About Big T Maid Rite

"Sloppy joes are not made right—this is made right," declared a happy diner on Taste of America with Mark DeCarlo after relishing a bite of Maid-Rite's signature sauceless sandwich. Though it was first made in 1926 by Muscatine butcher Fred Angell, Maid-Rite's cooks continue to wow diners with this amalgamation of crumbly ground beef—from cows raised in the Midwest—wrapped in a warm bun. The juicy masterpiece comes wrapped in paper with a spoon on the side for scooping up any runaway morsels or for dueling with a lunchmate for the last sip of their chocolate malt.

The menu has expanded since Calvin Coolidge's presidency. It now includes a smattering of barbecue, salads, and more solid sandwiches, but it's still served up amid classic-diner décor.