Fred and Red's
Encyclopedia
Fred and Red's is an historic greasy spoon
diner
in Joplin, Missouri
. The restaurant was started in 1923 and moved to its current location in 1943. The original arrangement and features have remained relatively unchanged as Fred and Red's entered its second-generation of family ownership.
just 3 blocks south of what would become Route 66
. The eatery catered to local blue-collar workers such as the area miners and in 1943 was moved seven blocks south to its current location, which happened to be across the street from the grocery store that supplied the meat for Herring's chili. The butcher
at the grocery store was William "Red" Wilcoxson, who bought half of Fred's business in 1956 to become his partner.
In 1973 Herring retired, turning his responsibilities over to Red's son and current owner Larry Wilcoxson, who had been working at the restaurant since he was 13. In 1975 Herring died, and Red Wilcoxson retired, leaving Larry to run the business himself. The Southwest Missouri eatery is a local landmark
.
Fred and Red's is famous for their award-winning chili, tamales, and Spaghetti Red
. They also serve coneys, chili burgers, hamburgers, frito pie
, and home-made fruit pies. Red Wilcoxson died in 2005, causing his son Larry to consider selling the business, but as of 2011 it was still a sole proprietorship owned by Wilcoxson.
The restaurant has a distinctive "U-shaped" counter, 22 barstools, and a central serving area. One of the restaurant's unique features is a home-made tamale press created from scrap Ford Model T
car parts and used to manually make 5400 tamales every week.
A local fan of the restaurant, Dan Daugherty, composed a poem in tribute to Fred and Red's, and for many years it was printed on the back of each guest check. A framed copy of the tribute is now posted on the restaurant's wall.
The diner has no drive-thru window, no published phone number, and a smallish parking lot, but does a brisk carry-out business. There are frequently long lines waiting for one of the 22 barstools at the counter.
Greasy spoon
Greasy spoon is a colloquial or slang term originating in the United States to mean a small, especially cheap, archetypal working class restaurant or diner. The term is now used in many English speaking countries to mean the same thing...
diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
in Joplin, Missouri
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
. The restaurant was started in 1923 and moved to its current location in 1943. The original arrangement and features have remained relatively unchanged as Fred and Red's entered its second-generation of family ownership.
History
Fred Herring started a chili counter on Joplin's Main StreetMain Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
just 3 blocks south of what would become Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
. The eatery catered to local blue-collar workers such as the area miners and in 1943 was moved seven blocks south to its current location, which happened to be across the street from the grocery store that supplied the meat for Herring's chili. The butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
at the grocery store was William "Red" Wilcoxson, who bought half of Fred's business in 1956 to become his partner.
In 1973 Herring retired, turning his responsibilities over to Red's son and current owner Larry Wilcoxson, who had been working at the restaurant since he was 13. In 1975 Herring died, and Red Wilcoxson retired, leaving Larry to run the business himself. The Southwest Missouri eatery is a local landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
.
Business description
Spaghetti Red
Spaghetti Red is a spaghetti dish where the noodles are covered with chili. It is served in the central United States and of unclear origins. Typically a mild, bean-less chili is used in spaghetti red, such as the type used on hot dogs....
. They also serve coneys, chili burgers, hamburgers, frito pie
Frito pie
Frito pie is a dish made with chili, cheese, and corn chips. Optional additions include salsa, refried beans, rice, and jalapeños, among others....
, and home-made fruit pies. Red Wilcoxson died in 2005, causing his son Larry to consider selling the business, but as of 2011 it was still a sole proprietorship owned by Wilcoxson.
The restaurant has a distinctive "U-shaped" counter, 22 barstools, and a central serving area. One of the restaurant's unique features is a home-made tamale press created from scrap Ford Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
car parts and used to manually make 5400 tamales every week.
A local fan of the restaurant, Dan Daugherty, composed a poem in tribute to Fred and Red's, and for many years it was printed on the back of each guest check. A framed copy of the tribute is now posted on the restaurant's wall.
The diner has no drive-thru window, no published phone number, and a smallish parking lot, but does a brisk carry-out business. There are frequently long lines waiting for one of the 22 barstools at the counter.
Notable facts
- Fred and Red's waitresses wear traditional all-white uniforms, calculate each order by hand as they are recorded on a paper "Guest Check" and impale the orders on a spindle when paid.
- According to some of Fred and Red's older waitresses, Baseball Hall of Fame member Mickey MantleMickey MantleMickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
was a frequent visitor during his life. - As with many local favorites, Fred and Red's has quirky business rules: They are only open 5 days per week (closing on Sundays and Mondays), and 11 months out of the year, closing for the entire month of August each year for vacation. Despite these business practices, their customer base remains loyal.
- Smoking is allowed in the restaurant, but credit cards, debit cards, and checks are not.
- Fred and Red's has no phone, no internet site, and does not ship food.
- Larry Wilcoxson is the only person who knows the secret chili recipe, and he does all the cooking himself.
- Wilcoxson cooks 4400 pounds of chili per week in winter and 2200 pounds per week in the summer.
- The restaurant has a Facebook fan group ("We Love Fred and Red's") boasting over 1800 members, including Wilcoxson's two daughters, who hold "officer" positions as "Chili Heirs". The fan group was referenced in a 12/2/2009 article in the Joplin Globe.
- The restaurant as well as the chili recipe are for sale and have been since 2006.
- The restaurant was featured on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations in season 7, episode 5 entitled "The OzarksThe OzarksThe Ozarks are a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the southern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwestern and north central Arkansas...
"
Additional reading
- Review and history article from Digistar.com Fred and Red's
- Article on Joplin places of interest, including Fred and Red's Joplin Sites: Places to See & Things to Do
- Map and reviews from Tripadvisor.com Fred and Red's