Eating LA History: The Iconic Bob’s Big Boy and KCET’s Lost LA

This week, I had the pleasure of digging into the delicious history found at the intersection of Southern California’s architectural and culinary heritage. To celebrate its sixth season of the Lost LA series, KCET hosted an evening at the historic Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank before screening the Lost LA episode “Fast Food and Car Culture” at the Garry Marshall Theatre.

Bob’s Big Boy: A Googie Gem by Wayne McAllister
Designed by Googie architect Wayne McAllister, Bob’s Big Boy takes center stage in this episode that explores the ways that Southern California’s car culture influenced the region’s food and roadside architecture. As Chris Nichols explained in his 2007 book, Wayne McAllister’s “specialty was the much classier predecessor of today’s fast food drive-thrus — the circular drive-in, including the chain Bob’s Big Boy” (from this 2007 NPR interview about Nichols’ book “The Leisure Architecture of Wayne McAllister”).

After basking in the nostalgic aroma of a busy Bob’s Big Boy, we strolled over to the Garry Marshall Theatre for a screening of the Lost LA episode that highlighted a number of Southern California fast food innovations that many of us now take for granted. For instance, I had no idea that the original In-N-Out in Baldwin Park installed the first two-way radio system that allows drivers to order food before reaching the take-out window.

Following the screening, Lost LA host Nathan Masters moderated a conversation with roadside eatery experts George Geary (author of L.A.’s Landmark Restaurants: Celebrating the Legendary Locations Where Angelenos Have Dined for Generations), Chris Nichols (author of Leisure Architecture of Wayne McAllister), and Stacy Perman (author of In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules). Panelists shared their insights into the architectural significance, culinary innovations, and cultural impact of these legendary establishments. One of my favorite stories was this tidbit from Stacy Perman about chef Julia Child and In-N-Out.

A Night Filled with Architecture, Food, and History
The panel discussion shed light on how Southern California car culture shaped the look of the built environment, especially along popular thoroughfares like Route 66. The evening was a tribute to this type of roadside architecture often dismissed by critics at the time. Fortunately what was initially dismissed is now embraced as the evening’s atmosphere was charged with the enthusiastic energy of those sharing a passion for preserving these cultural landmarks.

Thank you to the Lost LA team, the panelists and audience for sharing these stories and inspiring a curiosity about the rich histories of these ubiquitous fast food palaces we pass everyday.