the business, from what vendors were used to employee uniforms. Shortly after the Southside store's opening, the original store closed. (It is now The Pit B-B-Q.)

Separation

Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to Chitwood in January 2002. The business is registered as the Milo's Franchise Company. Long-time customer Tom Dekle led a group of local investors who acquired the business from Chitwood in 2011. Dekle serves as CEO.

Carlton continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services (now known as Milo's Tea Company), to sell hamburger sauce and tea concentrate to Milo's locations. The restaurant chain began experimenting with brewing its own iced tea at some locations in May 2012. That practice led Milo's Tea Company to end its supply agreement in the summer of 2012. Milo's Franchise preemptively sued Milo's Tea over the matter that August. During the lawsuit, Milo's restaurants switched to using tea provided by Royal Cup Coffee. The two companies resolved the issue in March 2013 and Milo's restaurants began serving Milo's Tea again.

During the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, Milo's began selling 16 ounce bottles of its hamburger sauce to the public at its restaurants. The $5 price included a $2 donation to help fund school-provided meals to families in need. The company raised $13,000 by selling 6,500 bottles before the week was out and Dekle anticipates making the fund-raiser an annual event.

Locations

Former locations

Notes

  1. "Milo's History", miloshamburgers.com

References

External links

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