As a child, dining out was a regular part of our family routine. I’m unsure whether it was because my parents disliked cooking a lot or enjoyed trying different places. Still, we often found ourselves at spots like Western Sizzlin’, Mexico Chiquito, and Bonanza at least two to three times each week. One of our frequent haunts was Minute Man, located at the intersection of John F. Kennedy Blvd. and North Hills Blvd. in North Little Rock (Pulaski County). Back then, I had no idea about the history of Minute Man and how it all began here in Arkansas; all I knew was that I loved their food.
Minute Man was founded by Little Rock (Pulaski County) native, Wes Hall. Graduating from Little Rock High School in 1933, Hall had deep roots in the food industry throughout his early career. He began working at Food Palace, the first supermarket in Little Rock, from 1933 to 1936. During this period, he also pursued part-time studies in accounting at Draughon Business College. From 1936 until 1942, Hall was employed by Kraft Food Co. His service in the U.S. Army infantry took him to the Pacific Theater for seven months during World War II. Hall was called back to active duty from 1951 to 1952, where he managed mess halls for the Quartermaster Corps at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith (Sebastian County) and Camp Crowder in Missouri. In addition, he worked for Lido Enterprises, a cafeteria and restaurant business.
The first Minute Man restaurant opened on May 26, 1948, at 407 Broadway in Little Rock, starting as a 24-hour coffee shop. Initially, Hall teamed up with three partners: Alton Barnett, Oliver Harper, and Walter Oathout. By 1956, Hall took over their shares, turning the flagship location into a highly successful fast-food establishment. At its height in the 1960s and 1970s, Minute Man thrived with fifty-seven locations throughout Arkansas and seven surrounding states. Unfortunately, by the early 2000s, just one location remained open in El Dorado (Union County).
Hall proudly asserted that Minute Man was a trailblazer in various fast-food innovations. In 1948, the Raytheon Company rolled out a test for three experimental “RadaRange” microwave ovens in restaurants across the country, and fortunately, Hall's establishment was among the selected few. This initiative showcased the chain's early embrace of microwave technology in the dining scene. One of the standout items prepared in these ovens was the Radar Deep Dish Pie, a dessert that left a lasting, albeit painful, memory for many in Arkansas due to its knack for scorching the roof of the mouth. Minute Man also gained a reputation for its “real charcoal-broiled hamburgers,” and introduced a gourmet burger featuring a double meat patty and a variety of toppings—an entire year before industry leader, McDonald's, launched their Big Mac.
Hall’s marketing strategies were indeed revolutionary. In the mid-1970s, Minute Man became the pioneer in the fast-food industry by offering customers a complimentary glass as part of a Coca-Cola promotion. It also rolled out the “Magic Meal,” a special meal for kids, which caught the attention of Burger King. Burger King acquired the rights from Hall to use the concept from 1982 to 1983. Later, Hall sold the rights to the slogan "old-fashioned hamburgers" to Wendy's.
In 2018, Linda McGoogan, who owned the Minute Man brand, and owner of the last remaining Minute Man in El Dorado, partnered with Perry Smith, an Arkansas native and founder of Matchbox Food Group, to revive Minute Man. They opened a new location in Jacksonville (Pulaski County) on September 11, 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they launched a food truck in downtown Little Rock in January 2021, and at one point, they were operating three food trucks simultaneously. Unfortunately, by early June 2022, the Jacksonville location closed, followed by the El Dorado restaurant shutting down in August 2024. The three food trucks also ceased operations.
Minute Man, famous for its charbroiled hamburgers and rich, deep-dish RadaRange pies, will always have a cherished spot in the hearts of many Arkansans, like myself, who savored these favorites throughout the years.
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