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Ku-Ku Restaurants

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The Ku-Ku drive-in restaurant chain had more than 200 locations in the Midwest by the mid-1960s. At that time, five Golden Point locations in Oklahoma had been adapted for Ku-Ku restaurants. By 1969, the chain had folded but a few locations operated independently after that. Ku-Ku refers to the restaurants' cuckoo clock theme. A bird installed over the roof once chimed every hour. If you know of any other surviving Ku-Ku buildings or signs, I'd love to hear about them.

Waylan's Ku-Ku
Miami, OK
Eugene Waylan bought this location in 1973 and renamed it Waylan's Ku-Ku. It is the only operating location left. The building and sign are from 1965. The birdhouse on top of the sign advertised the burger price of 15 cents. Later, that was changed to 19 cents until the panel became blank as prices went up. Around 1977, Waylan added his name to the sign and the ice cream cone was installed. Sometime after that, the original red panels were painted green. The sign has always been maintained. The plastic cuckoo is backlit while the rest of the sign is lit with red, pink, and green neon.

The dining room in front of the building was not part of the original design. The first addition was made in 1977 and the second addition with the glass front is from 1990. There were no drive-thru windows originally. The two drive-thru lanes were added in 1977. The bird near the roof chirped once on the half hour and twice on the hour. It stopped working around 2015 but the owner plans to fix it. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

former Ku-Ku restaurant
Fort Smith, AR
This former Ku-Ku restaurant now houses the Beer Garden. [map]

former Ku-Ku restaurant
Kansas City, MO
This former Ku-Ku restaurant now houses a used car dealership. [map]

former Ku-Ku restaurant
Bryan, TX
This former Ku-Ku restaurant now houses the World Nail Spa. [map]

former Ku-Ku restaurant
Garden City, KS

2010:
2023:
This former Ku-Ku restaurant in Garden City now houses Tacos El Tapatio. [map]

former Ku-Ku restaurant
Wichita, KS
This former Ku-Ku restaurant was built in 1965. The building has housed a check cashing business since at least 2007. [map]

former Ku-Ku restaurant
Chanute, KS
This former Ku-Ku restaurant has housed Java Junction since 2020. [map]

former Ku-Ku restaurant
Gibbon, NE		 former Ku-Ku restaurant
Liberal, KS
I don't know if there was a Ku-Ku restaurant at this location in Gibbon or if the sign was moved here from somewhere else. [map]

This Ku-Ku restaurant sign in Liberal has been missing the top panel since at least 2008. I don't know if there was a Ku-Ku building here or if this sign was moved here from somwewhere else. There was a Ku-Ku in Emporia, KS but neither the sign or building is still theren. [map]

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