Jackson Jambalaya

Because they sucked and were way over priced.

Another Jackson business that has been Antared.

At first glance that's not good!

Does this include Madison? What is 'the Jackson area'?

Must use Silicon Valley Bank accounts.

On Wednesday, I was in the drive-thru lane at the BYB on State Street across from UMC. I placed my order with their automated attendant. When I got to the window to pay, the lady inside told me they had been told to cease operations and she'd been told to get a new J-O-B (she spelled it out!).

She said they were waiting for the owner to arrive to tell them what was going on.

I wondered who the 'they' were that closed them down... sales tax folks? health department? bank?

Haven't eaten at a BYB in a long time.

I like BYB - really liked to Miz Grazi's fries before taken off the menu.

No shortage of jobs for people looking in the food industry. Hope this folks land somewhere quickly.

The one in Madison is usually somewhat busy. Granted no where near their neighbor Chic-A-Fillet, but somewhat busy.

I stopped going to the State Street location a couple of years ago after being told, several times, that it would be five minutes for my breakfast biscuit. Who doesn't have a pan overflowing with biscuits if you're in the breakfast business?. It was like McDonalds ice cream. You never know if they'll have it until you wait in line and then order. I just voted with my feet, or wheels in this case.

Thought they were the best fast food after you know who. The burgers tasted like real burgers and the grilled chicken sammiches were pretty good. Old Canton Road was not in a great location. Madison was but it was rare I saw more than three customer cars at a time.

Old Canton location was slowly starting to improve again with new management. But hate to see this. Really enjoyed their food, although overpriced.

Wasn't a local lawyer the franchise owner?...

The one in Dogwood was ok but I didn't like talking to an automated speaker. So generic!!

@2:32pm - The one in Madison is only “somewhat busy” due to its location next to the always insanely busy Chick-Fil-A. You go to CFA only to find the line wrapped around the building several times and out into the street… and you’re like f*** it, I’ll just go to Backyard Burger because it’s right there and you don’t have to wait.

Source: My own experience.

Back when Northtown Dr. and living in NE Jxn was safe, I spent several dollars at BYB on Old Canton and there was almost always a car or two in line at any time of day.

Thank God The Courthouse was a decent gym then too. Probably kept me from weighing more from the frequent burgers.

More Crime, less water, for more money. Jackson is not business friendly any more.

I loved their burgers, especially with extra lettuce and tomato, for which healthy bonus they never charged me.

This was a Mississippi business, with the first one at the corner of Highways 61 & 8 in Cleveland. Mrs. Grazioso was one of the original cooks and came up with the fries recipe named after her. BYB filled the void in Cleveland left by the closing of the Varsity and Keen Freeze for any of you Delta folks or DSU students who remember them.

Answer the damned question, Kingfish! Is Madison considered 'Jackson Area' or not. One must assume the same person has the franchise for the closed locations. Make yourself clear.

You're also wrong. The Madison location did a booming business! Maybe you're more cut out to be a Burger King kinda guy.

Drive past the Madison one two or more times a day. Conspicuous by how empty it is compared to its neighbor.

BYB used to be a damn fine burger. It's hard to fault the founders/original owners for selling out, but it's a shame what the new owners did to that company. It's what is happening to Primo's and Whataburger now too.

Probably took on too much debt

It’s happened before to BYB

Shame cause the food is always good imo

Attn 3:15 You seem a little “Testy” today. Chill out, it is no the end of the earth.

Any word on the one in Flowood?

Got to be Jackson's fault. If it's not...it's still Jackson's fault.

A search reveals that they are closing in many states without notice.

Gotta be problems with the Jackson franchise. No information on any website about systemwide shutdowns...

The parking lot at the madison location is so bad you need a 4wheel drive to get thru it.

Delta Kid: I literally 'grew up' at the Keen Freeze and the Varsity. There was a 15 year passage of time, at least, between the Varsity's demise and the opening of a BYBurger. The 'void' has NEVER been filled. You could hang out in the Keen Freeze or at The Varsity all day long listening to the juke boxes, playing pin-ball, girl watching and ordering fries and burgers and cherry-cokes. BYBurger can't touch that and never could.


The same person must have had the franchise for all of the 'Jackson Locations' since not all of them in 'the Jackson area' are closed.

Out of town comment.
Krystal opened years ago in Columbia, SC folks said it was to cheap and not good, so they closed all locations.

Years later Backyard Burger came to town and folks said it was good but to pricey so BYB closed all locations.

Folks are..........

@3:15. You can’t live in Madison. There is only 2 cars in the parking lot at a time. So slow, the drive thru is automated.

The Madison store remains open but it doesn't get robbed, and we have a much higher class of customers who aren't a bunch of Karens demanding to speak to the manager.

Y’all keep talking about “the food” at BYB as if there was an extensive and varied menu. Best I recall, you got a burger or a chicken sandwich, fries or onion rings, pepsi or lemonade. The burger used to be the next best thing to home grilled.

@4:53 PM - If you Google "backyard burger closing" you will learn that this is happening in other cities/states.

“ Kingfish said...
Drive past the Madison one two or more times a day. Conspicuous by how empty it is compared to its neighbor.
March 10, 2023 at 3:26 PM”

Too expensive, and small amount of food that’s not very good. It’s not a shock why it’s so empty

BYB had great cobbler.

I've been known to enjoy many a yard burger in my lifetime. Maybe Hardee's/Carl's Jr. will swoop in a snatch up the locations. They could name the one on State St. at UMMC Karl's Jr. in honor of Chowke. Closest Hardees I've found is the one in the Love's truck stop in Magee. Wear your heaviest coat in July...that is by far the COLDEST place in Mississippi.

WLBT has the story

https://www.wlbt.com/2023/03/11/local-backyard-burgers-metro-area-remain-closed/

At 7:08 pm March 10, the Dogwood Backyard Burger is closed. Outdoor lights are on as usual.

I always liked BYB. Sucks if this is true!

It's been at least 14 years, but the LAST time we went there, I got what looked like grilled burned plastic in my Veggie Burger (we've since gone Carnivore, but that's irrelevant). The next-to-last time, we had to go inside to wait for our 'to-go order'. The sound system was malfunctioning, and just producing a grinding noise, but turned up to full volume - absolutely ear-splitting TORTURE.

Now, I see that instead of implementing the City's published drawing for an outdoor canopy, they did some cheap caricature of the specified marquee product. So, the place looks awful, sounds awful, and has awful food. NEEDS to go-under, if you ask me.

The BYB on Old Canton was practically driven out of business when the city 5 lanes the road. It seemed to never recover. I heard the guys that franchised it had to sell it

DeltaKid and 5:22 Loved the Keen Freeze and the Mecca in Ruleville. Both gone. BTW,the one in Madison was open tonight. I just had a Wild Turkey Burger.

You can’t talk about Primos and Whataburger in the same sentence. I’m serious. You can’t.

5:22, you are 100% correct. I was referring to the culinary void, not the hangout void. I got in trouble a couple of times by taking the money I was supposed to use to get a haircut at Smitty’s and blowing it on the pinball machines next door at the Varsity.

Hate it but it was of the owners own doing. Quality steadily went downhill over the past few years and the owners were jackholes.

5:22, in case you ever have a hankering for a Keen Freeze burger, here are original recipes:

Keen Freeze Chili Sauce

1 quart ketchup
2 “big kitchen spoons” chili powder (approximately 8 tablespoons)
1 cup flour
3 quarts hot water

Combine ingredients in very large pot. Mixture will be thin at first. Heat until it thickens. Serve with pickles, mustard, and Keen Freeze slaw on hamburgers. Makes one gallon.


Keen Freeze Slaw

1 head of cabbage, grated
2 big spoons prepared yellow mustard
2 big spoons prepared salad dressing (not mayonnaise)
Dill pickle juice “to cover”

KF, kudos for your correction.
Most all of these food chains are franchises. Those who lease the "name and product" can lease more than one. Indeed, some can negotiate an option to get " first refusal" of new franchises in designated areas.
Some franchises are smart enough at the outset to set up sufficient controls to insure consistent quality at every location.
Knowing how something works is important before reacting/opining on a "break down" in "operations".
That's true whether it's a fast food chain, your car, or government.

"If you Google "backyard burger closing" you will learn that this is happening in other cities/states."

I did just that, early this morning, but unlike you, I noticed that all of the closings had occurred two or more years ago.

My guess is this is a pending bankruptcy involving one corporation with multiple franchises in the Jackson market.

Attn 8:56 Thanks for that 6 th grade level explanation on how to run a business. I suspect you have a sad work history.

You folks are abandoning Jackson, the crown jewel of Missippi. Things are headed for a new low .

Bridgeforth Rutledge opened the state street BYB and even worked the drive through when he owned it. He opened several more and wound up selling them all. Not sure of the year but it’s been a decade I think.

Since then I don’t know how many times they’ve been sold / flipped but it seems like the numbers don’t work anymore.

It was fun to watch Bridgeforth make a success out of these places.

The food was always good and their cobbler was super good.

The owner will likely file BK and someone will get a chance to run the stores….maybe as another brand but the locations seem solid still.

5:22 here, Delta Kid. I knew Mike and those are not original KF recipes. Nice try though.

I also knew the Kilpatricks, Leon, Curly and the Holloways, all of whom owned and ran The Varsity in Cleveland and one of whom owned the sister location in Belzoni.

Bridgeforth Rutledge sold all of his metro Jackson back yard burgers several years ago. In fact, they all started going downhill after he sold them. Bridgeforth has nothing to do with the current ownership at all.

6:25 pm

Tell us you react to posts without reading posts without telling us react to posts without readings posts

I ran into a news crew yesterday at the Old Canton location. They said the business had declared bankruptcy, which is why they were all closing. They also said the Madison location was remaining open just long enough to sell all remaining inventory before it closed too.

Sorry to burst the Madison superiority complex bubble that was starting to grow on this topic.

8:39 - Madison IS superior. That's what keep folks like you upset and posting your jealous disdain. LOL and stuff-it, peasant!

"I ran into a news crew yesterday at the Old Canton location. They said the business had declared bankruptcy, which is why they were all closing."

I told you this two days ago at 9:30 a.m.

Update. "Restructuring."
https://www.wjtv.com/news/local-news/jackson-back-yard-burgers-location-closes/