Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburger ~ national chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Jan 2024 (Interquest)

First visit: Jan 2009 (Euless, TX)

HQ: Wichita, KS

Locations: Looks like they may have heard us about researching them on the website. They fixed the issue. Hooray. They are currently in 36 states (+1); 512 stores (+132 in 2 years) - Texas is by far their largest presence at 77; Colorado Springs has 5 + the one in Monument (total 6 = same). Our NE Tarrant originals Euless and Keller are still going.

In what has become something of a tradition, the RJG rings in the new year with a visit to Freddy's. It's usually one of the first places we go back in a given year, and this time I decided to make it on the actual New Years Day. Of course nothing is the same as it was, and Freddy's is no different. I remember the enthusiasm of the workers when Freddy's first came to NE Tarrant (Euless). Now it's a bunch of slow brain teenage kids stoned out of their minds. The best workers go where they pay the most, which tells me Freddy's isn't competitive on that front. And they've raised their prices regardless. Used to be I could get a combo and they'd let me substitute the drink for a mini concrete. No more. I needed to heat up the fries and the burger in the air fryer when I got home. They no longer offer espresso as a topping for the concrete - that just disappeared without notice. So I added caramel this time. All this to say that I did enjoy my Freddy's Double Cheeseburger, fries, and custard once I got settled in front of the TV. With the assist of home appliances, that is. Freddy's is a good barometer, I think, for the fast food economy. In-N-Out is the exception - or perhaps exceptional. And right now, finding decent employees seems to be nigh impossible here in Colorado Springs. I keep waiting for the Closed sign to be permanent, as noted below. Hopefully the Monument store is faring better.

---12/18/22 update (Monument)

OK, our first move forward of 2023! This wasn't the original plan, but I had fallen behind on my errands, and Freddy's made for a good fast lunch option. On average I probably go to Freddy's about four times a year, though I did go a lot more during the pandemic. On this visit I ordered my usual Freddy's Steakburger, fries, and a mini chocolate concrete with espresso syrup. We have a closer Freddy's to our house (Interquest), but I was up further north doing some shopping. So I heated everything up in the air fryer when I got home (well not the custard...). Watched a little NFL Red Zone while enjoying my meal. As good as always, and better than my last review visit. And more expensive every time... Oh well. The concrete was pretty soft by the time I got to it, but it was a delicious dessert. Looks like the Interquest location has survived competition from both In-N-Out and Whataburger. Not to mention the usual suspects like McDonalds and Burger King. And now look who's coming to the exact same area: Shake Shack. Good luck, Freddy's. Maybe Monument will end up being our primary location after all... In any case, the RJG has been consistently going to at least one Freddy's for 14 years straight and counting.

Freddy's is one of those annoying chains that insists you can only know their locations near where you are. Because, you know, you might do some research on them. Can't have that. According to Wikipedia, Freddy's maintains 380 locations (as of Aug 2021) in 35 states (Jan 2022 data). Apparently they just signed an agreement to expand into Canada. Except for Quebec. Perhaps they should offer poutine as an alternative to fries... There are currently 6 in the Colorado Springs area. The RJG's original NE Tarrant locations in Euless and Keller are still open.

---1/5/22 update

Freddy's is a regular RJG stop, and was one of my go-to's during 2020's pandemic. Interestingly enough I've used only the drive-thru at this location, so on this visit I decided to go inside for the first time. It's bigger than I thought it would be, occupying a good amount of strip mall space. Very spacious and clean. Went with the standby Freddy's Steakburger and shoestring fries. It seems you get more fries onsite than in the to-go bag, but that's not a scientific observation. The burger was undercooked. Medium rare in the middle. That's ridiculous with such thin patties. The quality of today's restaurants is still not up to par. It's not a huge deal for me, I don't actually mind a rare hamburger. But if Mrs. RJG saw that she'd never go back. I mean never. These franchises are going to start running out of business quick if they don't get their QA game up. The high prices are already pushing people away. They have to make up for it with a higher quality product, not a lesser one! This isn't the Soviet Union (yet, I hasten to add...) Or is that nyet? So yes, I gave them a passing grade anyway. The flavor is the same, and the fries are still great. Sometimes I get the custard instead of fries, and in past visits last year, it was still excellent. We'll see if they have improved by next year's review. Or if they're even still around... Whataburger is on the way!

---6/7/15 update (Keller)

In early 2014, Freddy's opened a location in Keller, bringing them that much closer to the RJG's cow pasture. 

No surprises here, but Freddy's is a burger joint. They have two signature burgers: Freddy's Original and California style. The latter influenced by In-N-Out and has a tomato slice and thousand island dressing (Freddy's sauce). Because we now have INO, there's little reason to go for the imitation, and rather it's best to stick with the Freddy's Original Double. This particularly yummy burger contains cheese, mustard, pickles, and onions - and it's recommended to get two patties since they are so thin. And speaking of those patties, they are burnt to a crisp on the edges, which honestly is delicious. You get all the grease of burgers' past that way! They also have patty melts, hot dogs (that look really good), and a chicken sandwich if you insist. I have to admit, a Freddy's double with gooey yellow cheese is a very fine tasting burger (even if a bit salty). I haven't been so inclined to try much else - other than the California burger we mentioned in the above link. Oh, and the fries are awesome. The super thin crispy "shoestring" kind. And they don't skimp on the quantity either.

Desserts are the other reason to go to Freddy's. I only get a mini, and still feel guilty. But their Concrete's are truly wonderful. They're not hardcore like Ted Drewes in St. Louis where they hold it upside down or anything (thus the name concrete), but for your local fast food franchise they do a fine job. You can get vanilla or chocolate, and a variety of mix-ins/syrups. They also have sundaes, if you think you can get out of your car after eating one.

You'll find this particular Freddy's on the north side of Keller Pkwy, just west of Keller-Smithfield (Keller likes to have their name in half the street signs...). It's a standalone building, that you can't miss, with a drive-thru, which is usually what I use. I have dined in the restaurant only a couple of times, and it's a typical loud and bright fast food joint. I brought the RJG official Mom once and she couldn't hear much with her hearing aids. So file that away if you're in the same boat as her.

Freddy's started in 2002 in Wichita, Kansas and has grown exponentially since then, now well over 150 stores and in 60% of the States!

---original 1/10/09 review (Euless)

Freddy's seems to have modeled their chain after two different, but iconic, Midwest concepts: Steak & Shake and the proliferation of Custard stands in Kansas and Missouri (Sheridan's, Fritz's, Ted Drewes, etc...) This blend has proven to be a hit, and Freddy's continues to grow at a rapid rate despite growing during the deep recession of 2009. And its no surprise why: The food here is great, and offered at a good value.

So what is Freddy's signature burger called? A steakburger. Does that sound familiar? And it's very similar to the Steak & Shake creation, as it's a very thin and crispy burger with a wonderful seasoned taste. Based on the price alone, I figured a double would be the right size, and it was, though I could even imagine having a triple, the patties are so thin. The last time I had a triple burger, I was a teenager with an endless appetite! Anyway, if you're a fan of thin burgers (note the RJG is a fan of all burgers), then Freddy's is a must stopover. On a second visit, this time with the Mrs., I tried the recommended California Steakburger. Presumably this is Freddy's answer to In-N-Out Burger, since it contains fresh lettuce, tomatoes, gooey American cheese and "Freddy's sauce", generally known as a variation on Thousand Island dressing. In the end, it tasted like a Freddy's burger with different toppings, rather than a copycat of the In-N-Out Burger. And that's a good thing. The Mrs. tried the fries, and these are some of the best the RJG has encountered. As a reader suggested, these are "shoestring" fries, with a very crispy texture. And the taste is out of this world. Freddy's has mastered the french fry.

And for dessert, of course one has to have one of their concrete's! A concrete (invented at Ted Drewes in St. Louis if I'm not mistaken), is a frozen custard mixed with other ingredients and blended so thick, that when you turn it upside down, nothing moves. The strange thing is - it's actually very smooth, and eventually it begins to melt into a creamy texture. I love 'em myself. Like most custard stands, they have two basic flavors (chocolate and vanilla) and you can add any one mix-in or flavoring for free. I had chocolate with a coffee flavor. Mmm-mmm-mmm.

1/10/09 (new entry); 6/27/10; 12/5/11; 6/3/15; 2/4/18; 1/30/21; 1/5/22; 12/18/22; 1/1/24

Euless, Texas; Aurora, Colorado; Keller, Texas; Colorado Springs; Monument, Colorado