Original Tommy's Sells 80-Cent Chili Cheeseburgers for 1 Day as Chain Marks 80 Years
Updated
Updated · KABC-TV · May 15
Original Tommy's Sells 80-Cent Chili Cheeseburgers for 1 Day as Chain Marks 80 Years
12 articles · Updated · KABC-TV · May 15
80-cent chili cheeseburgers went on sale Friday from noon to 8 p.m. at all Original Tommy's locations in California and Nevada, down from the usual $5.50 price.
The one-day promotion launched the Los Angeles burger chain's 80th-anniversary celebration and was framed by CEO Dawna Barnal, the founder's granddaughter, as a thank-you to loyal customers.
The main event centered on the chain's first restaurant — the "Shack" at Beverly and Rampart in Westlake — with giveaways, a DJ and a performance by the Belmont High School marching band.
That flagship remains a key part of the brand's identity: a spokesman said it has operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week since opening, helping make it a longtime community fixture.
How did a simple chili burger shack become an undisputed 24/7 cultural icon of Los Angeles?
After 80 years and recent closures, can this iconic L.A. burger chain survive another generation?