Southern California Fosters Freeze: 80 Years of Delicious Burgers and Ice Cream

Fast food is a Southern California staple, with burgers and shakes as a long-time favorite. In fact, burger-flipping fast-food restaurants seem to be on every corner in every city in our state, with more popping up all the time. We all have our particular favorite, of course, but one restaurant has been serving up delectable burgers and creamy soft-serve ice cream for more than three-quarters of a century.

The oldest operating Fosters Freeze in Inglewood has faithfully served generations of Californians and visitors since 1946, making this the 80th year of their operation! Learn more about this local joint serving some of the best ice cream in Southern California. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, how many Fosters Freeze locations are there in California — it’s 64.

George Foster opened Foster's "Old Fashion" Freeze at this location in Inglewood, California, and it still operates today. The ice cream shop featured soft-serve ice cream which was previously not available in California, making this restaurant an almost instant hit.

Foster had initially come to California to open the first Dairy Queen franchises in the state, but local laws prohibited the use of "dairy" in the name, so he opened a restaurant under his own name instead. Shortly after this first location opened, Foster added American classics like freshly prepared hamburgers and french fries to the menu. This was years before Burger King and McDonald's were established in California.

The restaurant chain that almost never happened grew rapidly. Foster opened many other locations throughout the state. "Little Frosty," the smiling ice cream cone became the mascot. Early in its history, Fosters Freeze had a few ice cream trucks that played music and delivered 10-cent ice cream cones and other frozen treats to various areas where people lined up to buy them.

Fosters Freeze, as it has become known, prides itself on commitment to the original Fosters experience and quality that made this restaurant so popular to begin with. Even now, soft-serve ice cream cones are one of the most popular choices of Fosters' loyal customers. Fosters Freeze has evolved with the times and caters to California's love of seasonal favorites with specials like the Pumpkin Cheesecake Twister. The variety of available flavors and types has continues to expand, but true to its original concept, ice cream still features prominently on the menu.

In addition to classic American cheeseburgers, customers can now also enjoy turkey burgers, fish filet sandwiches, and seasonal offerings such as the Southwestern Chicken Sandwich with green chilies. Like ice cream, burgers still make up a large portion of the menu. There may be far more options than Foster imagined, but quality made-to-order burgers remain a major reason people come to this iconic California eatery.

Have you ever visited the oldest operating Fosters Freeze or maybe a franchise location to try some of the best ice cream in Southern California? If you haven't, we think you'll love it! And if you're looking for more things to do in the area when you visit, be sure to check our our itinerary planner where you'll find nearby recommendations!