Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up! If you weren’t at our 40th-anniversary bash, don’t sweat it—I'm about to take you on a wild ride through four decades of burgers, milkshakes, and in-your-face attitude. Ed Debevic’s has been roasting customers (and serving them great food) since 1984, and somehow, we’re still here. Miraculous, right?
So grab a milkshake, park yourself in a vinyl booth, and let’s take a walk down memory lane—just watch out for our sassy servers. We don't take responsibility for any bruised egos.
1984: The Year Chicago Got Sassier
Before Ed Debevic’s, diners were just places to get a burger and some fries. Boring. Predictable. About as exciting as watching paint dry. But in 1984, Ed Debevic had a dream—a dream filled with chrome, neon lights, and servers who would roast you harder than your grandma at Thanksgiving.
Inspired by Lil’s Diner, where Ed fell in love with both burgers and the art of sass, he set out to create a place where fun came first, calories didn’t count, and "please" and "thank you" were totally optional. The result? A 1950s-style diner where the food was hot, the milkshakes were cold, and the waitstaff treated you like the little sibling they never wanted.
The Early Years: Burgers, Neon, and Dance Moves
When we flung open our doors, Chicagoans didn’t know what hit them. Our staff came in every flavor of weird—greasers, beauty school dropouts, jocks, nerds, and one guy who swore he was Elvis. The jukebox played nonstop, the burgers were stacked higher than your expectations, and our waiters danced on the counters like they were auditioning for Broadway.
People showed up for the food, but they stayed for the show. If you wanted a plain old meal with no attitude, well… go somewhere else. But if you wanted a side of sarcasm with your cheese fries? Welcome home, kid.
And speaking of cheese fries—yes, they require extra napkins. Yes, we judge you if you don’t use them.
2015: The Dark Ages (a.k.a. The Year We Closed)
For 30 glorious years, we served up burgers, sass, and the world’s smallest sundae (seriously, it’s tiny). But in 2015, disaster struck—we had to close our doors. Cue the dramatic music.
Chicago wept. People left desperate Yelp reviews. The city felt… colder. Like a world without joy. Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but still. It was a rough time.
2015: The Dark Ages (a.k.a. The Year We Closed)
For 30 glorious years, we served up burgers, sass, and the world’s smallest sundae (seriously, it’s tiny). But in 2015, disaster struck—we had to close our doors. Cue the dramatic music.
Chicago wept. People left desperate Yelp reviews. The city felt… colder. Like a world without joy. Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but still. It was a rough time.
