my buddy Bill Mulder sent me this photo of the old Scrubby and Lloyds hamburger joint here in SLO… long closed and torn down. It is raining today… and blustery… It sure would be fun to be able to go back to this place today… and sit at the big U shaped dinette bar… where everyone faces each other around the waitresses domain of milk shake mixers and potato chip bags on wire clip clamp racks. Usually a couple of old timers chatting at a booth around the edge… and a plethora of car mechanics and downtown business owners and the odd newspaper reporter hanging out. Phone booth out front… remember those… jeez… remember dimes for that matter. The cook… not sure if it was Scrubby… or Lloyd… usually gruff and unshaven in the back… ex navy maybe… I dunno. Big flat hamburgers.. No fries… only potato chips. a coke… or a milkshake. That was the sum total of the menu.
unlicensed architect, ex-skateboarder, planning commissioner, shoe designer, all around dork
themovement.com 
Thank you for the lovely comments. Lloyd was my dad. The cook. Yes, he was in the army at one time. His passion was making the best food he could. That was one reason he didn’t serve French fries. Scrubby was the little lady that prepared most of the macaroni salad. cut the pickles, and onions, and hot dogs to fit a round bun.
Scrubby had been a waitress for my dad at the original Hamburger Haven. He sold that place when he went into the army. After coming out of the army, he couldn’t even use the family name that was on the Hamburger Haven sign of Pettenger. So, he had to come up with a name that would indicate to people that knew Scrubby and him that this was the place to come and get the best hamburgers. So, the name Scrubby and Lloyd’s
He used to make chili beans fresh every day. One of my jobs was to slice the hamburger buns everyday. Daddy didn’t like how pre sliced buns would just burn around the edges, so we sliced down the middle all of our hamburger buns. That was just one of many of the loving touches that did make Scrubby and Lloyd’s famous for having the best burger you could get.
Thank you again, Elaine
Hi Elaine;
Thank you for the fond memories; greatness from simplicity.
My wife and I have a small 10 seat cafe here in Seattle, and would love to sell hamburgers like your fathers. If you would share the recipe, we have never came close. If not, we understand.
-Hank and Diane
Hank/Diane,
I’m in Everett and I’d like to try your burgers. Where’s your cafe?
Jim (jpud007@gmail.com)
I grew up in SLO and wept when Scrubby & Lloyd’s closed. Best hamburgers ever. The item of greatest importance not mentioned above is the POTATO SALAD. The best I’ve ever tasted. I used to call ahead to make sure they hadn’t run out of it on any particular day (because they did frequently). I’d call and the first thing I’d say would be “do you still have potato salad today?” and they’d answer “yes, Jim, we do.”
I actually came across this blog while searching for the recipe for Scrubby & Lloyd’s potato salad (Google-hope springs eternal, I suppose).
If anyone has that magic recipe please e-mail me. I’d be forever grateful.
As Cesar Pavese once said “we do not remember days, we remember moments.” Scrubby & Lloyd’s is one of those memories that I’ll fondly carry with me forever.
Jim McDougal
Everett, WA
jpmcdougal@frontier.com
my family eat their for four generations. i remember going thier every saturday with my dad and the waitress would say your usual. it is and well always be the best burgar i ever had
Joyce Cimino
CHILLI RESCIPE ANYONE!
If anyone can tell me how to make scurbby and lloyds chilli I would be forever greatful. Now in my 60’s like so many others I still have fond memories of eating there when attending Cal Poly in my 20’s. Was there no way that someone, anyone could have continued the traditions and love of Scrubby and Lloyds. Was there no way to keep it from closing?. No family member willing to take it over? So sorry to hear of its closing and death of original owners
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College years spent there and a good day’s work at the Horse Unit on Campus equalled being sent out to get some Scrubby and Lloyd’s burgers to go. They were best melting away in the bag, leaving a mouth watering scent in the truck on the way back to campus. Truth be told.. one of the orders never made it all the way back. Along with most of the fries. Don’t tell anyone 🙂 .
When able to sit at the counter it was fun to see the mixture of people there. From City Hall, Law Enforcement, Construction workers, Office people, or Students and Seniors… it was a good crowd.
Am sad to hear that it is gone.. Like “1865” and “Tortilla Flats” or “McClintock’s” or “Cigar Factory” it was a place to send friends when they visited SLO Town.. So few of those iconic establishments left in what was “our” small town on the coast… Am sorry to hear about the passing of those that brought so much joy. Thank you for so many good memories.. over a great burger… oh and fries too. 🙂
My grandparents lived just a block or so up Higuera and we seven kids would LOVE it when our Papa Joe would hand each of us a buck for us to walk down the street for a Scrubby & Lloyd’s burger…mmmm, that thousand island dressing on there was dee-lish!
I grew up in SLO town and ate at The Haven,Pettengers, and Scrubbys. I have to this day never had a better burger. You had to hold it with 2 hands. I moved to Santa Barbara after graduation in 63 and worked in food distribution for many years and never came across a better hamburger. If i could get those reccipes i would open one up in Santa Barbara in exact duplicate it would scream…thanks for the memories of a time when small business was king in San Luis Obispo…John Sween
Making a trip back to SLO after many years. Had to Google Scrubby and Lloyd’s. It was the best hamburger place EVER! So glad your shared about your dad and Scrubby, Elaine. Makes my mouth water just reading about it again.
Bump this out five years from Jim Mc’s note. I moved to SLO from Illinois in 1978, and live in Pismo Beach now. THE BEST POTATO SALAD EVER – which just my way of saying that was exactly how my dear old mom made it. I thought she might have been working there without me knowing it.
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