Memories
In 1968 my parents bought a Levitt house in the 'B' section of Hicksville. We would drive out from the Bronx every weekend to prepare the house for
day we would move in . Each weekend, we would stop at Wetson's for lunch which consisted of hamburgers, fries, and drinks. Their burgers were good, but their fries were AMAZING!!! They were wonderfully crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, and they had just the right amount of salt. I remember my dad driving our 1959 Chevy Impala into the parking lot and parking the car. We would walk up to the window to order our food. There was no seating in Wetson's at all, not like fast food restaruants today. We would take our order, pile into the car, and drive to our new house on Bobwhite Lane. The smell would permeate the car and by the time we got to the house, we were starving. We would find a place to sit, whether it was on the floor or a folding chair and chow down on that deliciousness.
While looking through social media posts concerning Wetson's, I noticed a lot of people loved the fries and the shakes. There were quite a few people who thought that Wetson's hamburgers, especially the Big W, were better than McDonald's. What do you think? Where their hamburgers better than McDonald's?
Some reminisced about hanging out with their friends in the parking lot, going to Wetson's on first dates, celebrating birthdays, and even working there at 16 yrs old. What are some of your memories of Wetson's?
Jim Clark remembers working there the summer of '64 when he was 17. He told me that the owner of the Hicksville franchise would peel and cut the potatoes for the fries. They were soaked in water overnight and then cooked in lard at 600 degrees for a few minutes. They were made fresh for every order. He also said that the lines on the weekend went on for hours.
Karen Ulbricht, a classmate of mine, remembers the whole family piling into the car and sitting at picnic tables that were there to eat their meal.
Susan Schular-Nolan, another classmate of mine, shared her memories of Wetson's too. She loved Wetson's Fried Chicken and would always ask for it when she went there with her family. Susan also shared that her husband worked for a short time at a burger place called Burger Square. One was located in Syosset on Jericho Turnpike. That restaurant was replaced by a Wetson's.
