A BELOVED fast food drive-thru has shut down after more than four decades in business.
The GD Ritzy's in Huntington, West Virginia – about 130miles south of Columbus, Ohio – is now closed.
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The drive-thru is part of a longstanding regional chain known for its lacy smash burgers, shoestring fries, and ice cream.
"Unfortunately, I have decided to permanently close GD Ritzy's," owner Jason Webb said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
He told WOWK that the pandemic and construction on the road in front of the restaurant both contributed to the closure.
He thanked all of his customers and the original owner Sid Torlone, who opened the restaurant in 1982.
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Torlone had to sell the drive-thru in 2018 after he was severely injured during a robbery and spent four months in the hospital.
The restaurant was particularly popular with patients, workers, and family members at the nearby Cabell-Huntington Hospital.
"I was shocked," longtime customer Fred Wilds told WOWK after he arrived at the shuttered restaurant on Tuesday.
"I go to the hospital every six weeks and I usually come over here to kill time before I catch the bus," he said.
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"A double cheeseburger is what I normally ordered here and I loved it."
Other longtime customers mourned the drive-thru's closure below Webb's Facebook post.
"Very sad to hear, some of my favorite memories as a kid revolve around days that we would go there for lunch," one commenter said.
"Anytime my dad would take us to the park or a football game or whatever downtown, we’d have lunch at Ritzy's."
Another Facebook user reflected on how challenging it can be to run a restaurant these days.
"I can’t imagine the stress of owning a small business in the food industry right now," they said.
"With inflation, especially food costs, and difficulty hiring and retaining employees, all while trying to keep customers from balking at price increases.
"I’m guessing margins are razor-thin. Thank you for trying so hard and serving us all so well for so long! Best wishes!"
