The Once-Popular 1950s East Coast Hamburger Chain That Disappeared

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There once was a time when juicy hamburgers cost just 15 cents and were hand-delivered to your car by a chipper teenager on roller skates. That time, of course, was the 1950s, and whether or not you were actually around to experience them, the image of those retro burger joints can fill any foodie with a sense of nostalgia. While some of those retro chains are still hanging on, most of them have sadly gone the way of the dodo — along with 15-cent burgers. Of the many old school burger joints that sadly no longer exist, some East Coasters may miss Gino's Hamburgers the most.

Founded in 1957 in Dundalk, Maryland, Gino's Hamburgers was the brainchild of a surprising group of restaurateurs — NFL stars. Its owners included Baltimore Colts running back Alan Ameche, linebacker Joe Campanella, and former college footballer Louis Fischer. It was originally named Ameche's. In 1959, the operation took on a new investor, Baltimore Colts defensive end Gino Marchetti, and the eatery was renamed Gino's.

It opened as a classic drive-in, serving up those aforementioned three-nickel burgers alongside 10-cent servings of french fries. A few decades of expansion followed through a merger with Tops Drive Inn, including to the Washington D.C. area, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. But in 1982, Gino's 359 company-owned locations were acquired by Marriott, which discontinued the Gino's brand and turned most of the locations into outposts of another nostalgic fast food chain, Roy Rogers.

Despite its best efforts, Gino's Hamburgers didn't end up taking off much farther than its Mid-Atlantic origins. And while, in its original form, it shuttered after only 20 years, the short-lived chain was a major pioneer in the fast food industry. For one thing, Gino's was one of the first fast food joints to add indoor seating to its locations in 1969, an innovative step in an industry that, until that point, was still dominated by drive-ins and outdoor tables. 

Its food was also influential. Before the creation of the Big Mac, Gino's was the first chain to introduce the triple-decker burger in 1966. It was dubbed the Gino Giant and is still looked back fondly on by folks who remember it from their youth. In one Facebook post depicting a retro Gino's ad, hundreds of commenters gathered to share their memories of the chain, with one writing, "I LOVED the 'Gino Giant' long before the 'Big Mac' from McDonald's, which was across the street."

Through a licensing deal with KFC in 1965, Gino's also became the sole distributor of its fried chicken in the region, tying its beloved burgers to the Southern staple. Decades later, this connection would lead to the revival of Gino's in the form of Gino's Burgers and Chicken. Described as a "direct descendant" of the original, this new version was launched by Gino Marchetti, Louis Fischer, and other original staffers in 2010. As of 2025, though, there are only two locations, both in Gino's home state of Maryland.