ORLANDO, Fla. – One of Orlando's most iconic restaurants is marking a major milestone. On Saturday, Beefy King celebrates 50 years of serving up its famous roast beef sandwiches.
The iconic restaurant on North Bumby Avenue opened its doors in 1968.
Many longtime customers, like Vicki Rodriguez, have been eating there since the beginning.
"My grandmother and I used to come here, and back then they only had beefies and hammies and hotdogs," Rodriguez said. "We would come in and eat two or three beefies at a time."
Customers said they feel like they are part of the family.
"They know my name. They know who my children are. They know who my father was," Rodriguez said.Â
Rick Amick, who moved to Orlando in 1957, said he's been dining at Beefy King since he was in high school.
"I've been eating here ever since," Amick said. "It's the best. It's the best roast beef sandwich that I've ever had."
Customers keep coming back for the food. Stephanie Allen always brings her family to Beefy King when they visit from Atlanta.
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"We come to Beefy King every time that we come home to Orlando and the kids love it," Allen said.
Owner Roland Smith said they've been serving up the same food since 1968 and everything is made fresh and to order.
"It's held true for 50 years. That's the way we did it 50 years ago and we're still doing the same thing today," Smith said.
Beefy King is a family business with four generations working and owning the restaurant over the past five decades.
Smith's daughter Shannon Woodrow was manning the grill Thursday. She estimates she's made tons of roast beef sandwiches in the last 30 years.
"It's got to be at least a million. We go through 30 dozen rolls a day," Woodrow said.
Orlando may change, but Beefy King will stay the same for years to come. Smith said he is thankful for the decades of support.
"We're doing something right I think because they keep coming in the door," Smith said. "To stand here and say this is our 50-year celebration is just mind-boggling."Â
To celebrate 50 years, on Saturday, June 2, the restaurant will offer the original menu of roast beef sandwiches, ham sandwiches and Tater Tots at half-price. Beefy King will also offer specials every Tuesday during the month of June.