Analysis: The Inevitable Fall of Prince's Hamburgers

I had such high hopes for the reincarnation of the legendary Prince's Hamburgers. Since 1934, Prince's was a favorite in Houston for great burgers. Long before Whataburger was the hometown favorite, Prince's was the Golden Boy of local burgerphiles. But the Prince is dead — yet again. Sadly, it was predictable. 

As I wrote in January 2023: 

"By the time Whataburger started up in 1950, Prince's Hamburgers had already been in business for 14 years and was already legendary. Unlike Whataburger, Prince's is actually named after the man who founded the restaurant." 

Unlike Whataburger, which is thriving today and was acquired by a Chicago firm in 2019, Prince's Hamburgers nearly went extinct. "The last Prince's Hamburgers location in Houston has closed, a victim of Hurricane Harvey's massive flooding," the Houston Chronicle reported in 2018. "The location at 3425 Ella Boulevard was the last location standing."

But Prince's is not down yet. In fact, they seem poised for strong comeback, as you'll see in my video. 

However, flash forward to 2024 and the "last Prince's Hamburgers location" in Houston closed AGAIN on December 31, 2023. The location at the Sharpstown Park Golf Course has permanently shut its doors (6600 Harbor Town Drive). The sad demise of Prince's should come as no surprise to anybody who was watching closely. The phoenix is ashes once again.

Sure, they made a damned good burger, but did so much else wrong that failure was virtually pre-determined. With a bad location, no signage visible from a busy street, poor social media presence, no merchandise, no inside bathroom, a promised grand opening that never happened, and the City of Houston as their landlord, failure was Prince's destiny. Let's go down the list:

Poor Location, Bad Landlord

You might think that a public golf course is a great location for a restaurant. That depends on the golf course, of course. I'll bet a million dollars that the majority of golfers at Sharpstown ate before they arrived, or drove elsewhere to eat after their golf game. Public courses are government owned, and having the City of Houston as your landlord seems a bad idea. It's hard enough to sue your private sector landlord, and you know what they say about fighting City Hall. 

The golf course location had another disadvantage: Lack of visibility. Prince's had a sign at the entrance of the golf course on Harbor Drive, a quiet side street, but it was about 370 feet away from busy Bellaire Boulevard. Virtually invisible, therefore useless. Unless you lived in the immediate neighborhood or were coming to play golf, you might never see that sign. Visibility is extremely important to any retail business, particularly restaurants. Why do you think you never, NEVER see a McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Whataburger or any other burger restaurants on sleepy side streets? Because they want visibility, something the Prince's team with their "20 years of experience" failed to consider. And by the way, that experience is cumulative among the five partners, averaging only four per man — still more than enough to know that's it's all about "location, location, location."

Weather, naturally, would factor in. Golf courses are dependent on reasonable weather to attract customers. So if it's too cold or too wet, Prince's would see a slump in business. While that's also a factor for any restaurant, it's more pronounced when you're nearly invisible to potential customers and have no inside restrooms (see below). 

Weak Social Media

As of February 22, 2024 their website has not changed since before they closed. It's as though they're still open on Harbor Drive. That's a huge discourtesy to people who don't know they're closed. IF they plan to reopen at another location, this won't help build goodwill for future customers. Ironically, they say this on their website: "With 20 years of experience, our team is excited to present their vision to you and all our guests." And they did that — in the restaurant. But when it came to social media, they fell flat and floundered about aimlessly.

Not the real Prince's website

Prince's had a Facebook page and an Instagram Page but only had the Facebook link on their website. They under-utilized both. No promotions, no specials, no merchandise. But most importantly, perhaps, was a lack of a solid establishment of identity. In fact, anybody looking up "Prince's Hamburgers" on the search engines of Google or Facebook could be easily misled by out-of-date or fake Prince's pages.

They closed on January 31, but as of Februay 22 their website still tells people, "We are open! Come see us!" That's misleading. How many people have seen that page, went to the golf course for a burger, only to find that they wasted a trip and are now forever distrustful of Prince's Hamburgers?

No Merchandise

The Prince's Hamburgers partners had an iconic, nostaglic name and image that they inexplicably failed to cash in on. 

The image here would have looked great on a t-shirt or sweatshirt. They could have sold them online and in their store. 

Why they never did is a mystery.

The Grand Opening That Wasn't

As noted above, Prince's landlord was the City of Houston, and it was the City of Houston that, at least initially, killed Prince's plans for a Grand Opening. 

On January 31, 2023 Prince's partner Terry McConn emailed me:

Tom, our city and  media grand opening is February 24th.

On February 13, 2023 I learned the following from Terry and posted it on Facebook:

It was to be Feb. 24, but some City of Houston officials said they can't make that date .... and they ALL want to be there for the media event. The city is their landlord at Sh
arpstown Golf Park, so you get the idea. The event has been pushed back to a still-to-be-determined date.

In other words, city officials couldn't get their act together and coldly dismissed Prince's grand opening. Worse, Prince's partners bent over and took it. No date, it seems, was never determined and the Grand Opening never happened....unless they did it so secretively that I never heard about it. 

No Inside Restrooms

Imagine eating in a restaurant and you need to use the restroom ... but it's raining outside and the only way to get to the toilet is to exit the restaurant and walk about 50 feet outside. That's the situation Prince's had. Is that legal for a restaurant that doesn't have the city as it's landlord? 

Poor Communication

Communication between the five partners was not always coordinated. Communication with local media (including social media influencers) was neglected almost entirely. Communication with the public, via social media and hard advertising, was weak at best. Signage was virtually invisible to the general public. 

Even their goodbye message on Instagram is confusing (watch here), and it's curious that they did not post that on their Facebook page or on their website. In fact, as of February 22, 2024 their most recent post on Facebook was on October 6, 2023.

"Continue to follow," it says, promising an "Exciting next chapter of Prince's Hamburgers 2024." Let's hope it's more exciting than 2023 was.

Will "Hotline Burger 2" EVER Open?

Update, Jan.1, 2024: They're finally open!

Update 8/12/2023: Hotline Burger's new location at 8850 Bellaire Blvd is still not open for business. When I last wrote about this in April, they told me they'd open "in the summer." But now, in mid-August, they still haven't even removed all of the old signage from previous occupant Twistee Treat.  On August 12, Their Google Maps listing says they are "temporarily closed."  

Also see: Still Hope for Hotline Burger 2 in Sharpstown

Here is the original post from 4/11/2023:

Hotline Burger has a new location in Sharpstown on the cusp of Chinatown at 8880 Bellaire Blvd Suite P, Houston (map). That's a block west of Gessner. They're calling it "Hotline Burger 2." Their only other location is at 1585 Hwy 6, Houston.

Photo by Rebecca Wright,
My Table Magazine, 2017

Hotline Burger recently finished refurbishing the building that housed Twistee Treat ice cream palace, complete with a giant "ice cream cone" atop of it. While cute, it seemed out of place, looking  more like something you'd see on a desolate part of Route 66 than along Bellaire Boulevard. That eyesore is gone, giving the newly renovated structure a clean, aerodynamic look.

Hotline Burger's smash burger
photo from Instagram

The Hotline Burger on Highway 6 has indoor seating. It's not a certainy, but it seems very unlikely that Hotline Burger #2 will. The building is just too small. Like the Twistee Treat that was there before, the only "dining area" will probably be the outdoor picnic tables. Drive-thru service should be available, and there is ample parking in the adjacent shopping center's lot.

I'm eagerly anticipating their opening. Reviews from their first store are very good and the food photos look amazing.

There is precious little information about Hotline Burger to be found on the internet. What seems to be written by someone with the company, however, can be found at the Culinary Agents website:

Hotline Burger began in the Summer of 2019 as a nameless pop up serving SoCal style smash burgers at bars and breweries. We took the positive feedback and turned it into a food hall space in Downtown Houston in 2020. Once the pandemic broke out, we were no longer able to sustain our position through the next year and decided to not renew our stand. Fast forward to 2021, we found an opportunity to sign 2 new locations, with HWY 6 being our first brick and mortar. Hotline Burger 2 will be opening in Chinatown (Bellaire Blvd & Gessner Rd) later in 2022. [Emphasis mine]

Correcting Mike Chen About Chinese Burgers

I'm a big fan of food YouTuber Mike Chen. I've been following him for years. He's a creative and engaging personality who really knows food. But there is one thing he does that bugs the heck out of me. Like thousands of other people, he misuses the term "Chinese hamburger."

He should know better. He has presented himself as a burger expert. Other respected foodtubers call him a burger expert. And in fact, I believe his "is" a burger expert, which is what makes his use of the term "Chinese burger" so infuriating. He knows the real name of that sandwich is "Rou Jia Mo 肉夹馍" but opts for the less precise "Chinese burger." He knows full well that if there is no patty, there is no burger. 

This is less about what the sandwich is called than it is about the bastardization of language. Although I'm using Mike Chen as an example here, it's not to pick on him. If he should see this, I hope he'll take it as friendly criticism from a fan. 

Related:

• Chinese Burgers Are NOT Hamburgers - Tom Eats Houston
• The ancient history of the modern hamburger - BBC - YouTube 
• The Wrong History Of Burgers Everyone Believes - Mashed - YouTube
• Roujiamo: Is this Chinese snack the world’s first hamburger? - Goldthread

Pulled Pork Sandwich (and some BBQ history)

Photo by Min An, Pexels

I recently had a great barbecue pulled pork sandwich at The Burger Joint in Houston (see video below). When I told several friends about it, all three Texas natives sneered. "Nah," one said, "ya don't put no barbecue sauce on shredded pork." Another said that only beef or chicken should be barbecued, not pork. 

I was mystified by that, dumb Yankee that I am. I've seen all three of those guys eagerly devour pork chops. Hours of research on the internet didn't help me find an answer to why some Texans have such an aversion to barbecued pulled pork. The only hints I could find lead me to believe it's the Texan worship of brisket. "If it ain't brisket," they seem to believe, "it ain't BBQ." Or maybe pulled pork in Texas just isn't made right most of the time. More on that in a moment.

Public domain image

Texas and BBQ are practically synonymous to some, but not all, people. Just as the ancients believed Earth was the center of the universe, many Texans think their state is the center of the BBQ Universe. It's not, although Texas BBQ is wonderful, but there are other great BBQ styles and recipes around the U.S. and, indeed, around the world. 

Since food preferences are subjective, there is no "right" or "wrong." Whatever floats your boat is what's best for you. Nobody can say you're wrong for liking any particular food or flavor. One man's treat is another man's trash, and vice-versa. (Anchovies, anyone?)

The Fascinating Connection Between Whataburger and Campbell's Soup Co.

Whataburger without A-frame
Photo: Houston Historic Retail

Few people cover the retail food industry as well as Houston Historic Retail (HHR) does. A recent post of theirs examines the one-time connection between Campbell's Soup Company and Whataburger. It's a deep dive into a history that anybody interested in either of those companies will enjoy reading, not to mention folks who like Houston history in general. 

Here's an excerpt from HHR's July 21 post, "How Seattle & Campbell’s Soup helped shape the history of Whataburger in Houston":

When selecting Houston as its first out-of-market expansion, it seems that Herfy’s/Campbells were relying on the absence of McDonald’s to help their prospects. This harkens back to Herfy’s hometown of Seattle, which was...free of McDonald’s when Herfy’s was founded. In Houston, McDonald’s was kept out of the city limits until the 1970s by the similarly named McDonald’s Drive-Inn chain. Beyond this general naivety, some more specific issues included the building design. Rather than custom design stores for car-dominant, hot, and humid Houston, Herfy’s reused store layouts from the Northwest. Issues included a lack of drive-thrus, as they were becoming more commonplace at competitor’s restaurants, and outdoor access restrooms, likely making some uncomfortable dining experiences during the dead of summer. [emphasis added]

The post explains why some Whataburgers stores do not have the familiar A-frame design that has become so iconic. 

From 1971-1975 Herfy’s would construct 11 of their planned 25 restaurants in the Houston area. By the end of 1975, looking to expand again in Houston, Whataburger would quietly purchase all 11 Herfy’s locations. The stores would briefly shut down and reopen as somewhat unusual looking for the era Whataburger stores. Of the 11, let’s take a look at a few former Herfy’s. [emphasis added]

Houston Historic Retail presents some great photos of former Herfy's/Campbell's stores that are still Whataburger, sans A-frame. Check out the full article on their website. 

Herfy's seems to be an extinct company, but the name lives on.

During the 90s, the Herfy’s name would begin to reappear on new stores which bore little resemblance to the original chain. Often offering Chinese food in addition to burgers, it seems that these new clones were unauthorized and simply banking on the name for popularity. The original location, still under one of the franchisees from 1963, would finally shut its doors in 2006. As of 2022, many independent Burger stands in the Seattle area continue to use the Herfy’s name, and sometimes even the logo, but otherwise, these new locations have no connection to the old stores. See HHR's post "Herfy's Hamburgers."

Herfy Food Services Co.,
Saudi Arabia

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, there is a burger chain called "Herfy" that's looking to expand internationally. Just a reminder that they're not the same company. Even so, I wish they'd hurry up and open a store in Houston. Their food looks amazing.

Follow Houston Historic Retail on Facebook.

Chinese Burgers Are NOT Hamburgers

The so-called "Chinese hamburger" is not a hamburger at all. Put simply, it's a loose-meat sandwich. Between the buns of a "Chinese hamburger" is shredded or coarsely chopped pork that is never formed into a patty. In no way is it a "hamburger" or "burger." A hamburger requires a patty of ground meat. No patty, no burger. This isn't rocket science.

To anyone who cares about truth and accuracy, it's a myth worth debunking. Unfortunately, this perversion of language is perpetuated by people who know better, "food experts" who lazily call Rou Jia Mo a "Chinese burger" just because "it's easier." Easier? So why, then, don't they call Fettuccini al Pomodoro the easier name of "spaghetti?" It would be no less accurate than calling a loose meat sandwich with no patty a "burger."

The Chinese name for it is "Rou Jia Mo" (肉夹馍), which loosely translates to "meat in a bun." But that could describe a bologna sandwich or a hot dog, a sloppy joe or a pulled pork sandwich. Crucially, "Rou Jia Mo" does not specify a PATTY of meat. After seeing otherwise-respectable food experts refer to "Chinese hamburgers," it was refreshing to find Andong, a renowned food expert and YouTuber who notes that "the Chinese burger is a myth." He sums it up perfectly: "No patty, no burger." 

It doesn't matter if the Rou Jia Mo loose pork sandwich was created before the German-American sandwich known universally as a hamburger. It doesn't matter which came first. Rou Jia Mo is still not — and never has been — a hamburger. Dinosaurs came before horses. That doesn't make them horses.

Related:

• Does the "Chinese Hamburger" Deserve Its Name? - YouTube
• Here's How Hamburgers Got Their Name - tastingtable.com
• Minced Meat Vs Ground Meat - foodsguy.com
• Where Hamburgers Began - history.com 
• His Name Is Andong - YouTube

Trill Burgers Thrills Houston's Bun B Fans

Trill:  An adjective used in hip-hop culture to describe someone who is considered to be well respected, coming from a combination of the words "true" and "real". ~ Urban Dictionary

Yes, I went to Trill Burgers to experience the now-world-famous smashburgers. Yes, I stood in the amazingly long line. I estimate there were about 80 people waiting to get in on the second day of Houston rapper Bun B's opening of his first permanent location. Yes, my mouth was watering.

Trill Burgers's new home at 3607 S. Shepherd Drive (at Richmond in the Monstrose District) is bright yellow, a beacon shining brightly from an otherwise drab but bustling intersection. And there's a bus stop right in front of the place. Location, location, location is the mantra in the restaurant industry, and Trill Burgers got it right. 

Houston's Legendary Prince's Hamburgers (updated)

Prince's Hamburgers has a long history in Texas, especially in Houston. It is probably the most iconic, most legendary burger restaurant in Space City. And yes, I mean moreso even than the beloved Whataburger.  (Note: Since writing this post, Prince's has closed - probably forever. See Analysis: The Inevitable Fall of Prince's Hamburgers.)

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Whataburger is legendary, but not as much as is Prince's. By the time Whataburger started up in 1950, Prince's Hamburgers had already been in business for 14 years and was already legendary. Unlike Whataburger, Prince's is actually named after the man who founded the restaurant. There is no "Mr. Whataburger." 

I recently visited Prince's Hamburgers for the fifth time at the Sharpstown Park Golf Course and had their magnificent Bopper Bacon Cheddar Burger with fries and their famous onion rings. I also had the great pleasure of interviewing co-owner Terry McConn, who gave fascinating insights into Prince's history and future plans. 

According to the Texas State Historial Association (TSHA), George Douglas “Doug” Prince, Jr. started a "small hamburger stand on Lemmon Avenue in Dallas in 1929....Within a year, Prince looked for greater opportunity, and on a visit to Houston in 1934, he decided that city was the best location for his business."

Prince's at Sharpstown Golf Course

Mr. Prince moved to Houston in 1935 and "opened his first-drive in an old Weber’s Root Beer stand at 4509 South Main. The contract said that the Weber name should remain for six months. After that time the 'Prince’s Famous Hamburgers' name was launched in March 1936."

"As carhops became popular across the country," says TSHA, "he staffed each drive-in with attractive carhops dressed in sequined uniforms similar to a band majorette. Prince’s is credited with helping to popularize the position, and in 1941 Prince’s carhop Jeanette Hall was crowned “America’s first Carhop Queen” and was pictured in Life magazine." (And that was nine years before Whataburger existed.)

Unlike Whataburger, which is thriving today and was acquired by a Chicago firm in 2019, Prince's Hamburgers nearly went extinct. "The last Prince's Hamburgers location in Houston has closed, a victim of Hurricane Harvey's massive flooding," the Houston Chronicle reported in 2018. "The location at 3425 Ella Boulevard was the last location standing."

But Prince's is not down yet. In fact, they seem poised for strong comeback, as you'll see in my video.