Milo's Hamburgers: Difference between revisions

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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]], [[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." [http://www.miloshamburgers.com/pages/history.htm]
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." [http://www.miloshamburgers.com/pages/history.htm] 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. 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]].)
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]].)


Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to [[Dean Chitwood]] in January [[2002]]. Ronnie continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services, which sold hamburger sauce and tea to Milo's locations.  It is now known as [[Milo's Tea Company]].
Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to [[Dean Chitwood]] in January [[2002]]. Ronnie continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services, which sold hamburger sauce and tea to Milo's locations.  It is now known as [[Milo's Tea Company]].
== Extra "plug" of meat ==
Some diners may have noticed an additional meat portion nestled on the top of their hamburger.  This well-portioned piece of meat is not placed there by accident and the history goes back to Milo's beginnings.  Per discussion with Milo's management, this is a tradition that started over 60 years ago. In the beginning, when there was only one location, the patties were made by hand and the
edges that would fall off while cooking where placed on top of the burgers. Of course now the patties are uniform so we cut pieces of meat. Our customers expect that little something extra.


== References ==
== References ==
*[http://www.miloshamburgers.com/pages/history.htm Milo's History].  9 March 2005.  Accessed 18 August 2006.
* [http://www.miloshamburgers.com/pages/history.htm Milo's History] (March 9, 2005) - accessed 18 August 2006.
*Milazzo, Don.  "Sauce is still boss, but Milo's tea takes off" [http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/1999/10/11/smallb1.html]. ''Birmingham Business Journal'' 8 October 1999.
* Milazzo, Don (October 8, 1999) "[http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/1999/10/11/smallb1.html Sauce is still boss, but Milo's tea takes off]" ''Birmingham Business Journal''  
*Nicholson, Gilbert.  "Milo's serves up a warehouse in Bessemer" [http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/02/04/story5.html]. ''Birmingham Business Journal'' 1 February 2002.
* Nicholson, Gilbert (February 1, 2002) "[http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/02/04/story5.html Milo's serves up a warehouse in Bessemer]" ''Birmingham Business Journal''
*Mackay, Steven.  "It's teatime (Milo's style) in Bessemer" [http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/12/09/daily41.html]. ''Birmingham Business Journal'' 13 December 2002.
* Mackay, Steven (December 13, 2002) "[http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2002/12/09/daily41.html It's teatime (Milo's style) in Bessemer]" ''Birmingham Business Journal''


==External links==
==External links==
[http://www.miloshamburgers.com/ Milo's Hamburgers official website]
* [http://www.miloshamburgers.com/ Milo's Hamburgers official website]


[[Category:Restaurant chains]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains]]
[[Category:1946 establishments]]

Revision as of 10:12, 19 October 2010

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 sweet iced 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.

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] 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. 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.)

Ronnie Carlton sold the restaurant portion of the business, including the sauce recipe, to Dean Chitwood in January 2002. Ronnie continued to run Milo's Restaurant Services, which sold hamburger sauce and tea to Milo's locations. It is now known as Milo's Tea Company.

References

External links

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