Ted's Fish Fry: 75 Years On

Cheesy looking AI concoction if we build a new one

 After writing about Dougs Fish Fry, thought I'd look into the Capital Regions own seafood chain, Teds Fish Fry, which celebrates their 75th Anniversary this year. I've only been to the ones in Watervliet (pictured) and Colonie. One in Troy closed last year (Hoosick St. remains open). It's rare enough I get to Albany anymore, let alone on a Friday (I'm that hardcore). Because I've only gone to the District that much when my relatives were still alive and/or in the area, I managed to find suggestions on Teds Facebook page (I'll only use ones within a 50 mile radius of Albany), which makes much more sense than to scramble online looking for properties. The former Grandmas on NY 5 may be too close to the Wolf Rd and Western Ave (US 20) locations, as would both Crossgates Mall and Colonie Center, since Teds want their own space, not the mall's. Ballston Spa will get a new one on NY 50 in the fall. The vacancies don't always have to be former restaurants, just zoned for it (you know the rule book).

Glenmont - former Applebees, US 9W

Schenectady - former ALDI/Grand Union, NY 5 & 7

Rensselaer - former ALDI, US 9 & 20

Amsterdam - former Pizza Hut, NY 30

Ballston Spa - former Pizza Hut, NY 50 (confirmed)

Niskayuna - former Thai Thai Bistro, NY 146 & Nott St E

Dougs Fish Fry to Go

Dougs ToGo Trailer parked in Manlius

 For a number of years, Doug's Fish Fry in Cortland has run a food truck, with two of them covering CNY, the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier/Twin Tiers, and Central Leatherstocking Regions. They often will support a charity, school or school club, church, fire department, sports team, civic or non-profit organization. It is separately managed from the Skaneateles flagship. The trucks run during the week. I wait for it to be close to town on a Friday. It's always on Onondaga Hill the third Friday of the month. I also go to their stand at the State Fair each year. The trucks don't offer chicken, macaroni cheese or ice creams like at the two brick and mortars since there just isn't room for it all. You can order online and get delivery through the Toast app if going over isn't an option because of work, time, or transport issues if available in your area when it comes. Loyal customers show up on the day, particularly Friday (big with the over-60s). Capital counterpart Teds have their own trailer, but they mainly book festivals and events, which can occur at the weekends, but more on them later. Dougs once did Taste of Syracuse, and late founder Doug Clark was there to boot, but they never touch city soil anymore, likely because getting a permit can be a hurdle, especially downtown, where it gets competitive, and the permanent restaurants anywhere dread takeaways on wheels taking off their business. Another place used to have their own stop by, whose own building is across town from an even more well known chippy, also disappeared. Dougs can be hired too, and these things are always arranged in advance.

We may not have the big fish chains in the immediate area, but we have Dougs to call our own.

Dougs formerly had up to four other locations. Three spun off as JDs Fish 'n Grill.

Mattydale - US 11, kmart Plaza (was never JDs; replaced by Fremont [East Syracuse] location)

Baldwinsville (Moyers Corners) - NY 31 & CR 57; previously Hardees, later Cams Pizzeria and Tim Hortons

Fairmount - NY 297; now Asciotis Meat Market

East Syracuse - NY 290 & Butternut Dr.; later Touch of Broadway; now Empire Pizza and Deli

Food Club: 80 Years On

Ft Knox tin of Food Club Brand Chefs Blend Coffee from the '50s (saw an even older one on Pinterest)

 Food Club brand used to be sold all over CNY at P&C, Big M, Great American/Victory Markets (an Instagram post from an '80s account taken in Otsego County got me going) and Hometown Markets. I wrote about Topcos arrival in the area in 1993 years before when Penn Traffic retired Commander Foods (which P&C had since the '60s at least if I'm not mistaken). While their other brands remain at Tops, Price Chopper, Grand Union and other chains in limited form, Food Club has been elusive here in recent memory. When Tops took over Penn Traffic in 2010, C&S acquired Big M and brought in Best Yet. As with many generics, some products level up to the brand names, while others not so much (you know how it is). It was founded in 1945 by the end of WWII as the economy was to rebound again.

Food Clubs site only lists Long Islands King Kullen and Weis Markets in the Southern Tier/Twin Tiers (to a lesser extent since they have their own store brands of most staples) as the only chains in the state that carry it today. Non-profit indie Brady Market on Syracuses near west side in the former Nojaim Bros (which carried it in the old days as the last surviving Hometown Market, Nojaims having just closed the Marcellus store and buried two family members) is the last holdout here, although it's likely Piggly Wiggly in Watertown of all places could have it too since the Midwestern locations do (the North Country store used to be P&C, then Tops, and is part of that division via the Great Lakes).

If the non-profit store in Uticas West End Bargain Grocery doesn't have a private label partner, I suppose they could also get a deal. Don't know if Topco will offer Food Club à la carte like with the sister brands. Wegmans discontinued their soft drinks (the seltzer and sparkling water remain), and Food Club could replace them, yet I remember Wegmans WPop ('90s branding) being streets ahead of the other generics (you probably don't get that in Consumer Reports, but sometimes on random websites now). A few Food Club items wound up on the bargain shelf at one Tops store, likely because of common manufacturing facilities. Then it could happen that the current P&C Fresh could carry Food Club since P&C and Grand Union are both in Cortland and have Best Yet (along with a small place in Homer), while Ithaca just has P&C and not the other in generations unless they or Weis buy the former Tops across town. I have less trouble getting the even rarer Hy-Top, which is at Chanatrys in Utica (Bargains only full-sized locally-owned competitor) and Shop 'n Save (that's one for another day).

It would take someone starting their own place and getting all Topco to bring Food Club back to our backyard more often, but it could be down to warehouses/wholesalers. It goes to show how something can be on every corner one day and piecemeal or gone the next. Their social media tries to glamourise their products as a far cry from the austere or even plain text bargain label products of the '70s and '80s. These days, any generics will do as people try to stretch their dollars wherever they can.

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

Location possibly in the Pacific Northwest (photographer likely based there)

 There are more chicken chains than ever these days, and I think Raising Canes Chicken Fingers are able to open more locations. With other restaurant chains and indies closing locations across the country, Canes could have franchises buy them in areas where they aren't already in business. Downstate is covered as usual. Nothing Upstate yet, but we can change that. May be mostly by me.

Syracuse (Fairmount) - former TJs Big Boy/IHOP/Good Buddys Pub, W Genesee St (can't be would-be rival and Buddys sister chain Tullys Tenders to Go since regular one is down the street)

Camillus - former Firehouse Subs, W Genesee St (if Fairmount not chosen)

Watertown - former Red Lobster, NY 3

Syracuse (east side) - former Red Lobster, NY 5

Clay/Liverpool - NY 31 (build from scratch, even with Tullys to Go looking to build that way in the wake of Microns pending arrival of their base for east of the Mississippi)

Oneida - former KFC?, NY 5

New Hartford - former Boil Shack, NY 5

Vestal - former A&W/Long John Silvers (as of June 2024), NY 434

Henrietta - former Red Lobster, NY 252

Buffalo - former Red Lobster; NY 179 & McKinley Pkwy, McKinley Mall

Albany - former Grandmas, NY 5

Kingston - former Red Lobster, US 9W