This photo of Times Square in the 1980s immediately captures attention — clean streets, bright lights, neon signs. But one detail stands out in particular: the Howard Johnson’s restaurant. It turns out that at one time it was the largest restaurant chain in the USA, and later a hotel chain.
How It All Began
The story of Howard Johnson’s started in 1925 in Quincy, Massachusetts. Entrepreneur Howard Johnson bought a small soda stand and began experimenting with ice cream, increasing the amount of cream in the recipe. The result became a sensation — and laid the foundation for what would become a nationwide empire.
By the 1930s, Johnson had opened dozens of restaurants with the same menu, interiors, and signature orange-and-turquoise façades.
Howard Johnson’s in Times Square
The Times Square location opened in 1955. Situated at the corner of 46th Street and Broadway — surrounded by theaters, cinemas, and tourist crowds — it quickly became a part of the city’s cultural landscape.
At its peak, the chain boasted over 1,000 restaurants across the country, and soon after, it expanded into hotels under the same name.
Howard Johnson’s was more than a place to eat — it was a stage for America’s social history:
- sit-ins and protests against racial segregation took place in HoJo’s restaurants;
- a location in Greenwich Village became an early site for LGBTQ+ rights activism;
- at one point, the HoJo’s network was larger than McDonald’s and KFC combined.
A Symbol of the Era That Faded Away
Over time, Times Square changed dramatically — glass skyscrapers appeared, giant digital billboards took over, property values soared, and fast-food giants like McDonald’s, Burger King (also visible in the photo), and Wendy’s became strong competitors.
On July 8, 2005, the Howard Johnson’s restaurant in Times Square closed its doors. It was the oldest continuously operating location of the chain with a façade directly facing the world’s most famous square.
The last Howard Johnson’s restaurant in the U.S. closed in 2022 in Lake George, New York. Today, the Howard Johnson’s hotel brand is owned by Wyndham Hotels.
An Unexpected Detail: Burlesque Above the Restaurant
From 1975 to 2005, the second floor of the Howard Johnson’s building on Times Square housed the legendary Gaiety Theatre — a male burlesque venue. It was a favorite spot for performers, photographers, and the bohemian scene of old Broadway, frequented by icons like Andy Warhol, Madonna, and Robert Mapplethorpe.
Some scenes of Madonna’s music video “Erotica” were filmed in the Gaiety Theatre, and photographs taken there were included in her 1992 book Sex.
