Jamie Alexander delivers lunch to three women who made a nearly 50-mile trip from central Maine for Fat Boy’s seasonal opening in 2012. (File photo)
BRUNSWICK — Lovers of onion rings and BLTs mark your calendars, Fat Boy Drive-In opens for business on Thursday.
“It’s still us, we’re still here,” owner Ken Burton said Monday. “We’re going to try to do the best we can.”
The landmark restaurant will reopen for the season despite the fact that it still hasn’t been sold to new owners. The establishment has been for sale, listed at $1.15 million, since early December, but owners Ken and Jeanne Burton said that despite a few offers early on that “weren’t what we expected,” activity has since died down.
News that Fat Boy, a Brunswick staple since 1955, would be reopening was met with enthusiasm on the restaurant’s Facebook page, racking up hundreds of likes and shares with some already planning what they are going to order and others commenting that they would have to plan a trip to Maine.
“The response on Facebook has been a really good feeling,” said Jamie Alexander, the Burtons’ daughter. “It’s good to know the people are still there.”
“We just want to say thank you to our loyal customers.”
Fat Boy, serving up burgers, lobster rolls and onion rings since 1955 has made few changes to the menu in its 64 years, something which owner Ken Burton has said keeps people coming back. The establishment will open for the season Thursday. (Hannah LaClaire / The Times Record)
Community members were surprised and disappointed when the drive-in restaurant went up for sale this winter.
“The place is usually packed” opening day Ken Burton said. “They’re waiting.”
The Burtons recently returned from spending the winter Florida, and Ken Burton said earlier this month that they had not yet reached out to employees about their plans to open and suggested that there could be “some backlash” from that. Fat Boy struggled to attract enough summer help in recent years, ending the season early in 2016 with roughly half its usual staff.
“Our regulars understand that the beginning of the season is a little slower than normal” as they get back into the groove, he said Monday.
After more than 60 years in Brunswick, customers have a long list of favorites and look forward to the frappes, onion rings, BLTs and lobster rolls — what one community member called “Brunswick comfort food.”
“(Customers) all come in for their favorite thing,” said their son, Brian Burton, adding “I’m looking forward to our food, too.”
“It’s nice to be opening.”
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