Muscatine native who lived for a couple of years 3 blocks from Taylor's Maid Rite in Marshalltown. Have never figured out the recipe mystery and have been trying for 50 years (I'm 74). I do know that the current franchise recipe rules do not deliver the original Maid Rite taste. According to my dad, prior to the 1st Maid Rite restaurant, there was a sandwich cart outside a Muscatine factory whose owner accused the owner of Maid Rite (assuming Fred Angell) stole his recipe. Dad told me Fred ran a gambling barge in the middle of the Mississippi River that got busted (by the Feds, I assume), so he moved the barge to land (riverfront near downtown Muscatine) and started selling his hamburgers from the barge before a restaurant was ever built. Can anyone verify this family lore story? Anyway, I'm ordering a dozen Maid Rites from Taylors as they are not subject to the new recipe rules to share with my neighbors in Florida along with Sterzing Potato Chips. Only thing missing will be the chocolate malts from Lou's in Muscatine.

I grew up in Macomb Illinois and the maid rites were always delicious. We live in Wyoming now and stop in Iowa of off Interstate 80 for our maid rite now. They are always a treat! I make them for my grandkids now.

I am just so thrilled to have finally found an actual recipe for the Maid Rites! I so miss them. My dad worked on pipeline across the U.S. and we only got them when we were around the Midwest. My mama tried to make them but we could never quite get the taste. Maybe it was the nuance of getting to eat out in the 50's. I think mom had all but the Worcestershire sauce.

I come from Muscatine, IA which IS where the very first Made-Rite Restaurant began in the early 1920's. My grandmother who was from Davenport, IA said everyone would actually make the trip from the Quad Cities just to eat there. Fact is anyone who says it began somewhere else other then Muscatine, IA is wrong because everyone from my hometown knows it began in Muscatine, IA. Judy Morrison who comment below is very correct!

My mother from Quincy, IL made what she called Maid Rite sandwiches when I was growing up. I always wondered why she called the sandwiches Maid Rite and not Sloppy Joes. They looked like Sloppy Joes. However, when I was grown up and tried Sloppy Joes I had to ask Mom what was in the Maid Rite sandwiches because I did not care for Sloppy Joes. She told me about the Maid Rite restaurants and that her mother made her own with just browned ground beef, a little tomato sauce, and salt and pepper. I couldn't believe that it was that easy with so few ingredients. My grandmother, God bless her soul, raised 10 children and Mom was the youngest. I absolutely love the Maid Rite sandwiches that I grew up on and will continue to make them the way Mom made them. Happy Maid Rite sandwiches for all...just make them the way you like them!

I live in Quincy and we still have the old Mail Rite resterant in town. They make them the same way, none like it anywhere. And, I can't duplacate the taste. I know theirs do not have tomato sauce in it. I'm thinking salt and burger, it's all the way they make them.

I worked as a waitress at a Maid-Rite in the late 60's. They had a special steamer to prepare the meat with a steaming tray under the buns. The griddle was slightly slanted so the fat would go into the drain. No seasoning was added,We put diced onions, pickles and cheese whiz on it. It was a good two inches high. The only way to replicate how they cooked the meat is to have a double broiler.

1st not all maid-rite's are the same. The Original Maid Rite opened in Springfield, IL in 1924 and is listed in the National historic registry as the 1st drive thru in the U.S.

2nd Fred Angell did not create the Maid Rite sandwich; Luella Knippenburg did and Fred Angell got the recipe from Clyde Holbrook who bought the maid rite in Springfield from Art Knippenburg. Fred Angell opened his maid rite 2 years after Art Knippenburg did. Then Fred Angell began franchising the name in Iowa.

3rd there are several different recipes that are accurate depending on which location you are familiar with.

Not one maid rite should ever have ketchup or catsup which ever spelling you prefer; on it or in it!

The bun should be steamed for added softness.
Illinois Maids are use 85/15 beef, dry mustard, Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt and a splash of rootbeer. Served with a small amount of pickle relish, mustard and minced onion

Thank you so much. I'm from Springfield and I miss these. Gonna make some right now!

This is definitely not the original MaidRite recipe!

Evidence strongly suggests the founding year was 1928 and the paper even announced the Grand opening in the paper in 1928.

I am 74. I grew up on Maid-Rites as a special treat. It did originate in Muscatine, Iowa. And, they did use Root Beer. I don't remember any onions in the original ones. I put my ground beef in a pot, cover with water, lots of pepper and some salt and cook all day, breaking up the chunks. Cover the pot and let it simmer or on low after meat is cooked to let it "cook down" (water evaporate). Then I let it sit in refrigerator overnight to let the grease harden so that I can skim if off. The more "fatty" meat will have the better taste. We used to judge how good they were by how far up your arm the grease ran. Cooking some now. Best sandwith by far - add some dill pickle slices and mustard to a white bun and yummy!! The one in Macomb, IL was our closest. It is gone now tho. They used to be all over the Midwest.

Seems to be maid rites everywhere. LOL. And different variations. I know in Greenville they also use pepper. Another ingredient I don't see is and I cant remember which it was... Tabasco or soy sauce. Look on the shelf above the meat.

This was a good recipe, but I added some ketchup and some brown sugar. What a great sandwich! Thank you.

I live in Quincy Illinois where there is a Maid-Rite shop. I grew up eating these and in reading all these comments about different places to get them, found Maid-Rite corp website with listings of all locations, listed here for all of you!

http://www.maid-rite.com/locations.php

That link does not list the Greenville Ohio location. I have tried the Piqua location and it does not compare. I think Greenville split from the franchise and has their own recipe. No ketchup. They have cheese on them also. Great shakes to wash it down. And of course the great gum wall. Operated for years out of a little building but has been remodeling and expanding this summer.

Everyone is forgetting Newton, Iowa (home of the Maytag family). My family (Marshall) grew up with the Maid Rite there. All that you mentioned should be based on that store. Absolutely the best!

One additional thing: Don't just sprinkle the meat on the bun. Slap it on and press. This makes a big difference in flavor.

You are all missing a simple yet very important step. I grew up in Grinnell Iowa. Maid Rite day with my dad was special for sure. It was always Friday on our way to the sale barn. The simple recipe above is the one but you MUST remember to wrap the maid rite in wax paper as they did. After wrapping it let set a couple minutes before partaking. It is as critical because the (steamed)beef then resonates its flavor through the entire bun. Bun must be fresh! (No day olds)
If you miss the wrap you miss having the real deal!!
Ray

PS The family that bought the Maid rite in Grinnell, Iowa and dropped the franchise made a huge mistake.
It was an icon for us that grew up there and we all miss coming in for a maid rite when visiting your wonderful town. The sign should go back up and we will all return!!