From Cinegraphic Studio:
“Gino’s Hamburgers was a fast-food restaurant chain founded in Baltimore, Maryland, by Baltimore Colts defensive end Gino Marchetti and running back Alan Ameche, along with their close friend Louis Fischer, in 1957. In Dundalk, Maryland, just outside Baltimore, it got its official name in 1959 when the owners brought on Colts’ captain Gino Marchetti. It was an East Coast regional fast food restaurant and had 359 company-owned locations when they were acquired by Marriott Corporation in 1982. Marriott discontinued the brand and converted locations to their Roy Rogers Restaurants chain.
The restaurant was known for high quality hamburgers such as the Sirloiner, which was made from sirloin steak, and the Gino Giant, which competed with the Big Mac. The company held the franchise for Kentucky Fried Chicken in the middle-Atlantic states. Their slogan was “Everybody Goes to Gino’s”.
Marchetti, Romano, and Fischer plan to open new Gino’s restaurants in 2010, with franchise information available in March. Marchetti and Fischer will be serving as consultants. The new restaurant plans to serve burgers, chicken sandwiches, hand-cut french fries and hand-spun milkshakes. Initially, the chain plans to open locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.”
I enjoyed their version of the Big Mac a few times when I was a kid.
The Gino Giant!
If I have my trivia correct, that “Everybody Goes To Ginos” jingle was written by Will Taylor, who recycled the same song in his endorsements for Leon’s during his “Over 50 Overnight” late night radio show in the 90s.
Gino’s Giants, baby. Thems what made me a fat 8 year old.
Saltilicious.
one heroburger please
This is great. The glory days of Baltimore.
They were relived for a few years when Paul Lebell, now a Baltimore legend, started his “Save Your Sole” nights at the Lithuanian Hall. It was good old rock n roll, that he and his friends played, with lots of good beer and dancing. Even John Waters showed up to sit at the bar and soak it in.
Lebell has moved on to other things. I heard he started http://www.Bikefree.org. He left the inner-harbor June 2010 to bicycle across the country. His web site is cool with lots of videos along the way. Bikefree is still rolling along. The mission is one we can all get behind. It is to raise funds for the children of our fallen and wounded troops. Send them a dollar Balmor. It buys bicycles for these sad little children.
Gino’s had this promotion going where they gave away these miniature football helmets and you got to put the stickers on yourself, and also attach the little face mask. I used to love going there to get those.
I was in a Gino’s commercial as a kid in the 60’s in Philly and would love to find it somewhere. Tried searching but no luck….the theme was “who was the most important person in Gino’s?” The clean up guy. Bad commercial but my 15 minutes of fame nontheless! If anyone can find it greatly appreciated.
late 60’s or maybe even 70
I remember Gino’s growing as a kid my father would take me their before we head to a Orioles game we would order a thrift box and some dinner rolls.
The Gino Giant came first. McDonalds “tried” to come up with a competative burger with the Big Mac. To me there was NO COMPARISON. You can’t beat a Gino Giant. I am hoping they are just as good when they were here in Baltimore way back when. I am scooting on down to the new (old) location on 5th Avenue in Glen Burnie/Harundale as soon as they open up.