Getting Hooked at the Old Tastee Freez

By TOMMY JACKSON

Searcy Daily Citizen, November 9, 2002

o you remember the old Tastee Freez restaurants?  There used to be several, and while many are still around probably, I just don’t know of too many.  I remember two in Conway during my college days, and while we didn’t travel around in horse and buggy back then, still that was a few years ago.  One at the 64-65 junction was great for hot dogs; they offered them several different ways.  I tried several of them.  The other out across from the Ward School Bus plant was our stop for ice cream.

           

I know of another Tastee Freez over at McCrory that I suppose is still there, and, of course, the one that I know of that has been around the longest is at Cabot on the old highway going right through town.  I had never stopped there … until a few nights ago.  We were coming through and just pulled over on a whim.  I wasn’t going to get much … then I smelled the onions and peppers cooking on a Philly Cheesesteak someone had ordered.  I was hooked.  It brought back many other memories.

           

There were many good nights of going out to Billy Ball’s Frozen Delite which used to be on Race, and that was also my group’s hangout during high school days.  Coming back from the Center Theatre in Kensett where you usually got a good movie and a bingo, my parents and I stopping at the Frozen Delite seemed a natural.

           

Of course, there were many a meal eaten at our house from The Pit Drive-In where you could sometimes get five hamburgers for a dollar, in addition to the best bar-b-q and fried chicken that I can remember.  Nick Ran knew how to run an establishment.

           

Later on, another favorite place was the A&W Drive-In for a root beer float in one of those frosted mugs.  That was living.  I wonder if it’s a sure sign you’re getting older when you compare things to the past.  That’s what I’ve heard anyway, but when I try to watch television today, I find myself invariably comparing today’s offerings to shows like “Wagon Train,” “Highway Patrol,” “Peter Gunn,” “Twilight Zone,” etc. and thinking the ones of today aren’t nearly as good as those.   vvv