Once a thriving restaurant chain in Minnesota and neighboring states, the Happy Chef was born in 1962 in Mankato, MN.  At its peak, there were 56 of these eateries mostly in Minnesota and 6 other states,  and most of them featured the eponymous Happy Chef perched right outside.  Many of these iconic statues even had a voicebox that would spout off greetings at the push of a button located on the base of the structure.

So what happened to the once-popular franchise, and more importantly, its beloved statues that greeted hungry families out front? Let’s find out! Continue reading →