Sapulpa's Happy Burger

Many of us long for a chance every now and then to re-visit what we often call the "good old days". We still can, in Sapulpa. Old fashioned hamburgers with hand-cut French fries at the Happy Burger.

Monday, August 1st 2005, 10:23 am

By: News On 6

Many of us long for a chance every now and then to re-visit what we often call the "good old days". We still can, in Sapulpa. Old fashioned hamburgers with hand-cut French fries at the Happy Burger.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells stopped in for some nostalgia, and a peanut butter shake. Tucked in along Route 66 as it passes through Sapulpa is that stretch of the old route's oldest restaurant, the Happy Burger.

It's been there since 1957. Peggy Eaton bought it a few years ago because she liked it just the way it was. "I wanted it to stay old. The old fashioned stuff I didn't want somebody comin' in tryin' to new and improve everything.â€ She ate here when she was a kid and she really loves the old place. In fact, she loves the 50's. She owns a '57 Ford Fairlane and it is parked out front. The restaurant opened in October of '57.

At home, Peggy says her kitchen features 50's decor. "I was named Peggy Sue after the Buddy Holly song." She is very happily kind of stuck in the 50's.

Not long after she bought the place she decided the inside needed some decorations. "I thought well, everybody does Coke, everybody does Route 66, because we're on the route. I was raised on Pepsi, we serve Pepsi, and weâ€™ll do Pepsi." She's spent hours looking through antique shops garage sales and flea markets looking for old Pepsi stuff, and she's found a bunch. "I have a lot of customers that bring pieces in to me." Customers who ate there as kids and still do.

Hamburgers cooked on a griddle with lots of hand cut French fries with a malt or milk shake to wash it down.

Happy Burger is located at 215 North Mission, a real Route 66 time machine customers can still enjoy. The Happy Burger is open Monday through Saturday.