If you were luck
y enough to grow up in the Midwest in the 1960’s or 1970’s you just may have fallen in love with the Cheese Frenchee. I was and I did. Just the name evokes fond memories of sitting at the King’s Food Host in Scottsbluff, Nebraska or sometimes in Lincoln munching away on their cheesy creation and their famous onion rings.
It’s remarkable how many people still pine for Frenchees of days gone by. Recipes for the most cherished of these, the Cheese Frenchee, a battered, deep-fried cheese sandwich with a crunchy cornflake exterior, are all over the internet. I found this website, inthe70s.com where lots of folks, just like me, fondly remember the Cheese Frenchee or its sister, the Tuna Frenchee.
On a recent trip back through Nebraska, I ate at a restaurant in Omaha with Cheese Frenchee on the menu. I immediately knew what I would be eating for dinner that night. Even though they over-fried it slightly, it was still a delicious reminder of how much I loved these as a kid.
Frenchees were the creation of King’s Food Host, a fast-food chain catering to families and college students in the 1960s and 1970s. Most of the chain’s units were located in the middle of the country, with headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska, where there were once nine units.
The first – King’s Drive-In – was started by James King and Larry Price in 1955, on North Cotner in Lincoln. I wonder if the first one had telephones at each table that patrons used to send their orders to the kitchen?
Since King’s went out of business in the late 1970’s I didn’t even think the Frenchee was available anymore. Back home in Tennessee, I knew I needed to share this childhood memory with my Chief Culinary Consultant. He is a grilled cheese connoisseur and quite interested in my description of the Cheese Frenchee.
After surfing the net and comparing many recipes, the recipe I used seems to be the most popular among those who say they worked at Kings!
Requirements include white bread (crusts removed), mayonnaise, American cheese, flour, egg, and milk batter, and crushed corn flakes.
I don’t have a deep fryer so I made my frenchee grilled in butter. This worked beautifully.
I didn’t cut off the crusts but next time I will. I also didn’t cut the bread in half before cooking and next time I will.
All in all the flavor is exactly as I remember it to be. Is the cheese frenchee a fond memory for you too? If so, at what King’s Food Host location did you dine?
Happy Eating!
~Blessings, Catherine
Cheese Frenchee
This Cheese Frenchee will take you on a walk down memory lane if you were lucky enough to eat these fantastic sandwiches when King's Food Host sold them throughout the Midwest during the 1960's and 1970's.
Ingredients
- 6 slices American, Cheddar, or Velveta Cheese
- 6 slices white bread
- Mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cornflake crumbs, crushed fine
- 2 to 4 Tablespoons butter, for frying
Instructions
- Prepare 3 sandwiches, using mayonnaise and 2 slices of cheese for each. Cut each sandwich in half.
- Combine egg, milk, flour, and salt.
- Dip each triangle into the egg mixture and then coat with the cornflake crumbs.
- Lightly fry each sandwich in 2 tablespoons butter, turning to brown each side.
- Repeat with each sandwich.
Thank you so much for this recipe. My Mother and I used to go to King’s for their awesome crispy, crunchy onion rings but when I saw this, Yummo. Again, thank you for your time and the walk down memory lane.
I grew up in Kearney Nebraska and would go to the Kings there weekly to get one of these. When Kings closed their doors, I figured I was just out of luck to ever get another cheese frenchee. After moving to Omaha for my career, a friend and I went to a Don and Millies to eat. about fainted when I saw a cheese frenchee on the menu. I am now retired and moved out of State and I haven’t been able to find one since. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Why, oh WHY did Kings ever go out of business?! With the “pandemic” of today, Frenchees would be serious comfort food — not the bland, tasteless sawdust served by most fast-food places! While there’s something to be said about consistency (every McD’s hamburger tastes the same), what happened to FLAVOR and… well, real food, fast/junk or not? If one craves “unhealthy” stuff occasionally, why not a Frenchee & the best onion rings EVER!
Hi. I grew up and still live in Manitoba Canada. I lived in Winnipeg ( Go Jets) till I was about 30 and then moved to rural Manitoba. So Kings was on Pembina Highway. So in 1970 I was 15 which means I went with my parents. They had the order at the table ( high tech lol) and I always got the crazy yummy cheese Frenchee. Seriously. It ruled. It was so perfectly balanced. There’s another childhood cheesy thing That’s long gone. Eaton Grill Room cheese squares. It was a thick square of crust less bread. Like the shape of a child’s building block. It was covered in cheese on all sides with a few charred cheesy bits all over. Like how? How did they do it. You got 3 on a plate. Seriously perfect cheesy block of bread with cheese. Like a French loaf dipped in cheese fondu and lightly broiled on all sides. Miraculous:) anyway love that I found your recipe. Stay safe and well. I am missing restaurants a lot.
Does anyone have the recipe for the tuna filling. Thank you
Yes, I worked at the one in Rapid City SD
Kings in Vincennes, IN was at 6th & Niblack! My fav as a kid was calling in my family order, and having the chipswisswich and fries!
I live I Denver Colorado
There were 2 high schools that hung out At Kings every day after school and after football games, and dances
My absolute favorite food there was the cheese drenched
I crave it still and it 60 years ago that I met the cheese drenched
Thank you for the recipe ❣️
I grew up in Omaha and my uncle was the manager of Kings in Leavenworth street. I loved going there. It Had both a sit down restaurant (with phones at every booth) and a drive in.
I grew up in Lincoln and graduated from east highin 72and I was at kings every weekend on Cotner. We also had the Nebraska Runza it was very good also. Loved the prime rib at Mistys restaurant, I was a bartender at uncle Sam’s for three years why it was on 25th and o in Lincoln Nebraska why I was in college.Mark
I’m searching for the address where Kings Food Host was located in Wichita, Kansas!? Help please!
I couldn’t find the address, but here is some history of King’s Host.
https://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/tag/kings-food-host/
I graduated in 65 and the original Kings in Lincoln was our hangout! I still dream of cheese frenchies! And the cheeseburgers were the best!
Better than any chain restaurant today!
Hey Elaine, I 100% agree. They are fantastic!
How about Kings in Kansas City! Overland Park, south side at 75th and Metcalf on the NW corner. Big Kings building on one of the busiest intersections there was in the 60’s and 70’s in KC. It was “the” place to go on a Friday night with your girl during high school. We went there all of the time for a Cheese Frenchie and a large chocolate malt. Nothing will ever beat that!
Grandma and I went there when I was a young teen. So much fun ordering from the pink phone in our booth!
Yum, chocolate malteds. 🙂
We had Kings at 75th and Metcalf in Overland Park Kansas
I ate them at Grand Avenue KFH in Des Moines, Iowa, and have not been able to make one near as good!
I remember them from growing up in Des Moines. Delicious!
I used to eat at Kings Food Host as a child of the 70’s in Fargo, ND. ALWAYS had the cheese frenchee!
Moved to Bismarck, ND and worked at The WoodHouse(used to be Kings)where they are still serving the cheese frenchee. 🙂
Thank you for the trip down memory lane!
I will be making these!!
I just had one tonight in Omaha. They are served at a couple places there (I live just north) including Amigos/King’s Classic. Guess Nebraska’s culunary claims to fame are this and Runzas, lol.
Ah, I wish I had one tonight too! Blessings, Catherine
Kearney Nebraska….college years 1967-1970. Tuna Frenchees and Cheese Frenchees at Kings. It was a treat to go out with friends. On a college budget so didn’t do it very often.
Bill Holtorf,
Reading that you were from Gering, you may know some of my relatives from that area. My grandmother’s family were the Gallawa family (there were a lot of them in the area at that time) and my distant cousin, Rob Manka, was from Gering. His parents were Gene and Gerrie Manka.
Although my mother’s family grew up in Scottsbluff, my memories of King’s were in North Platte, Nebraska. I was a cheese frenchee junkie. My order was a cheese frenchee with onion rings. I am salivating right now thinking about these.
Hey Todd, reading your comment makes me hungry for a hot cheese frenchee. I ordered with french fries but loved their onion rings too! Thank you for stopping by our blog and leaving this message!
Made them tonight. I was born in Hastings but not till 79. My dad made them and I just bought a deep fryer. They were amazing. Thank you for the article.
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed them!
Scottsbluff main street,I am from Gering and after ball games or just dragging main,Kings was the place,cheese frenchee, onion rings OMG. What memories…
My sister and I wete just remembering the Frenchees we ate at KFH in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I was looking thru the NY Times cookbook where I saw a sandwich similar to the Fremchee, called Mozzarella in Carrozza. So I called sis to remind me of the sandwich we used to order on the phone. I will try your version. Thanks!
Hi Bernadette, Every time someone mentions this recipe and Cheese Frenchees I take a walk down memory lane. KINGS was such a big part of my junior and senior high school because it was a treat to go to the “big city” and have cheese frenchees. Thanks for being a part of my blog and leaving this comment.
I grew up going to the King’s restaurant in Lakewood, CO. I Love Cheese Frenchees!
Isn’t it a fun walk down memory lane, Tracey? I hope you get a chance to try these. I still make them every now and again!
I worked at the kings food host in Lakewood, CO. I was a soda jerk, LOL, loved the cheese and tuna frenchies. (1971)
Was this located at Evans and Wadsworth?
Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe. I frequented King’s Food Host in Council Bluffs, Iowa as a teenager.Cheese Frencies and Tuna Frenchies were on the plate every visit!
You inspired me to make some for dinner tonite for the family!
Blessings!!!
Hey Monte, how did your cheese frenchee turn out? Reading your comment makes me want to slip back in time, sit in that booth, make the phone call and order a Cheese Frenchee and Fries! 🙂
Monty I to grow up in Council Bluffs and frequented kings often it was my favorite place in my teens to go eat on Broadway right next-door to the theater and love the food and the atmosphere
I loved these things in high school. Before basketball games we would drive 12 miles to Fremont Nebraska and have these and their great onion rings. This was before we knew about greasy meals before playing. I have tried to make some but they sure don’t have the taste of the original but now I will try this recipe i
Bill, my story is the same, eating at Kings in Scottsbluff before ball games. I hope you make these and they bring back some tasty memories!
I grew up in Scottsbluff and remember many a Friday night hanging out at King’s after the game, chilling and eating Frenchies. Does anyone remember the Crash In amusement arcade on Broadway?
I don’t remember the Crash In … but sure have fun memories from Kings!
After games in Gering we headed for Kings in Scottsbluff,cheese frenchee and onion rings..High school 65 to 68,what years for you in Scottsbluff?
Hi Bill! I graduated from Alliance High School in 1974 and so I was primarily in Scottsbluff and Gering for games between 70 and 74. What great memories! Thanks for sharing yours.
As a kid in the 60’s, I remember eating Cheese and Tuna Frenchees at King’s Food Host in two locations in Topeka, Kansas. One was on 21st Street just west of Topeka Boulevard and the other was in Downtown Topeka in the 600 block Kansas Ave. The restaurant had phones in all the booths and you would pick it up and place your order. I loved these sandwiches and am so excited to get to taste them again. My memories of this place are very sweet and bring a smile to my face. Blessings!
I have craved these sandwiches since I left Denver in 1969. Got them from a walk-up, hole in the wall, shop on the back side of the block from The Denver Post where I worked. Walked up to the half door, placed my order and if it was payday added ham, few minutes later off I went with my sandwich. Didn’t even know or remember what the official name of it was and pretty sure the little hole in the wall didn’t have a name either (must have been one somewhere). Anyway, finally got serious and googled a long random sentence and up popped all these memories from people in the midwest talking about that darn sandwich. I scanned down and sure enough people from Denver were adding their messages as well. They all talked about some place like a Denny’s, not my little hole in the wall but it’s the same sandwich.
I am an AZ native and never heard of it before or after living in Denver. I married a man from Kansas and he didn’t know what it was either. I DON’T REALLY CARE I HAVE THE RECIPE NOW AND I AM AT PEACE!!!!!!!
Dear Joyce, thank you for taking time to write to me. I love those memories too! I hope you will find time to make these – they are absolutely delicious and very close to that walk down memory lane. Have a blessed weekend!
I love how golden your bread is!
I was surprised to see some of the other TWD savarins quite light colored.
ok. wow. I’ve never heard of these, and I’m sure I’d love them. But I’m going to try to forget that I saw this! it can only cause trouble!
Yeah, I hear you! I am already trying to rationalize making them again! Yikes!
As a Northeast native, I have never heard of these; but I can totally get behind the concept. I would have loved it if my mom gave me one of these for lunch 🙂
Even though it looks like a grilled cheese sandwich, the batter and cornflakes take on a whole flavor of their own, not to mention the crunch. Oh for Heavens sake this is making me hungry! 🙂
Have never heard of them! And still in the town I grew up, in the middle of Kansas. You would think talk of them would of drifted this way! Those sound very good.
I’ve read on a restaurant history site that they were in these 18 states and Canada. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. BUT, I have no idea where in Kansas. Probably in the bigger cities, and especially around colleges.