A long lasting indie restaurant is a rare thing in a lot of towns. Tampa has one called Goody Goody that has been in business in the same location since the 20’s which is long enough to make it an institution but not technically the oldest. It’s a bit out of the way from me and I have never been there, but word broke recently that it will be closing at the end of the month. Ever since I have tried to make the pilgrimage and it has been a harrowing experience. For reference, this is a classic American diner type place, their signature dish is a hamburger.
After finding someone to go we made plans for lunch on the next day. I picked him up right around noon and we made our way over there (which is just a few minutes from his place) only to find about 40 people packed into a very small dining room. It was obvious that we were in for a long wait to just get a table so after a few minutes of scoping out we left discouraged but not beaten.
Today was round two and we played this match with a later time and more confidence. Around 1PM we strolled in (this time with another person, maybe for good luck) and found nearly as big a crowd. After about 20 minutes we had a table but found out that it would be, “A hell of a long wait” before getting food. Literally two hours. This explained why we were the youngest people in the place by at least 25 years–you have to be retired to be able to wait for the food.
We haven’t scheduled round three, but we are determined to get to Goody Goody and eat before the end of the month. If people wait hours for a hamburger it must be good. Our gameplan for round three is to go early, beating out the lunch crowd. I’ll probably have to wake up at 5AM to be in the mood for a cheeseburger by 10AM, but that’s what I get for slacking around and not going until now.
(I just calculated that if we are able to eat at Goody Goody on our third trip I will have driven around 100 miles and used ~$11 of gasoline. That’s not to mention the time spent driving and waiting. Quite a voyage!)
Perhaps if more people had not waited until the last days to eat at Goody Goody, it would still be around. Unfortunately it was talked about, but not visited. I have gone at least once a week for years and never were all tables taken. It’s a shame that the place had to close down before getting the recognition it truly deserved. I would gladly wait 2 hours to, once again, have one of there hamburgers and a slice of butterscotch pie.
Comment by annette — January 13, 2006 @ 8:13 pm
Bob and Mary Reid were the original owners of the Goody Goody restaurants. The first was opened on Third Street in Dayton, Ohio in the early 1920s. In 1923 they constructed a second location on Salem Avenue. And shortly after they opened the Tampa restaurant. They also had a fourth in Santa Monica, California.
Ironically, a few days after the Tampa restaurant closed, Bob Reid died at age 91 and eight days later his wife of 70 years Mary died.
The butterscotch pie seems to be a particular delicacy. Not only is it mentioned in every online posting and newspaper article, my sister asked me if I had the recipe this very day (her birthday)!
I wonder if it was ever published?
Comment by David Burns — February 8, 2006 @ 9:36 pm
The Goody Goody Restaurant was started by Ralph Stephens in 1925 and purchased by my grandfather William Bechtel Stayer in 1929. Our family owned and ran the restaurant until 1980 when it was sold to Michael Wheeler. Although Mr. Wheeler owns the sauce recipe, we have a copy in the family and have fun trying to recreate the hamburgers that my cousins and I remember from our childhood.
Comment by Glenda Stayer Wood — February 26, 2006 @ 7:25 pm
Why hasn’t anyone marketed the Tampa GOODY GOODY sauce……can it be bought anywhere???
Comment by Lou Maggio — December 11, 2007 @ 12:23 pm