You probably remember the orange roof. For a huge chunk of the 20th century, that bright, weather-vane-topped beacon was the undisputed king of the American road trip. It promised 28 flavors of ice cream, fried clam strips that actually tasted like the ocean, and those weirdly delicious "frankforts" served in buttered, toasted New England rolls. But if you’re driving down the interstate today looking for that turquoise cupola, you’re basically chasing a ghost.
So, are there any Howard Johnson restaurants left?
Honestly, the short answer is no. If you're looking for an official, operational HoJo’s diner where you can sit in a booth and order a Peppermint Stick cone, you are out of luck. The last one standing—a legendary, if somewhat weathered, location in Lake George, New York—finally called it quits in early 2022. It wasn't just a restaurant closing; it was the final exhale of a brand that once had over 1,000 locations across the country.
The Lake George "Last Stand"
For years, the Lake George spot was the holy grail for retro-travel geeks. It sat right there on Route 9, stubbornly refusing to die while the rest of the empire crumbled. It even had a sign out front that proudly (and then sadly) proclaimed it was the "Last One Standing."
By the time it closed, it wasn't exactly the "Host of the Highways" glory-day experience you’d see in a 1960s postcard. The menu had shrunk. The service was, let's say, inconsistent. The owner even ended up in some pretty serious legal trouble that had nothing to do with ice cream. Despite all that, people flocked there just to feel something. They wanted to sit in those red booths one last time. When the doors locked for good in May 2022, and the memorabilia was hauled away, the era of the Howard Johnson restaurant officially ended.
✨ Don't miss: How Far Is Tennessee To California: What Most Travelers Get Wrong
Why Did the Orange Roofs Vanish?
It’s kinda wild to think about how dominant they were. In the 1960s, Howard Johnson's was the largest restaurant chain in the U.S. They were bigger than McDonald’s. They were everywhere. So, what happened?
Basically, the world changed and HoJo’s didn't.
When the interstate highway system exploded, Howard Johnson had the prime real estate. But as "fast food" became the standard, the sit-down, wait-for-your-check model started to feel slow to a generation of travelers in a hurry. You’ve also got to look at the corporate side of things. In the 80s, the company was sliced and diced. The hotels went one way (now owned by Wyndham), and the restaurants went another. Without the hotels to feed them customers, the restaurants were left to fend for themselves against giants like Applebee's and Denny's.
They tried to pivot. They really did. There were "Hojo Cafes" and attempts to modernize the menu, but you can’t really "modernize" nostalgia without losing the soul of the brand.
🔗 Read more: How far is New Hampshire from Boston? The real answer depends on where you're actually going
A Quick Look at the Numbers (Then vs. Now)
- 1960s-70s Peak: Roughly 1,000 restaurants.
- 2015: Only three left (Bangor, ME; Lake Placid, NY; Lake George, NY).
- 2022: The final closure in Lake George.
- 2026: Zero original restaurants remain.
Can You Still Find the Food?
Sorta. But mostly no.
For a while, you could find Howard Johnson branded frozen foods in grocery stores—specifically those famous fried clams. However, those have largely disappeared from shelves as the licensing deals expired. The "28 flavors" of ice cream are also a memory. While the Lake George location served ice cream until the end, they were actually sourcing it from other local dairies rather than the original HoJo’s secret recipe plants.
If you really want the taste of a Howard Johnson’s meal, you’re basically down to DIY recipes found on the internet or visiting "spiritual successors" like Friendly’s, which still captures a tiny bit of that mid-century ice cream parlor vibe.
The Hotels Are a Different Story
Don't get confused if you see a "Howard Johnson by Wyndham" sign while you’re driving through Orlando or Anaheim. The hotel side of the brand is actually doing fine.
💡 You might also like: Hotels on beach Siesta Key: What Most People Get Wrong
There are still hundreds of Howard Johnson hotels operating globally. Wyndham has been working hard to "Renew" the brand, leaning into a bright, "retro-cool" aesthetic that honors the history without feeling like a dusty museum. Some of these hotels have breakfast areas or even attached restaurants, but they aren't the Howard Johnson's. They won't have the clam strips. They won't have the 28 flavors.
How to Get Your Retro Fix Today
Since there aren't any Howard Johnson restaurants left, how do you scratch that itch for 1950s Americana? You have to get a little creative.
- Visit the Buildings: Many former HoJo buildings still exist. Look for the distinct "A-frame" gatehouse style or the long, low-slung buildings with what used to be orange roofs. Many are now independent diners, Thai restaurants, or even adult stores. It’s a bit depressing, but the bones are there.
- The Lake George Site: As of now, the building in Lake George still stands, though its future is always in flux. It’s a popular spot for "urban explorers" and photographers looking to capture the end of an era.
- Collector Communities: There is a massive community of "HoJo-ologists" online. Sites like HoJoLand archive photos, menus, and locations. If you’re lucky, you can find original dishware or those iconic weather vanes on eBay.
It's strange to think that a brand so massive could just... stop. But that’s the reality of the American roadside. We traded the orange roof for the golden arches, and the "Host of the Highways" finally went home.
Your Next Step: If you're feeling nostalgic, check out the HoJoLand archives to see if your childhood "local" HoJo building is still standing under a different name. Many of these structures are hidden in plain sight, waiting for someone to recognize their orange-tinted history.