Nedick's

Nedick's was an American chain of fast-food restaurants that originated in New York City in either 1913[1] or the early 1920s,[2] per differing sources, and expanded in the 1950s to Newark, New Jersey, Albany, New York, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.[2] Originally known for making and selling a signature orange drink, it added coffee and donuts to its simple menu, and later hot dogs with a unique mustard relish in a toasted bun.[2] The name was formed from the last names of Robert T. Neely and Orville A. Dickinson,[3] who founded the chain with the original stand in a hotel storefront of the Bartholdi Hotel at 23rd Street and Broadway.[3][4] The chain was known for its orange and white decor and its slogan, "Good food is never expensive at Nedick's".[2] Another slogan, evidenced by the image at right, was "Always a pleasure".

Following intense competition in the 1970s from such national chains as McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts, and much criticism in 1981 for the quality of its concession at the Central Park Zoo, Nedick's ceased operations.[2]

Popular references

Nedick's was a long-time New York landmark; The New York Times in 2003 recalled the chain as "The Starbucks of New York".[5]

Nedick's was a sponsor of the New York Knicks basketball team. This gave rise to the catchphrase of the Knicks' long-time radio announcer, Marty Glickman: "Good like Nedick's", intoned after the team scored a basket.[6][7] Another common phrase was, "Meet me outside Nedick’s"; as a well-known and highly visible location, it was a common place to rendezvous with people.[8]

In On The Town, the sailors agree to meet at Nedick's in Time Square at eleven.

Revival of brand name

In 2003, the Riese Organization, which operates a number of restaurant chains such as Dunkin' Donuts and Pizza Hut, revived the Nedick's brand, with three restaurants by that name in New York City, at Penn Station; 1286 Broadway between 33rd & 34th Street; and 416 8th Avenue, at West 31st Street.[9][10] All of these locations have since closed, and Nedick's is no longer featured on Riese Restaurants webpage.

References

  1. ^ "Title to Nedick's Will Pass Today: Orange-Drink Chain That Took In $10,000,000 in 7 Good Years to Be Continued", The New York Times, April 13, 1934, p.16
  2. ^ a b c d e Jackson, Kenneth T., editor. The Encyclopedia of New York City (Yale University Press: New Haven & London, 1995): "Nedick's" (entry), by Robert Sanger Steel, p. 803
  3. ^ a b "The Talk of the Town: The Man Behind Nedicks", The New Yorker, February 25, 1928, p. 11
  4. ^ The Encyclopedia of New York City gives the location of the first stand as 27th Street and Broadway. The Bartholdi Hotel, built in 1885 and later demolished, occupied the southeast corner of 23rd Street and Broadway, according to New York's Early Skyscrapers: "1880s: Bartholdi Hotel"
  5. ^ Volk, Patricia. "New York Observed; An Old Dog Comes Home", The New York Times, January 19, 2003
  6. ^ Vecsey, George. "Sports of the Times; Glickman is Back Where He Belongs", The New York Times, December 18, 1988
  7. ^ Sandomir, Richard. "Marty Glickman: 1917-2001 — The Snub, the Voice, the Heart; A Precise, Animated Diction That Captivated the Listener" The New York Times obituary, January 7, 2001
  8. ^ Vecsey, George. "Sports of the Times; With the Dolans Involved, Expect More Ugliness", The New York Times, July 15, 2007
  9. ^ Reise Restaurants: Nedick's (official site)
  10. ^ Hinckley, David. "It's Good Again Like Nedick's", Daily News, January 14, 2003