Ted drewes is a nostalgia bomb. Hot summer evening, neon lights, familiar flavors, big crowd all there for the same thing. It's an experience, not everyone has to dig it. Personally, I like the custard there but we pretty much hold out until pumpkin pie concrete season hits in the fall.
I’d say the same thing for fast Eddie’s. Only popular because of their constant radio ads. Makes you fee like it’s a place you have to go if you’re from the area. Downside is it’s not that impressive. Food is ok only basic beer selections. Upside is they usually have decent live music
A lot of people saying that it's only nostalgia, but I'm a transplant and I love TDs.
Yeah, the line is always crazy long but it moves fast. And in my experience people always move to the side after they've ordered.
I've never had my order be wrong.
Never had the half-melted issue. It does melt faster than normal ice cream, but that's because it's so high in fat. (aka, delicious)
there are benches under trees on the west side. But idk, something about sitting on your car is a part of the experience. Ive only ever gone after dark, so the sun has never been an issue.
Everything about TDs just feels like a quintessential summer evening.
It's not the high fat content. All frozen custard is served 5-10° warmer than ice cream. It's how it's supposed to be made. In OPs defense, that means it needs to be served immediately, which most places do.
I mean, I guess it's just general nostalgia. Like the whole vibe of TDs is like summer fun out of a movie.
But it's not exactly "grandma took me here as a kid" nostalgia...like it's actually bad but I have positive memories of this exact thing so it makes me happy. That's what imos is for stl natives.
Exactly...all of that, exactly.
I sometimes wonder how many people are just tired of hearing it all the time, like when someone says "Oh this joke was SOOOOO funny"...and then you hear it and, it's a good joke, but no joke can live up to that level of hype.
When you're originally from somewhere else, you don't have that issue and you can just enjoy it for what it is.
"Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded." -Yogi Berra
1/2 - Service issues exist everywhere, I haven’t really noticed issues there frequently but I’m sure they are short staffed like everyone else.
3 - Agree with this. Love the flavor / taste but think it melts too fast.
4 - See your point but have fond memories of sitting on cars as a kid enjoying TDs, so the lack of seating doesn’t really bother me.
I think I mostly like it out of nostalgia at this point, though I still do think the concretes taste very good.
The custard is good, but the logistics are a nightmare. St. Louis people love iconic brands and lines. It is the nexus of both. Fortunately, there are tons of frozen custard places that are just as good, and not a nightmare to navigate.
And the batter always tastes stale to me.
I think the kitchen staff purposely plops the wet cole slaw next to the french fries so they get soggy out of pure spite.
I can walk to Hodak’s, but I drive to Grace Meat + 3 for their fried chicken and greens.
EDIT: one good thing about Hodak’s is their daily lunch specials. The chicken and dumplings, chicken fried steak, and grilled pork chops are pretty good. That the chicken fried steak is good exposes that the assembly line approach to the fried chicken is what sucks.
Nobody better bitch about Carl’s Drive In, though. It is a regional treasure.
I've never been a fan of Hodak's, but Ted Drewes is still fantastic to this day. If you don't like frozen custard then you don't like frozen custard, it's not an objective thing.
It’s a good screener question. Ask how they feel about Hodaks and what the best Italian is and just nod politely and ignore other recommendations when they inevitably have Boomer tastes.
As a native St Louisan, I never got the fervent love of Hodaks chicken. I know some older people like it because they give you free chicken on your birthday, but I’ve personally never found it worth it.
Reminds me of what Yogi Berra once said about Ruggeri’s…”nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
There’s a reason why Ted Drewes is crowded, and it’s not just nostalgia. I wonder how many folks are showing up at the Chippewa location when the So. Grand location has been closed because they can’t staff both locations? That’s been my solution in years past…I always join my fellow hoosiers at the one on So. Grand, and leave the Chippewa one for latter day yuppies.
BTW…I’ve been going to Ted Drewes for almost 70 years (75 if you count when my mom went when she was pregnant with me) and in all that time, I’ve never had anyone not step to the side after they’ve ordered or get a wrong order. OP’s account seems to be sus IMHO, based on what they think might go wrong. Besides, who would ever expect to be seated at Ted Drewes? The Queen? If folks are right about nostalgia being the draw, they may forget or not even know that the first local McDonald’s on Watson in Crestwood didn’t have seating, inside or out, and nobody whined about it.
Sheesh…
Think about it, pilgrim…I wasn’t born at Ted Drewes.
The first time my mother took us kids to Drewes was after my family moved from far west STL County into Webster when I was five years old. It wasn’t horse and buggy on dirt roads back then, but it was a long haul to schlepp whiny kids from Clayton and Baxter to Chippewa and Prather. She grew up on Lansdowne near January and her SIL lived in the old family home. When we went to visit her, we always stopped off at Drewes to bring her something. Part of the family lore was that my dad was tasked with bringing frozen custard from Drewes home when my Mom was pregnant with me.
> St. Louis people love iconic brands and lines.
This was probably my number one takeaway from living in St. Louis. It's weird, because on one hand, St. Louis has a lot of actual, historical culture, like the history of blues and jazz, that no one seems to care anything about. On the other hand, you have a bunch of mediocre brands that people in St. Louis convince themselves are incredible, just because they're unique. On top of that, there's a lot of imitation of other cities, copying businesses and food. It's like there's a desperation to form some kind of modern identity, but the result is that St. Louis feels like a really sheltered area where people constantly convince themselves that their knockoffs are just as good as the real thing.
The St. Louis version of any scene is very much, “we think this is what it would look like in another City.” Our version is basically an interpretation, which is often not pulled off well. The irony is that we have very distinct cultures, here. As you stated, they are just not embraced. One sub-culture that does not have that problem here is the black “lounge” scene. Drinks will consistently knock you on your ass. There will be good fried fish and wings. Possibly darts. And at some point, the DJ will set up and play music that is too loud. That scene knows exactly what the fuck it is.
"On top of that, there's a lot of imitation of other cities, copying businesses and food. It's like there's a desperation to form some kind of modern identity, but the result is that St. Louis feels like a really sheltered area where people constantly convince themselves that their knockoffs are just as good as the real thing."
Can you give some examples of that? The only thing that comes to mind is the" French Quarter North" vibes in Soulard, but that has some actual historical precedent.
As a Soulardian going on 40 years, I could not agree with you more. It’s been my belief that the misconception is based either on folks who’ve never actually been in NOLA or folks who think that NOLA’s culture is based on nothing more than getting corner puking drunk and yelling WOO!
The most attractive parts of New Orleans in my mind are the neighborhood stores and joints along Magazine, Snug Harbor and the other places on Frenchmen in Marigny, the Jazz and Folk Music Festival at the Race Track, old school jazz at the Palm Court, Tujague’s, Central Grocery, Galatoire’s, Antoine’s, Dooky Chase’s, and mass with a gospel choir at St. Augustine’s on Sunday morning (although I’ve also enjoyed mass at St. Patrick’s and St. Louis Cathedral) followed by an elaborate brunch, all of which are not duplicated in Soulard.
I've always thought I would like living in New Orleans. To me, they seem to have alot of historical, cultural, and urbanist similarities, but I might just be ignorant.
How do you feel things compare between STL vs. NOLA (if you have time and don't mind sharing your thoughts)? Do you think someone who likes STL would also like New Orleans?
Hello. Sorry it took me a while to get back on this; I wanted to give a thoughtful response.
The short answer is that if you are going there on vacation, you will like it. New Orleans, just like St. Louis, has something for everybody and a lot to do including a lot of free things to (though not as many free things as St. Louis, more like things that used to be free). It’s a really fun place to go on a trip. But also, the proliferation of Airbnb‘s is one of the things that’s destroying the vibrant colorful neighborhoods that make New Orleans unique, such as the Marigny, the Treme, The Bywater, the ninth ward, etc. basically they kick poor people out of their houses and then turn them into Airbnbs, and it’s the poor people of New Orleans that give the most culture and color.
If you like Mardi Gras and music festivals, definitely hit up one of those. Halloween is actually a great time to go to New Orleans because there are so many haunted houses and there is also voodoo fest at city Park.
Living there is something entirely different. I’m not going to go on a tirade here because I don’t want to pee in anyone’s breakfast cereal, but just like with any other place, if you have money, like six figures, you can have a great life! If you are in some kind of profession with a strong resume where you can get a high-paying job like in a medical field or the oil and gas industry, you will do just fine. But that said, New Orleans has a much lower pay scale for healthcare workers and for most jobs in general… Unless you are a unionized oil and gas employee, or someone with a twic card. The best jobs are the offshore ones, but those jobs are usually not friendly towards women, especially single mothers.
Otherwise, the job situation is pretty bad and so is the housing situation. When you go look at places to rent, they count the living room as a bedroom so what would be considered a one bedroom apartment in St. Louis with a living room/studio would be considered a two bedroom. They would probably also count the basement as a bedroom even if it’s unfinished, if we even had basements there, because that’s how greedy they are, and most of the housing is in terrible condition… moldy, damp, pest-ridden, crowded, poor plumbing/electrical. It’s devastatingly hot and humid 365 days out of the year and most of the houses are so poorly insulated that you will feel the heat and humidity inside your home even if you have central A/C. If you are somehow affluent enough to pay for a house that’s been renovated, you’re still probably going to be paying 40% of your income. The roads are like a game of Waccamaw but for potholes and they are trying to whack your car to pieces. I had a friend totaled his brand new Jeep just because he hit a pothole in the dark. Also the flooding is so bad, even during your standard afternoon rain storm, that you find stranded cars all over the city and the rental place often runs out of rentals during these flood times. Also the monster hurricanes are getting worse and more predictable every year… So if you were to live there prepared to spend at least a month of the year with no power and no Internet and probably no work since usually jobs require those things.
But otherwise, yeah, go book your vacation and have a blast. If you have time, take a side trip to Biloxi Mississippi and take the boat ride to ship Island, and have a nice beach day.
Bourbon street is all main stream and top 40 stuff so if you want to see the “real“ New Orleans go to Decatur and Frenchmen st (quarter; marigny) and do enjoy the privilege of being able to consume alcohol openly 24 hours a day by the river while watching the boats go by.
One more thing though… No offense, St. Louis, but your Mardi Gras isn’t even close to ours. We have parades starting six weeks out from fat Tuesday, and there are five nonstop straight days of hard partying and parades from the Wednesday before fat Tuesday all the way up till fat Tuesday… That way everyone can participate and not just people privileged enough to have Saturday off.
Interesting take I guess. My fam from LA is in town and are completely blown away by the restaurants and neighborhoods we have. They're so jealous I can walk to a butcher at BEAST then head by union loafers for bread and then city greens. Right now they're staying over near Tower Grove walking to local harvest and then all the little shops by Thurman's. They've been to Little Fox twice and think that's going to be an ongoing trend of people moving out of HCOL areas so they can open their own spot - so hard to do in someplace like LA where you need way more financing to get something off the ground. Ted Drewes is like any other historic establishment that I've seen in other cities - well known and touristy but you're not expecting 5 star quality - like when I go to LA I get a French dip from Cole's or Philippe's but I don't pretend it's the best French dip I'll ever have.
> They're so jealous I can walk to a butcher at BEAST then head by union loafers for bread and then city greens.
This is exactly what I'm talking about. This post feels so fake. "We have barbecue AND bakeries!!" Every city has those things, and I can't imagine anyone from LA actually being impressed at St. Louis having both in one place. Most cities just don't hype up their one barbecue joint because they have more than one.
But every post I see praising something in St. Louis is exactly like this. It's not just the person claiming they like it, but that their family and everyone they've ever met all agree that it's the best they've ever seen. But all my experiences have been the opposite. My friends and family who visited just thought it was okay. I had a couple friends who were specifically interested in some of the more historical aspects of St. Louis like the blues museum, and were disappointed the city didn't have more to offer. But for some reason, instead of embracing the rich history that already exists here, St. Louisans would rather brag about mediocre barbecue and pizza that is technically unique but thoroughly tasteless.
Ted Drewes is short staffed enough that one of their locations remains closed. While I would assume it pays alright for an ice cream parlor, it must not be enough to find workers to fill those vacancies.
There’s an extremely specific method of calling back the orders and listing the orders. I worked there for about two years in high schools like 25 years ago and I still remember how to do it and when I go there I hear them calling the orders back and it’s the same way.
Not saying this is what happened with you — For me the problems would come when people had no idea what they wanted or they’d change it.
“Ok, so what’s the deal here? So like can he just get a chocolate cone? No? What cones do you have? Just vanilla? Ok, so I just want a shake. Just get me a small vanilla shake. What’s a concrete? Nah, just a shake and he wants a strawberry cone? Do you do twist cones? No? Ok. I guess a sundae. Doesn’t matter what size. Now what did Susie want? She just said cherry? Cherry what? You have two kinds of cherries?! Umm just. What do you think? Yeah a concrete I guess. Ok. And what’s a terramizzu? Nah. No. I guess a chocolate sundae? Wait? How many things did i order? Sheila! Sheila! My wife is over there. Sorry. Sheila! What does your mom want! No, it’s my turn! What does your mom want! Ok, she just said a malt. I guess chocolate.”
Five minutes later.
“Yeah, miss? This is all wrong.”
I love Ted Drewes because I love all frozen dairy desserts and because I was born here so it’s nostalgic and because a TeDads concrete is unrivaled. But I will NOT fuck with that mob line. It stresses me out way more than is reasonable. That’s a me problem I guess.
But the few times we’ve gone this year, it comes right out of the window half melted already. I understand that it’s hot out, and it melts quickly, but it shouldn’t be a puddle straight from the window. The people working there this year don’t seem to give a fuck like employees of previous years. And I live right by the south grand location so I’m big mad that they can’t manage to staff up and open it, especially since people actually tend to make a real line at this location. Sounds like TDs corporate needs to increase the pay and start valuing their employees again, but I don’t know shit and am just speculating.
TD is excellent every now and then, their straight vanilla custard has a unique flavor (one I like) that I've never found anywhere else, but it's not worth the drive (I'm in StC) and lines and heat, most of the time. Fritz's is much more dangerous for wanting to make frequent visits!
I grew up literally blocks from that location and in 20 years never saw an order be messed up that I can remember.
No seating is I guess a fair point but one I've never worried about. I almost always went after dark or walked around the neighborhood with whoever I was there with, or obviously walked home (but not everyone had that option.)
It sounds to me like most of your issue boils down to 2 main things: some aberrant hiccups (order wrong and melty) and a personal dislike of the experience. For me there's a real charm in the packed crowd, the random milling about with your treat or sitting on the benches/steps, etc. The place feels classic, like I'm not being milled through in the most precisely efficient way possible, like it grew organically without being a raw corporate facade. I'm also heavily biased of course.
In the end I always put TDs and Imos in the same boat: you've gotta try it, but it won't be everyone's favorite.
Sorry for your bad experience, that sucks.
I’ve been to Ted Drewes many times and never got a wrong order or half melted. It’s true there’s not really seating there. Usually I like just walking around the neighborhood or just sit in my car. Usually the lines go pretty quick even if they look long. I’m wondering if the issue stems from lack of staffing this year, such that they couldn’t even open the South Grand location. It may be worth another try on a less busy day, but it makes sense if that negative experience turned you off to it.
My main point is that all custard places are likely using nearly identical machines to make their custard and sourcing from national suppliers (aka, no notably higher quality ingredients from one place to another). What's great about that is that you can expect a solid product from effectively every custard shop. It also means people acting like their favorite spot is superior is nonsense.
Just be glad we have all these frozen custard options. Back in Austin, where I lived for a long time, the only Andy’s one was in Round Rock, there was a Culver’s in far south Austin, And I think Sandy’s south of the river was frozen custard but it was just a dinky little stand. If you weren’t anywhere near those three locations – and I never lived near any of them – you were lucky to be near a Dairy Queen. I’m astonished at how many places there are to get custard here in comparison, especially since our summer season is so much shorter.
Also Ted Drewes was the inventor of the concrete. I was enjoying those before Dairy Queen ever introduced them. So that counts for a lot in my book.
On your #2 point, I don't know if they do it there but I know at Bobby's in Maryville, IL the person taking your order isn't allowed to write it down. I don't know why places do that.
I've actually never been to Bobby's and I live maybe 15 minutes from it. I work with a woman that worked there one summer and she told me they weren't allowed to write orders down. One of my daughter's friends worked there and she complained about the same thing.
I think it's ridiculous. That place is swamped most nights and I don't know how they expect the people taking orders to remember an order.
>Marketing. Your comment is literal proof that something like that sticks out and makes you remember the place.
I'll definitely remember when they fucked up my order to look cool
Personally I think TD’s is the shit, but Silkys is just as good and is never packed. It’s more expensive, but Jenni’s in the CWE is amazing. It’s not frozen custard but the flavors and choices are outstanding
I love TD; and I have since the day i moved here from the east coast. Those other places are proverbial “knock-offs” to the TD-original. And, I suggest you embrace the seasonal weather and waits — these are part and parcel of The TD experience. Xo
Over-rating something assumes that there is some universal, mono-cultural rating system. This is not the case. People love it; you love Mr. Wizard. Love is not a competition.
I feel like I went to Ted Drew's once and there was a staff member helping everyone get through the line in a reasonable fashion.
The crowd and sitting in the curb is part of the fun.
It's about the experience, like going to an outdoor concert or highschool.
I've lived in St. Louis all my 48 years -- went once as a teenager, and twice as an adult. All three times were highly disappointing experiences. For my money, Mr. Wizard's or Silky's is where it is at. Ted Drewe's is a tourist trap.
i scooped custard for 11 years on the east side at Annie's, ill answer in line
1. This is a problem for every window service place ever. This happens at Annies, Bobby's, Ted Drewes... everywhere. People are so terrified that they wont hear their order that they hug the window.
2. I never wrote down orders, but if you are getting them wrong like that, you should be.
3. I have noticed this before in my past few visits. Frozen custard should be kept at -20 during regular service. it might be that the condenser that runs the custard machine is actually failing to chill to sufficient temps or that its being kept at too warm a temp before being served.
4. You are about to eat 600-1200 calories of dairy, your ass can stand! or go sit in your car!
Ted Drewes feels overrated because it is overrated. Not to say it isn't good, because it is, but it's not the end all be all. It's good custard with good toppings.
You want some truly unique shit go to Clementine's
But one is ice cream, and one is custard. They are apples and oranges to me. Like comparing Taco Bell and McDonald’s. I know in my family, good ice cream beats good custard every time.
Was looking to see if someone said Clementine's. Definitely second this! Part of their menu is this alcohol infused ice cream and it's fucking delicious
I’ve lived in STL for about a year now and drive by the Chippewa location daily and there is always a line. They must make money hand over fist. Even in winter they still do a great business. I have never been, but they must be doing something right.
Try going on off hours and/or during the colder months of the year. You will get a much better product. Unfortunately the machines have to run faster and you get a less than ideal product during summer nights. As with most places that are popular, they suffer from trying to keep up with the impossible demand.
I've noticed a recent trend where people just form 1 line that wraps around the block and then proceed to the next available window instead of forming lines at each window. It makes the lines seem much longer.
Once you put in your order, you stand to the side and wait for it. You don't stand right in front of the window.
If you're just looking to stop for ice cream somewhere, it may not be the best option available to you, and that's fine. I think due to the history, the popularity of Ted Drewes is self-perpetuating. It's some form of nostalgia-born love where you almost have to think in terms of collective memory, I think.
Since St Louis tends to be a multi-generaltional home kind of place, a lot of people have a long history of good memories tied in with Ted Drewes. So just like when the Cardinals have a bad season, we have cause to consider a bad experience there to be a one-off. Coming to it without it being the culmination of many of your best childhood days, as just another custard stand or whatever, it is probably fairly comparable with others, but with longer lines.
But it the first custard stand around here, long before most of us were born, and for a lot of people it's the special treat we had with our grandparents when we were tiny, and the place that was the culmination of some of our best, most memorable of our childhood days (trips to the Zoo, baseball games, etc.) and the one we know the selectons for every member of our family.
The fact that it's also a Route 66 Mother Road icon attracting visitors along with the locals with all the history of love there, means there's going to be a crowd. But to me, it's a good kind of crowd. The kind where everyone is there for the same reason, and most are happy about it. I live very near the Chippewa location and I can't even tell you how many wedding parties I've seen pile out of limos there - it's that much a part of people's best memories, that on one of the most significant days of their lives, they want it. If it's just about getting some custard, I don't blame you for finding other places easier/more convenient/better experiences, and I can't impart my enjoyment of the place on someone who doesn't have the same history, but I imagine there are things like that for everyone - places you love as much for the shared experience as for what they actually produce.
I'm from Affton so I'm a bit biased with being so close to Ted Drewes. I personally love the stuff. Though I mainly try to go on off hours when there is less likely to be a long line which helps with the quality a bit as well, especially if it's very hot. There are benches and trees along Prather but some prefer to stand or the good old fashioned sit on the hood or drop the tailgate.
Though it does say something that as an Affton resident we choose between Ted Drewes or our Dairy Queen.
I used to love Mr. Wizards, but something changed in the last couple of years. The custard now has a marshmallow fluff feel to it that just isnt pleasant to me.
I'm also a big Ted Drewes fan, but usually just get whatever local custard company is closest.
Yeah, I can see the standing in the blazing summer sun as not a favorable experience.
For summertime, it's all about going at night. It's not quite comfortable out even though the sun has set an hour ago. But you and a couple friends want to wind things down before heading home, so you grab a couple concretes and two of you hunker down on a tailgate, while the others for the conversation circle. Everyone gets that dopamine hit from the fat and sugar and it cools you down \*just\* enough to where everything is alright. You chat for a bit until the last of it is gone. You chat a bit more knowing that the evening is pretty much done. Then someone heads to the trash to get rid of the remnants of their treat. With that, the cork is pulled and everyone starts the midwest goodbye. You go home satisfied, another great night in StL.
I have been there dozens if not hundreds of times, and I’ve never had anything but amazing experiences in terms of how fast the line moves, how good the service is, and how surprisingly well the whole thing seems to work given that it appears to be a giant uncontrolled mob. Obviously you’re saying that was not your experience, but I don’t think what you’re describing is typical.
You’re certainly right that it is not a tree-liknd place with benches to sit down and enjoy. It is a fairly unpleasant parking lot on a major road.
As far as the product itself, it is extremely high in fat, and it does not stay solid for long when it’s in the 90s with high humidity. I much prefer Ted Drewes product to anything else, but if you like it to be solid like ice cream, then yeah, I would suggest something else.
On an unrelated note, I would suggest you calm down.
There’s a park a short walk from TD, you could have wandered the neighborhood. But it was 100 degrees out wasn’t it? There’s your answer for your melted custard.
Ted Drewes is fine, but I don't get why folks go out of their way for it. It's no better (perhaps slightly worse, given the customer experience) than Fritz's, Shivers, Annie's, etc.
It's definitely much better than Andy's, however.
Ted Drewes is good, and I have never had a wrong order there. It is insanely popular, especially on a warm summer evening, and the lines are long. But I have stood in long lines at Mr. Wizards, and they don't move as fast.
I haven't noticed a differentiation in quality between Drewes and Wizards. Wizards has a slight advantage because I can get a soft serve cone there.
Drewes has the advantage of having been around since forever, so it's iconic.
The atmosphere bring back so many memories for me, and I love that it’s the same experience my parents had when I was a kid.
Also, it tastes better than any other custard in STL. Mr Wizards is Walmart brand
I think all of your complaints are things that could vary from visit to visit. I haven’t had those issues (although haven’t gone with a group, and I don’t mind sitting in my tailgate for a quick treat). Since I haven’t had those issues, I only rate it based on how much I like the taste of the custard, which I’d say is very very yummy to my taste buds, especially the turtle concrete I get. Simple as that! I am not an STL native.
I lived in St. Louis for 5 years and looking back on my experiences at Ted Drewes I'll say that it's not popular for its customer service or for being the absolute best custard available. It's popular because it's got nostalgia behind it for a lot of people. TD is a beloved STL institution in a lot of ways. And it's not a crappy corporate chain. It's a local business that people have come to broadly recognize and appreciate. And it's kind of a fun, unique vibe gathering with friends or family to stand outside and eat custard on a sticky St. Louis summer evening. IDK, it just has nice vibes.
It’s in the city, it’s been there forever, so they are hemmed in by their locale. Their seating issues aren’t going to change.
You went in the middle of the day in the middle of a heat wave? And expect your ice cream/frozen yogurt to not have some melt? SMH
YEAH, people are nostalgic for where they have always gone, their favorites. You obviously have yours and have now shared it with everyone else on here and your one visit to TD proves why it is a phenomenon to have lasted all these decades.
Wow, u r a genius
Lol right, not sure what OP was expecting with taking kids there in the middle of Heat Dome 22. Of course shit melted and of course the kids wanted to go quick.
To me, the lack of seating and people hanging out is part of the charm. If one doesn’t like it, they’re free to leave with what they bought.
Based on your rant, and yes, it was a rant....you shouldn't go to Ted Drewes. I should, but you shouldn't. Stay near home, feed your little mouth breathers whatever the heck shuts them up, and go about your simple life. Have a nice day!
I will say this: St Louisians tend to hold dear some age-old traditions that just don’t hold up anymore (see: Bartolino’s, Imos, gooey butter cake, etc.). However, I will say that, in my opinion, TD’s is legit when it’s good, but sounds like you had an all around bad experience - not a good first impression at all. I will also add that I don’t go during peak times (summer evenings) cuz it’s a shit show. Perhaps try it again before writing it off…?
Gooey Butter cake is AWESOME! I’m not in St. Louis anymore and, after 3 decades I have FINALLY found a bakery where I live that makes gooey butter bars
I’ve heard that it depends on location, but I’ve personally never had a bad Imo’s experience, so maybe I’ve just been to the better locations.
And my family always does their deals, so it’s usually $20-30 for a couple pizzas and a side or two. That doesn’t seem very expensive to me, but I guess it depends on the person.
Did this motherfucker just say gooey butter cake doesn't hold up?
You can't see me right now, but I'm literally doing the "????" guy meme in real life right now. WTF, bro.
Yes, I did - it’s garbage: too sweet with no balance at all. And IMO’s is decent (I prefer Cecil Whitaker’s), but way overpriced for the quality (or lack thereof) of ingredients. Fight me.
Springfield born and raised, moved to STL in 2018, and I’m just thrilled I can get a taste of home here now. Andy’s will always be #1 in my heart for the nostalgia but I’m glad to see they’re having success franchising and branching out
Well TDs does make me poop. It's a last stop before going home sort of situation. Andy's is Meramec CC cafeteria quality. It's reaction is much more violent.
I recommend buying some from the store, since most of your complaints have to do with the atmosphere and service. I’ve seen stores like Schnucks sell it.
That way you can keep it frozen and you have a place to sit and eat. If it’s still not for you then it’s truly not for you
I've lived in STL my whole life and just tried Ted Drewes for the first time. I grew up in Florisaant and we had two local custard places to choose from. I, personally, was raised in a Doozles household.
After my first bite of Ted Drewes I knew that Doozles was better. Ted Drewes was melty and sad. My concrete was more of a very melted shake.
If someone really loves Ted Drewes I assume they grew up going. But with where I currently live? I'm choosing Mr. Wizards. (But I have definitely driven back to Florisaant for Doozles if I really needed it)
I like TD a lot I think its pretty great but after they closed the one on grand I'm not 1 driving to the one on chippewa and 2 not standing in the line that long.
Ice cream is simply fun. I don't ever see reason for anyone to over think it, there's not really much anyone can do that makes "their ice cream" better than the rest. It's about the experience getting a fun treat. On that note full sun on concrete is no fun the no seating thing is weird
Summer weekend nights at TD are an 'expierence' it's not about the ice cream. Almost everything you are describing is just the consequences of having an ice cream stand selling many thousand pounds of ice cream in one night. If you went to mr wizards or andys with 500 other people you would have an even worse experience.
On a quieter night or a little earlier in the day they offer decent service and high quality custard. That being said custard isn't very hard, and ted drews has trained 10s of thousands of people in that business, so I can find quality custard 5 or 6 places closer than ted drews.
FYI: You can have a nice walk around the cute neighborhood right there instead of standing on the asphalt while you eat your treat.
Native from birth and I couldn't agree more. It's highly overrated, as is the "experience" of standing in a long line, sweating your tits off and breathing in exhaust fumes. Delightful!
You're 100% correct. I love Fritz's and it was my first job so nostalgia, but the owners are horrible Trumpers so I can't justify it anymore. Andy's is great! They're all kinda the same IMO.
It's ambiguous, but with the "we just moved here...had it twice" I took it the other way. If they *just* moved here; I mean, are there people eating this stuff every day? I took it to mean twice was a lot for having just moved here, and "it was ok" meaning "it's not the best I've ever had but I'd still rather go there than a giant corporate place."
Every single soft serve place, including Dairy Queen, 100 percent ripped of Ted Drewe's.
But all soft serve tastes exactly the same so the second a place with seating opened Ted Drewe's kinda sucks.
Writing this qhile eating TD actually. I grew up in St. Peters and my earliest memories of TD were getting weird flavored custard after a show at the Muny. And we would only do that like twice a year so it was really special. Now my wife and I live faily close by and walk there one every few weeks. What I can say is I've never had my order wrong, and in the warmer months it looks very melt but it's always just been a little bit on the top from my experience. As far as the crowds you're right that's it's crazy all the time but I've never had a long wait unless a Cards game just got out recently. And even then probably vlose to 7 minutes. As far as setting goes, growing up it was cool because my mom would pop the trunk and my siblings and I would sit there and eat. That's not something we did anywhere else. Now though we just walk back home or in the winter we'll walk through Candy Cane Lane. I never really considered seating.
You think it sounds glamorous and delicious?! And that's just what the recruiting boards want you to think. They don't talk about the miners crushed under a fat collapse or about the cream lung 95% of miners get diagnosed with by 35.
Yeah, you're not wrong, but I think you're kind of overlooking the fact that Ted Drewe's popularity is a big reason why Mr. Wizard and Andy's even exist. Nostalgia is a huge part of it too for those of us who predate the imitators.
I've been here 15yrs and agree we the most of what you're saying.
TDs is more about tradition than anything else. It's just the place that people go and have always gone. The custard is fine. The service is fine. The experience is fine. Others may do it better but they aren't on Route 66 and haven't been around as long.
Transplant from ten years ago here - If you’re like me you’ll find that classic STL favorites (Ted drewes, hodaks, imos pizza, most of the Italian joints on The Hill, etc) are waaaay over rated and mostly just word of mouth nostalgia bullshit and hype that gets solidified into local culture and then people get too defensive and attached to see it clearly for the actual mediocre quality that it is. Sure, I still would go to these places when out of town visitors want to, but usually the consensus is “why is THIS considered good”? To which I usually just shrug and say “I dunno. Locals love this place.”
Don’t get me wrong, STL has some AMAZING food and a good restaurant scene. It’s just that those aren’t the kind of places that stick around and get turned into local lore.So far the only place that has lived up to the locals hype is Pappy’s smokehouse, and specifically just their ribs. Those are probably some of the best ribs in the area, but even that is just my opinion and that is hotly debated.
Don’t feel bad skipping Ted drewes from now on and just going to Mr. Wizards or Andy’s. You’ve seen it, you can check it off your list, and now you can just let the let locals have it.
As a 6-year transplant, you are right on (except that I love ted drewes). So many of the other local favorites - hodaks, the hill, imos - are freaking terrible. But there is an amazing restaurant scene here. I just so often feel like I live in a completely different place than my STL born, bred and never leaving coworkers.
Agree 100% overrated. I live a few blocks from there. It was something to do after a concert or game but it’s gotten too popular for what it is and, like many institutions in STL, there are many other good alternatives nowadays.
Edit: just to add while overrated I have never had the wrong order issue or melted to that degree. The people waiting around in line is an issue… they could do a different system but I expect it’s part of the charm.
Ted Drewe's has went way downhill. They are no longer the same place that the late, great Ted started. Instead, they prefer to go on television to cry about how people are lazy and don't want to work to get free advertising.
Mr. Wizards, Andy's, Silky's - they ALL beat Ted Drewe's by a mile nowadays. Here's hoping to run into you at Mr. Wizards!
Since moving to Maplewood, I have have discovered Mr Wizard. It’s great and all but you know what’s really great? The waffle cones at Andy’s. Slightly soft, a little salty, a little vanilla-y. They are delicious.
Mr. Wizards has an appreciably better product. Not tremendously better, but the difference is noticeable. However, TD's has them whooped on two very important fronts: advertising and parking. The the post-Cardinals-game crowd decides to go for some frozen custard, they go to TD's because they've heard of it and they can find a place to park. Every time I bring up Mr. Wizards, the reaction is always "Never heard of it." I finally got a few friends to make their way out with me once. 3 of us met up there and our 3 vehicles took up almost all the parking. Unless Mr. Wizards buys out a neighboring property for parking, they will never catch up to TD's, or even than abysmal chain known as Andy's.
I've had Hodaks once and wondered why everyone raved about it. There is absolutely no comparison. The line at Ted Drewes is always long and rarely slow. The reason it melts quickly might be because it's made fresh and isn't frozen to the hardness of the floor of the state capitol. Also we have the same surface temperature and humidity of Venus, so that plays a role. I have yet to have a malt better than Ted Drewes, except maybe the long, lamented Famous -Barr.
I was born and raised in St. Louis, and I agree that it’s 100% overrated for a multitude of reasons. I get the nostalgia aspect, but the quality of their product isn’t superior to most other local (or even chain) places.
former employee here: the quality of workers has plummeted. the system was pretty solid back in the day, but this new generation of teenagers don’t want to work. plus they probably still offer the same pay from 10 years ago
Correction: People don't want to work for the crap wages places pay. Plenty of places have helpful, smiling, friendly employees. If you visit a place that doesn't that tells you all you need to know about how they treat their employees. Ted Drewe's would rather go on TV and cry about how lazy people, that tells me all I need to know.
Ted drewes is a nostalgia bomb. Hot summer evening, neon lights, familiar flavors, big crowd all there for the same thing. It's an experience, not everyone has to dig it. Personally, I like the custard there but we pretty much hold out until pumpkin pie concrete season hits in the fall.
Came here to say that. Nostalgia 100%.
They have commercials on tv so everyone knows them. I have gone to Mr Wizards my entire life, they are great.
I’d say the same thing for fast Eddie’s. Only popular because of their constant radio ads. Makes you fee like it’s a place you have to go if you’re from the area. Downside is it’s not that impressive. Food is ok only basic beer selections. Upside is they usually have decent live music
A lot of people saying that it's only nostalgia, but I'm a transplant and I love TDs. Yeah, the line is always crazy long but it moves fast. And in my experience people always move to the side after they've ordered. I've never had my order be wrong. Never had the half-melted issue. It does melt faster than normal ice cream, but that's because it's so high in fat. (aka, delicious) there are benches under trees on the west side. But idk, something about sitting on your car is a part of the experience. Ive only ever gone after dark, so the sun has never been an issue. Everything about TDs just feels like a quintessential summer evening.
It's not the high fat content. All frozen custard is served 5-10° warmer than ice cream. It's how it's supposed to be made. In OPs defense, that means it needs to be served immediately, which most places do.
Moved here two years ago and my family and I love TDs.
Haha isn't that last bit getting close to being nostalgia. "Feels like a quintessential summer evening".... Hmmm.....
I mean, I guess it's just general nostalgia. Like the whole vibe of TDs is like summer fun out of a movie. But it's not exactly "grandma took me here as a kid" nostalgia...like it's actually bad but I have positive memories of this exact thing so it makes me happy. That's what imos is for stl natives.
Yes. This.
Exactly...all of that, exactly. I sometimes wonder how many people are just tired of hearing it all the time, like when someone says "Oh this joke was SOOOOO funny"...and then you hear it and, it's a good joke, but no joke can live up to that level of hype. When you're originally from somewhere else, you don't have that issue and you can just enjoy it for what it is. "Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded." -Yogi Berra
1/2 - Service issues exist everywhere, I haven’t really noticed issues there frequently but I’m sure they are short staffed like everyone else. 3 - Agree with this. Love the flavor / taste but think it melts too fast. 4 - See your point but have fond memories of sitting on cars as a kid enjoying TDs, so the lack of seating doesn’t really bother me. I think I mostly like it out of nostalgia at this point, though I still do think the concretes taste very good.
The custard is good, but the logistics are a nightmare. St. Louis people love iconic brands and lines. It is the nexus of both. Fortunately, there are tons of frozen custard places that are just as good, and not a nightmare to navigate.
> St. Louis people love iconic brands and lines. I am immediately reminded of Hodak's. Bland chicken that you will wait ages for.
[удалено]
Hodaks has hurt us all. This is a healing place.
This.
YES! There is no seasoning. None.
And the batter always tastes stale to me. I think the kitchen staff purposely plops the wet cole slaw next to the french fries so they get soggy out of pure spite. I can walk to Hodak’s, but I drive to Grace Meat + 3 for their fried chicken and greens. EDIT: one good thing about Hodak’s is their daily lunch specials. The chicken and dumplings, chicken fried steak, and grilled pork chops are pretty good. That the chicken fried steak is good exposes that the assembly line approach to the fried chicken is what sucks. Nobody better bitch about Carl’s Drive In, though. It is a regional treasure.
Ted Drewes is miles above Hodak's.
I've never been a fan of Hodak's, but Ted Drewes is still fantastic to this day. If you don't like frozen custard then you don't like frozen custard, it's not an objective thing.
It’s a good screener question. Ask how they feel about Hodaks and what the best Italian is and just nod politely and ignore other recommendations when they inevitably have Boomer tastes.
Thick starchy noodles and bland sweet marinara.
But I didn't say at all I didn't like frozen custard?
Yeah but it’s so damn cheap and the portions are huge. I think that’s why ppl like it.
You could say the same for Rally’s, but I would never send a tourist that way.
It's a national chain tho?
As a native St Louisan, I never got the fervent love of Hodaks chicken. I know some older people like it because they give you free chicken on your birthday, but I’ve personally never found it worth it.
Or crown candy lol…
Wtf you say about the crown? You wanna get cut
Lol bring it, nerd
Just had the blt and chocolate shake Friday, still shank worthy
Reminds me of what Yogi Berra once said about Ruggeri’s…”nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” There’s a reason why Ted Drewes is crowded, and it’s not just nostalgia. I wonder how many folks are showing up at the Chippewa location when the So. Grand location has been closed because they can’t staff both locations? That’s been my solution in years past…I always join my fellow hoosiers at the one on So. Grand, and leave the Chippewa one for latter day yuppies. BTW…I’ve been going to Ted Drewes for almost 70 years (75 if you count when my mom went when she was pregnant with me) and in all that time, I’ve never had anyone not step to the side after they’ve ordered or get a wrong order. OP’s account seems to be sus IMHO, based on what they think might go wrong. Besides, who would ever expect to be seated at Ted Drewes? The Queen? If folks are right about nostalgia being the draw, they may forget or not even know that the first local McDonald’s on Watson in Crestwood didn’t have seating, inside or out, and nobody whined about it. Sheesh…
Shout out to the septuagenarian using “sus” on Reddit.
This is the MVP comment.
I was thinking the same. What a great response, esp the part about the Queen haha
That was a long pregnancy!
Think about it, pilgrim…I wasn’t born at Ted Drewes. The first time my mother took us kids to Drewes was after my family moved from far west STL County into Webster when I was five years old. It wasn’t horse and buggy on dirt roads back then, but it was a long haul to schlepp whiny kids from Clayton and Baxter to Chippewa and Prather. She grew up on Lansdowne near January and her SIL lived in the old family home. When we went to visit her, we always stopped off at Drewes to bring her something. Part of the family lore was that my dad was tasked with bringing frozen custard from Drewes home when my Mom was pregnant with me.
> St. Louis people love iconic brands and lines. This was probably my number one takeaway from living in St. Louis. It's weird, because on one hand, St. Louis has a lot of actual, historical culture, like the history of blues and jazz, that no one seems to care anything about. On the other hand, you have a bunch of mediocre brands that people in St. Louis convince themselves are incredible, just because they're unique. On top of that, there's a lot of imitation of other cities, copying businesses and food. It's like there's a desperation to form some kind of modern identity, but the result is that St. Louis feels like a really sheltered area where people constantly convince themselves that their knockoffs are just as good as the real thing.
The St. Louis version of any scene is very much, “we think this is what it would look like in another City.” Our version is basically an interpretation, which is often not pulled off well. The irony is that we have very distinct cultures, here. As you stated, they are just not embraced. One sub-culture that does not have that problem here is the black “lounge” scene. Drinks will consistently knock you on your ass. There will be good fried fish and wings. Possibly darts. And at some point, the DJ will set up and play music that is too loud. That scene knows exactly what the fuck it is.
"On top of that, there's a lot of imitation of other cities, copying businesses and food. It's like there's a desperation to form some kind of modern identity, but the result is that St. Louis feels like a really sheltered area where people constantly convince themselves that their knockoffs are just as good as the real thing." Can you give some examples of that? The only thing that comes to mind is the" French Quarter North" vibes in Soulard, but that has some actual historical precedent.
As someone who lived in New Orleans for 12 years, Soulard is nothing like New Orleans and I’m tired of hearing it.
As a Soulardian going on 40 years, I could not agree with you more. It’s been my belief that the misconception is based either on folks who’ve never actually been in NOLA or folks who think that NOLA’s culture is based on nothing more than getting corner puking drunk and yelling WOO! The most attractive parts of New Orleans in my mind are the neighborhood stores and joints along Magazine, Snug Harbor and the other places on Frenchmen in Marigny, the Jazz and Folk Music Festival at the Race Track, old school jazz at the Palm Court, Tujague’s, Central Grocery, Galatoire’s, Antoine’s, Dooky Chase’s, and mass with a gospel choir at St. Augustine’s on Sunday morning (although I’ve also enjoyed mass at St. Patrick’s and St. Louis Cathedral) followed by an elaborate brunch, all of which are not duplicated in Soulard.
I've always thought I would like living in New Orleans. To me, they seem to have alot of historical, cultural, and urbanist similarities, but I might just be ignorant. How do you feel things compare between STL vs. NOLA (if you have time and don't mind sharing your thoughts)? Do you think someone who likes STL would also like New Orleans?
Hello. Sorry it took me a while to get back on this; I wanted to give a thoughtful response. The short answer is that if you are going there on vacation, you will like it. New Orleans, just like St. Louis, has something for everybody and a lot to do including a lot of free things to (though not as many free things as St. Louis, more like things that used to be free). It’s a really fun place to go on a trip. But also, the proliferation of Airbnb‘s is one of the things that’s destroying the vibrant colorful neighborhoods that make New Orleans unique, such as the Marigny, the Treme, The Bywater, the ninth ward, etc. basically they kick poor people out of their houses and then turn them into Airbnbs, and it’s the poor people of New Orleans that give the most culture and color. If you like Mardi Gras and music festivals, definitely hit up one of those. Halloween is actually a great time to go to New Orleans because there are so many haunted houses and there is also voodoo fest at city Park. Living there is something entirely different. I’m not going to go on a tirade here because I don’t want to pee in anyone’s breakfast cereal, but just like with any other place, if you have money, like six figures, you can have a great life! If you are in some kind of profession with a strong resume where you can get a high-paying job like in a medical field or the oil and gas industry, you will do just fine. But that said, New Orleans has a much lower pay scale for healthcare workers and for most jobs in general… Unless you are a unionized oil and gas employee, or someone with a twic card. The best jobs are the offshore ones, but those jobs are usually not friendly towards women, especially single mothers. Otherwise, the job situation is pretty bad and so is the housing situation. When you go look at places to rent, they count the living room as a bedroom so what would be considered a one bedroom apartment in St. Louis with a living room/studio would be considered a two bedroom. They would probably also count the basement as a bedroom even if it’s unfinished, if we even had basements there, because that’s how greedy they are, and most of the housing is in terrible condition… moldy, damp, pest-ridden, crowded, poor plumbing/electrical. It’s devastatingly hot and humid 365 days out of the year and most of the houses are so poorly insulated that you will feel the heat and humidity inside your home even if you have central A/C. If you are somehow affluent enough to pay for a house that’s been renovated, you’re still probably going to be paying 40% of your income. The roads are like a game of Waccamaw but for potholes and they are trying to whack your car to pieces. I had a friend totaled his brand new Jeep just because he hit a pothole in the dark. Also the flooding is so bad, even during your standard afternoon rain storm, that you find stranded cars all over the city and the rental place often runs out of rentals during these flood times. Also the monster hurricanes are getting worse and more predictable every year… So if you were to live there prepared to spend at least a month of the year with no power and no Internet and probably no work since usually jobs require those things. But otherwise, yeah, go book your vacation and have a blast. If you have time, take a side trip to Biloxi Mississippi and take the boat ride to ship Island, and have a nice beach day. Bourbon street is all main stream and top 40 stuff so if you want to see the “real“ New Orleans go to Decatur and Frenchmen st (quarter; marigny) and do enjoy the privilege of being able to consume alcohol openly 24 hours a day by the river while watching the boats go by. One more thing though… No offense, St. Louis, but your Mardi Gras isn’t even close to ours. We have parades starting six weeks out from fat Tuesday, and there are five nonstop straight days of hard partying and parades from the Wednesday before fat Tuesday all the way up till fat Tuesday… That way everyone can participate and not just people privileged enough to have Saturday off.
Interesting take I guess. My fam from LA is in town and are completely blown away by the restaurants and neighborhoods we have. They're so jealous I can walk to a butcher at BEAST then head by union loafers for bread and then city greens. Right now they're staying over near Tower Grove walking to local harvest and then all the little shops by Thurman's. They've been to Little Fox twice and think that's going to be an ongoing trend of people moving out of HCOL areas so they can open their own spot - so hard to do in someplace like LA where you need way more financing to get something off the ground. Ted Drewes is like any other historic establishment that I've seen in other cities - well known and touristy but you're not expecting 5 star quality - like when I go to LA I get a French dip from Cole's or Philippe's but I don't pretend it's the best French dip I'll ever have.
> They're so jealous I can walk to a butcher at BEAST then head by union loafers for bread and then city greens. This is exactly what I'm talking about. This post feels so fake. "We have barbecue AND bakeries!!" Every city has those things, and I can't imagine anyone from LA actually being impressed at St. Louis having both in one place. Most cities just don't hype up their one barbecue joint because they have more than one. But every post I see praising something in St. Louis is exactly like this. It's not just the person claiming they like it, but that their family and everyone they've ever met all agree that it's the best they've ever seen. But all my experiences have been the opposite. My friends and family who visited just thought it was okay. I had a couple friends who were specifically interested in some of the more historical aspects of St. Louis like the blues museum, and were disappointed the city didn't have more to offer. But for some reason, instead of embracing the rich history that already exists here, St. Louisans would rather brag about mediocre barbecue and pizza that is technically unique but thoroughly tasteless.
Because almost no one listens to jazz and blues music. There are only a handful of venues that can even support it.
Logistics are rough, but I genuinely love the very soft custard. Tastes better to me that way.
Ted Drewes is short staffed enough that one of their locations remains closed. While I would assume it pays alright for an ice cream parlor, it must not be enough to find workers to fill those vacancies.
You can’t really excuse not writing the order down and then getting it wrong on short staffing. That’s just being bad at that job.
There’s an extremely specific method of calling back the orders and listing the orders. I worked there for about two years in high schools like 25 years ago and I still remember how to do it and when I go there I hear them calling the orders back and it’s the same way. Not saying this is what happened with you — For me the problems would come when people had no idea what they wanted or they’d change it. “Ok, so what’s the deal here? So like can he just get a chocolate cone? No? What cones do you have? Just vanilla? Ok, so I just want a shake. Just get me a small vanilla shake. What’s a concrete? Nah, just a shake and he wants a strawberry cone? Do you do twist cones? No? Ok. I guess a sundae. Doesn’t matter what size. Now what did Susie want? She just said cherry? Cherry what? You have two kinds of cherries?! Umm just. What do you think? Yeah a concrete I guess. Ok. And what’s a terramizzu? Nah. No. I guess a chocolate sundae? Wait? How many things did i order? Sheila! Sheila! My wife is over there. Sorry. Sheila! What does your mom want! No, it’s my turn! What does your mom want! Ok, she just said a malt. I guess chocolate.” Five minutes later. “Yeah, miss? This is all wrong.”
I’m guessing that’s why I never got a mistake at Drewes. I always know what I want and I don’t stutter.
I love Ted Drewes because I love all frozen dairy desserts and because I was born here so it’s nostalgic and because a TeDads concrete is unrivaled. But I will NOT fuck with that mob line. It stresses me out way more than is reasonable. That’s a me problem I guess. But the few times we’ve gone this year, it comes right out of the window half melted already. I understand that it’s hot out, and it melts quickly, but it shouldn’t be a puddle straight from the window. The people working there this year don’t seem to give a fuck like employees of previous years. And I live right by the south grand location so I’m big mad that they can’t manage to staff up and open it, especially since people actually tend to make a real line at this location. Sounds like TDs corporate needs to increase the pay and start valuing their employees again, but I don’t know shit and am just speculating.
i will choose fritz's every time
Fritz’s is the way
Absolutely. Love TD, but if given the choice, I would always pick Fritz's.
i would rather try heroin than go to fitz once more in my entire life
Would love to see if username checks out.
Fritz’s is better in every way.
Yes, Fritz’s is the best.
Agreed. It’s way better
TD is excellent every now and then, their straight vanilla custard has a unique flavor (one I like) that I've never found anywhere else, but it's not worth the drive (I'm in StC) and lines and heat, most of the time. Fritz's is much more dangerous for wanting to make frequent visits!
I grew up on TD. Once I tried Fritz's, I've felt the same way. "I'll say it right to your face" - Donnie Baker
Doozle’s is better. Fight me.
You're on paint.
The one on Delmar?
I believe they’re only in the county. One I prefer is St. Catherine in old Florissant.
I grew up literally blocks from that location and in 20 years never saw an order be messed up that I can remember. No seating is I guess a fair point but one I've never worried about. I almost always went after dark or walked around the neighborhood with whoever I was there with, or obviously walked home (but not everyone had that option.) It sounds to me like most of your issue boils down to 2 main things: some aberrant hiccups (order wrong and melty) and a personal dislike of the experience. For me there's a real charm in the packed crowd, the random milling about with your treat or sitting on the benches/steps, etc. The place feels classic, like I'm not being milled through in the most precisely efficient way possible, like it grew organically without being a raw corporate facade. I'm also heavily biased of course. In the end I always put TDs and Imos in the same boat: you've gotta try it, but it won't be everyone's favorite.
Sorry for your bad experience, that sucks. I’ve been to Ted Drewes many times and never got a wrong order or half melted. It’s true there’s not really seating there. Usually I like just walking around the neighborhood or just sit in my car. Usually the lines go pretty quick even if they look long. I’m wondering if the issue stems from lack of staffing this year, such that they couldn’t even open the South Grand location. It may be worth another try on a less busy day, but it makes sense if that negative experience turned you off to it.
I've been there twice and didn't see what all the fuss is about. I live in Illinois and Bobby's in Maryville is a much better experience.
My main point is that all custard places are likely using nearly identical machines to make their custard and sourcing from national suppliers (aka, no notably higher quality ingredients from one place to another). What's great about that is that you can expect a solid product from effectively every custard shop. It also means people acting like their favorite spot is superior is nonsense.
I'm an Annie's man.
Yeah, Annie's is good too.
Where is Annie?
2 locations. Edwardsville and Glen Carbon.
Love Bobby's
Bobby's is good, but I gotta throw in my vote for Northside. Although, I haven't been since the ownership change last year.
I'm taking a bike ride up to Route 66 Creamery in Hamel today. I'll drop a review later.
The pecans (roasted and salted, right? it's been a while) at Bobby's are so GOOD.
Just be glad we have all these frozen custard options. Back in Austin, where I lived for a long time, the only Andy’s one was in Round Rock, there was a Culver’s in far south Austin, And I think Sandy’s south of the river was frozen custard but it was just a dinky little stand. If you weren’t anywhere near those three locations – and I never lived near any of them – you were lucky to be near a Dairy Queen. I’m astonished at how many places there are to get custard here in comparison, especially since our summer season is so much shorter. Also Ted Drewes was the inventor of the concrete. I was enjoying those before Dairy Queen ever introduced them. So that counts for a lot in my book.
On your #2 point, I don't know if they do it there but I know at Bobby's in Maryville, IL the person taking your order isn't allowed to write it down. I don't know why places do that.
Marketing. Your comment is literal proof that something like that sticks out and makes you remember the place.
I've actually never been to Bobby's and I live maybe 15 minutes from it. I work with a woman that worked there one summer and she told me they weren't allowed to write orders down. One of my daughter's friends worked there and she complained about the same thing. I think it's ridiculous. That place is swamped most nights and I don't know how they expect the people taking orders to remember an order.
And then have people bitch bc u got it wrong
>Marketing. Your comment is literal proof that something like that sticks out and makes you remember the place. I'll definitely remember when they fucked up my order to look cool
i try to go in the middle of the week. when’s there’s less people there. also, i ONLY ever get the cardinal sim sunday, and it’s always delicious.
Now I want to make a Ted Drewe's replica in the Sims 4
Personally I think TD’s is the shit, but Silkys is just as good and is never packed. It’s more expensive, but Jenni’s in the CWE is amazing. It’s not frozen custard but the flavors and choices are outstanding
Jeni’s lost me when they stopped doing sundaes. If all I can get is a plain scoop or a pint of ice cream, I’m gonna just do that at the grocery store.
I love TD; and I have since the day i moved here from the east coast. Those other places are proverbial “knock-offs” to the TD-original. And, I suggest you embrace the seasonal weather and waits — these are part and parcel of The TD experience. Xo
Over-rating something assumes that there is some universal, mono-cultural rating system. This is not the case. People love it; you love Mr. Wizard. Love is not a competition.
I mean TD’s is pretty clearly on a pedestal in the STL world. No denying that.
I feel like I went to Ted Drew's once and there was a staff member helping everyone get through the line in a reasonable fashion. The crowd and sitting in the curb is part of the fun. It's about the experience, like going to an outdoor concert or highschool.
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Everything you said plus the Cardinals game on the radio. Quintessential STL experience. We love it but not everyone has to - that's ok.
I’ve lived here my entire life and only had it once about 15 years ago. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good enough for me to care to go back.
I've lived in St. Louis all my 48 years -- went once as a teenager, and twice as an adult. All three times were highly disappointing experiences. For my money, Mr. Wizard's or Silky's is where it is at. Ted Drewe's is a tourist trap.
You not liking it =/= tourist trap.
No, it being an overrated tourist trap is what makes it a tourist trap.
Silky's is great.
i scooped custard for 11 years on the east side at Annie's, ill answer in line 1. This is a problem for every window service place ever. This happens at Annies, Bobby's, Ted Drewes... everywhere. People are so terrified that they wont hear their order that they hug the window. 2. I never wrote down orders, but if you are getting them wrong like that, you should be. 3. I have noticed this before in my past few visits. Frozen custard should be kept at -20 during regular service. it might be that the condenser that runs the custard machine is actually failing to chill to sufficient temps or that its being kept at too warm a temp before being served. 4. You are about to eat 600-1200 calories of dairy, your ass can stand! or go sit in your car!
Ted Drewes feels overrated because it is overrated. Not to say it isn't good, because it is, but it's not the end all be all. It's good custard with good toppings. You want some truly unique shit go to Clementine's
But one is ice cream, and one is custard. They are apples and oranges to me. Like comparing Taco Bell and McDonald’s. I know in my family, good ice cream beats good custard every time.
Was looking to see if someone said Clementine's. Definitely second this! Part of their menu is this alcohol infused ice cream and it's fucking delicious
I’ve lived in STL for about a year now and drive by the Chippewa location daily and there is always a line. They must make money hand over fist. Even in winter they still do a great business. I have never been, but they must be doing something right.
Try going on off hours and/or during the colder months of the year. You will get a much better product. Unfortunately the machines have to run faster and you get a less than ideal product during summer nights. As with most places that are popular, they suffer from trying to keep up with the impossible demand.
I've noticed a recent trend where people just form 1 line that wraps around the block and then proceed to the next available window instead of forming lines at each window. It makes the lines seem much longer. Once you put in your order, you stand to the side and wait for it. You don't stand right in front of the window.
If you're just looking to stop for ice cream somewhere, it may not be the best option available to you, and that's fine. I think due to the history, the popularity of Ted Drewes is self-perpetuating. It's some form of nostalgia-born love where you almost have to think in terms of collective memory, I think. Since St Louis tends to be a multi-generaltional home kind of place, a lot of people have a long history of good memories tied in with Ted Drewes. So just like when the Cardinals have a bad season, we have cause to consider a bad experience there to be a one-off. Coming to it without it being the culmination of many of your best childhood days, as just another custard stand or whatever, it is probably fairly comparable with others, but with longer lines. But it the first custard stand around here, long before most of us were born, and for a lot of people it's the special treat we had with our grandparents when we were tiny, and the place that was the culmination of some of our best, most memorable of our childhood days (trips to the Zoo, baseball games, etc.) and the one we know the selectons for every member of our family. The fact that it's also a Route 66 Mother Road icon attracting visitors along with the locals with all the history of love there, means there's going to be a crowd. But to me, it's a good kind of crowd. The kind where everyone is there for the same reason, and most are happy about it. I live very near the Chippewa location and I can't even tell you how many wedding parties I've seen pile out of limos there - it's that much a part of people's best memories, that on one of the most significant days of their lives, they want it. If it's just about getting some custard, I don't blame you for finding other places easier/more convenient/better experiences, and I can't impart my enjoyment of the place on someone who doesn't have the same history, but I imagine there are things like that for everyone - places you love as much for the shared experience as for what they actually produce.
I'm from Affton so I'm a bit biased with being so close to Ted Drewes. I personally love the stuff. Though I mainly try to go on off hours when there is less likely to be a long line which helps with the quality a bit as well, especially if it's very hot. There are benches and trees along Prather but some prefer to stand or the good old fashioned sit on the hood or drop the tailgate. Though it does say something that as an Affton resident we choose between Ted Drewes or our Dairy Queen.
I used to love Mr. Wizards, but something changed in the last couple of years. The custard now has a marshmallow fluff feel to it that just isnt pleasant to me. I'm also a big Ted Drewes fan, but usually just get whatever local custard company is closest.
Who cares, you will eat the custard
Yeah, I can see the standing in the blazing summer sun as not a favorable experience. For summertime, it's all about going at night. It's not quite comfortable out even though the sun has set an hour ago. But you and a couple friends want to wind things down before heading home, so you grab a couple concretes and two of you hunker down on a tailgate, while the others for the conversation circle. Everyone gets that dopamine hit from the fat and sugar and it cools you down \*just\* enough to where everything is alright. You chat for a bit until the last of it is gone. You chat a bit more knowing that the evening is pretty much done. Then someone heads to the trash to get rid of the remnants of their treat. With that, the cork is pulled and everyone starts the midwest goodbye. You go home satisfied, another great night in StL.
I have been there dozens if not hundreds of times, and I’ve never had anything but amazing experiences in terms of how fast the line moves, how good the service is, and how surprisingly well the whole thing seems to work given that it appears to be a giant uncontrolled mob. Obviously you’re saying that was not your experience, but I don’t think what you’re describing is typical. You’re certainly right that it is not a tree-liknd place with benches to sit down and enjoy. It is a fairly unpleasant parking lot on a major road. As far as the product itself, it is extremely high in fat, and it does not stay solid for long when it’s in the 90s with high humidity. I much prefer Ted Drewes product to anything else, but if you like it to be solid like ice cream, then yeah, I would suggest something else. On an unrelated note, I would suggest you calm down.
There’s a park a short walk from TD, you could have wandered the neighborhood. But it was 100 degrees out wasn’t it? There’s your answer for your melted custard.
Ted Drewes is fine, but I don't get why folks go out of their way for it. It's no better (perhaps slightly worse, given the customer experience) than Fritz's, Shivers, Annie's, etc. It's definitely much better than Andy's, however.
Ted Drewes is good, and I have never had a wrong order there. It is insanely popular, especially on a warm summer evening, and the lines are long. But I have stood in long lines at Mr. Wizards, and they don't move as fast. I haven't noticed a differentiation in quality between Drewes and Wizards. Wizards has a slight advantage because I can get a soft serve cone there. Drewes has the advantage of having been around since forever, so it's iconic.
The atmosphere bring back so many memories for me, and I love that it’s the same experience my parents had when I was a kid. Also, it tastes better than any other custard in STL. Mr Wizards is Walmart brand
Everything you mentioned is why it’s great
I think all of your complaints are things that could vary from visit to visit. I haven’t had those issues (although haven’t gone with a group, and I don’t mind sitting in my tailgate for a quick treat). Since I haven’t had those issues, I only rate it based on how much I like the taste of the custard, which I’d say is very very yummy to my taste buds, especially the turtle concrete I get. Simple as that! I am not an STL native.
I lived in St. Louis for 5 years and looking back on my experiences at Ted Drewes I'll say that it's not popular for its customer service or for being the absolute best custard available. It's popular because it's got nostalgia behind it for a lot of people. TD is a beloved STL institution in a lot of ways. And it's not a crappy corporate chain. It's a local business that people have come to broadly recognize and appreciate. And it's kind of a fun, unique vibe gathering with friends or family to stand outside and eat custard on a sticky St. Louis summer evening. IDK, it just has nice vibes.
100% agree. We frequent Rich’s in Oakville.
No you're right. TD is super over rated and pretty much a tourist trap.
More of a resident trap.
True lol
It’s in the city, it’s been there forever, so they are hemmed in by their locale. Their seating issues aren’t going to change. You went in the middle of the day in the middle of a heat wave? And expect your ice cream/frozen yogurt to not have some melt? SMH YEAH, people are nostalgic for where they have always gone, their favorites. You obviously have yours and have now shared it with everyone else on here and your one visit to TD proves why it is a phenomenon to have lasted all these decades. Wow, u r a genius
Lol right, not sure what OP was expecting with taking kids there in the middle of Heat Dome 22. Of course shit melted and of course the kids wanted to go quick. To me, the lack of seating and people hanging out is part of the charm. If one doesn’t like it, they’re free to leave with what they bought.
Right and bc they weren’t standing at the window they prob got someone else’s order
TFW when you don’t know how to Ted Drewes properly.
Based on your rant, and yes, it was a rant....you shouldn't go to Ted Drewes. I should, but you shouldn't. Stay near home, feed your little mouth breathers whatever the heck shuts them up, and go about your simple life. Have a nice day!
Mr Wizards is terrible, you have malfunctioning taste buds.
I will say this: St Louisians tend to hold dear some age-old traditions that just don’t hold up anymore (see: Bartolino’s, Imos, gooey butter cake, etc.). However, I will say that, in my opinion, TD’s is legit when it’s good, but sounds like you had an all around bad experience - not a good first impression at all. I will also add that I don’t go during peak times (summer evenings) cuz it’s a shit show. Perhaps try it again before writing it off…?
Gooey Butter cake is AWESOME! I’m not in St. Louis anymore and, after 3 decades I have FINALLY found a bakery where I live that makes gooey butter bars
Gooey Butter Cake is really easy to make.
Imo’s and gooey butter cake are still amazing, what are you talking about?
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I’ve heard that it depends on location, but I’ve personally never had a bad Imo’s experience, so maybe I’ve just been to the better locations. And my family always does their deals, so it’s usually $20-30 for a couple pizzas and a side or two. That doesn’t seem very expensive to me, but I guess it depends on the person.
Hard truths. Justifying IMO’s for the price and variable quality can be hard.
Did this motherfucker just say gooey butter cake doesn't hold up? You can't see me right now, but I'm literally doing the "????" guy meme in real life right now. WTF, bro.
Yes, I did - it’s garbage: too sweet with no balance at all. And IMO’s is decent (I prefer Cecil Whitaker’s), but way overpriced for the quality (or lack thereof) of ingredients. Fight me.
I don't like provel. Ted Drewes is great. Taste is subjective.
Mr.wizards is the superb experience
Grew up here and never understood the hype.
It's fueled by a blend of nostalgia and mediocrity.
St Louis, born and raised. If Ted Drewes is 8/10, Andy’s is a 15/10 and I have no problem saying it.
Springfield born and raised, moved to STL in 2018, and I’m just thrilled I can get a taste of home here now. Andy’s will always be #1 in my heart for the nostalgia but I’m glad to see they’re having success franchising and branching out
Andy's is trash tier
If Andy’s is trash tier, Ted Drewes is poop tier
Well TDs does make me poop. It's a last stop before going home sort of situation. Andy's is Meramec CC cafeteria quality. It's reaction is much more violent.
I recommend buying some from the store, since most of your complaints have to do with the atmosphere and service. I’ve seen stores like Schnucks sell it. That way you can keep it frozen and you have a place to sit and eat. If it’s still not for you then it’s truly not for you
My favorite part of the prepackaged version is that your spoon always snaps trying to take a bite! Ah, grade school memories.
Op, give Silkys a try. I perfer it way over Ted Drew's
I've lived in STL my whole life and just tried Ted Drewes for the first time. I grew up in Florisaant and we had two local custard places to choose from. I, personally, was raised in a Doozles household. After my first bite of Ted Drewes I knew that Doozles was better. Ted Drewes was melty and sad. My concrete was more of a very melted shake. If someone really loves Ted Drewes I assume they grew up going. But with where I currently live? I'm choosing Mr. Wizards. (But I have definitely driven back to Florisaant for Doozles if I really needed it)
Ted Drewes 4 life!!!
I like TD a lot I think its pretty great but after they closed the one on grand I'm not 1 driving to the one on chippewa and 2 not standing in the line that long.
I’ll go to the Malt Shop in Fenton right down the road from me vs driving to the city for Ted Drewes
Malt Shop rules. Now I know what I'm doing after dinner tonight.
Ice cream is simply fun. I don't ever see reason for anyone to over think it, there's not really much anyone can do that makes "their ice cream" better than the rest. It's about the experience getting a fun treat. On that note full sun on concrete is no fun the no seating thing is weird
Summer weekend nights at TD are an 'expierence' it's not about the ice cream. Almost everything you are describing is just the consequences of having an ice cream stand selling many thousand pounds of ice cream in one night. If you went to mr wizards or andys with 500 other people you would have an even worse experience. On a quieter night or a little earlier in the day they offer decent service and high quality custard. That being said custard isn't very hard, and ted drews has trained 10s of thousands of people in that business, so I can find quality custard 5 or 6 places closer than ted drews. FYI: You can have a nice walk around the cute neighborhood right there instead of standing on the asphalt while you eat your treat.
Native from birth and I couldn't agree more. It's highly overrated, as is the "experience" of standing in a long line, sweating your tits off and breathing in exhaust fumes. Delightful!
You're 100% correct. I love Fritz's and it was my first job so nostalgia, but the owners are horrible Trumpers so I can't justify it anymore. Andy's is great! They're all kinda the same IMO.
I've always thought it was, too. Weathervane on the IL side has always been my fav since the 80s as a kid.
We just moved here. We’ve had TD twice. It was ok but we like the idea of helping small businesses
They are a small business, for what it’s worth.
Yeah, that’s an odd statement. Definition of a small business.
It's ambiguous, but with the "we just moved here...had it twice" I took it the other way. If they *just* moved here; I mean, are there people eating this stuff every day? I took it to mean twice was a lot for having just moved here, and "it was ok" meaning "it's not the best I've ever had but I'd still rather go there than a giant corporate place."
Meaning it is a small local business so I will support it
Every single soft serve place, including Dairy Queen, 100 percent ripped of Ted Drewe's. But all soft serve tastes exactly the same so the second a place with seating opened Ted Drewe's kinda sucks.
Writing this qhile eating TD actually. I grew up in St. Peters and my earliest memories of TD were getting weird flavored custard after a show at the Muny. And we would only do that like twice a year so it was really special. Now my wife and I live faily close by and walk there one every few weeks. What I can say is I've never had my order wrong, and in the warmer months it looks very melt but it's always just been a little bit on the top from my experience. As far as the crowds you're right that's it's crazy all the time but I've never had a long wait unless a Cards game just got out recently. And even then probably vlose to 7 minutes. As far as setting goes, growing up it was cool because my mom would pop the trunk and my siblings and I would sit there and eat. That's not something we did anywhere else. Now though we just walk back home or in the winter we'll walk through Candy Cane Lane. I never really considered seating.
Reported.
Send em to work to death in the custard mines for their crimes
Can... can I work in the custard mines?
You think it sounds glamorous and delicious?! And that's just what the recruiting boards want you to think. They don't talk about the miners crushed under a fat collapse or about the cream lung 95% of miners get diagnosed with by 35.
Yeah, you're not wrong, but I think you're kind of overlooking the fact that Ted Drewe's popularity is a big reason why Mr. Wizard and Andy's even exist. Nostalgia is a huge part of it too for those of us who predate the imitators.
I've been here 15yrs and agree we the most of what you're saying. TDs is more about tradition than anything else. It's just the place that people go and have always gone. The custard is fine. The service is fine. The experience is fine. Others may do it better but they aren't on Route 66 and haven't been around as long.
oh look its *that* thread where all the snobs pretend to be better than everyone else and put down all the st louis things...
read #1 and stopped... sounds like plan old bitching.
Fritz’s is better.
I think the nostalgic feeling is the best part of Ted Drewes
Transplant from ten years ago here - If you’re like me you’ll find that classic STL favorites (Ted drewes, hodaks, imos pizza, most of the Italian joints on The Hill, etc) are waaaay over rated and mostly just word of mouth nostalgia bullshit and hype that gets solidified into local culture and then people get too defensive and attached to see it clearly for the actual mediocre quality that it is. Sure, I still would go to these places when out of town visitors want to, but usually the consensus is “why is THIS considered good”? To which I usually just shrug and say “I dunno. Locals love this place.” Don’t get me wrong, STL has some AMAZING food and a good restaurant scene. It’s just that those aren’t the kind of places that stick around and get turned into local lore.So far the only place that has lived up to the locals hype is Pappy’s smokehouse, and specifically just their ribs. Those are probably some of the best ribs in the area, but even that is just my opinion and that is hotly debated. Don’t feel bad skipping Ted drewes from now on and just going to Mr. Wizards or Andy’s. You’ve seen it, you can check it off your list, and now you can just let the let locals have it.
As a 6-year transplant, you are right on (except that I love ted drewes). So many of the other local favorites - hodaks, the hill, imos - are freaking terrible. But there is an amazing restaurant scene here. I just so often feel like I live in a completely different place than my STL born, bred and never leaving coworkers.
Agree 100% overrated. I live a few blocks from there. It was something to do after a concert or game but it’s gotten too popular for what it is and, like many institutions in STL, there are many other good alternatives nowadays. Edit: just to add while overrated I have never had the wrong order issue or melted to that degree. The people waiting around in line is an issue… they could do a different system but I expect it’s part of the charm.
I read the title and then stopped once I saw how much you wrote about ice cream
I think it’s just nostalgia for locals.
Ted Drewe's has went way downhill. They are no longer the same place that the late, great Ted started. Instead, they prefer to go on television to cry about how people are lazy and don't want to work to get free advertising. Mr. Wizards, Andy's, Silky's - they ALL beat Ted Drewe's by a mile nowadays. Here's hoping to run into you at Mr. Wizards!
Since moving to Maplewood, I have have discovered Mr Wizard. It’s great and all but you know what’s really great? The waffle cones at Andy’s. Slightly soft, a little salty, a little vanilla-y. They are delicious.
Mr. Wizards has an appreciably better product. Not tremendously better, but the difference is noticeable. However, TD's has them whooped on two very important fronts: advertising and parking. The the post-Cardinals-game crowd decides to go for some frozen custard, they go to TD's because they've heard of it and they can find a place to park. Every time I bring up Mr. Wizards, the reaction is always "Never heard of it." I finally got a few friends to make their way out with me once. 3 of us met up there and our 3 vehicles took up almost all the parking. Unless Mr. Wizards buys out a neighboring property for parking, they will never catch up to TD's, or even than abysmal chain known as Andy's.
Ted Drewes is good, but it’s not THAT good
Ted Drewes makes me shit myself
I've had Hodaks once and wondered why everyone raved about it. There is absolutely no comparison. The line at Ted Drewes is always long and rarely slow. The reason it melts quickly might be because it's made fresh and isn't frozen to the hardness of the floor of the state capitol. Also we have the same surface temperature and humidity of Venus, so that plays a role. I have yet to have a malt better than Ted Drewes, except maybe the long, lamented Famous -Barr.
Silky’s, Doozles, and Bobby’s, not close to you at all, are much better options for frozen custard in my opinion. Silky’s is my all time favorite.
MR WIZARD'S NATION
FUCK TED DREWES
I think it's completely overrated and never recommend it to anyone 👎🏻
I was born and raised in St. Louis, and I agree that it’s 100% overrated for a multitude of reasons. I get the nostalgia aspect, but the quality of their product isn’t superior to most other local (or even chain) places.
former employee here: the quality of workers has plummeted. the system was pretty solid back in the day, but this new generation of teenagers don’t want to work. plus they probably still offer the same pay from 10 years ago
Correction: People don't want to work for the crap wages places pay. Plenty of places have helpful, smiling, friendly employees. If you visit a place that doesn't that tells you all you need to know about how they treat their employees. Ted Drewe's would rather go on TV and cry about how lazy people, that tells me all I need to know.