How did the restaurant 'Fuddruckers' get its name?

McGruff

The first Fuddruckers opened in San Antonio, Texas in 1980. Phil Romano created it, because he couldn't find a place to get a great, fresh hamburger. The first restaurant, #001, is still in existence right on Botts Lane in San Antonio. However, the Fuddruckers of today is much different than that 1980 restaurant. Fuddruckers operates and franchises about 250 fast-casual restaurants, mostly under the Fuddruckers banner, which specialize in made-to-order hamburgers. The company also owns the Koo Koo Roo chain of poultry restaurants, which it bought from beleaguered Prandium in late 2003. Fuddruckers was founded 1980 by restaurateur Phil Romano, who also started Romano's Macaroni Grill (now owned by Brinker International), and acquired eight years later by Bryce King and Michael Cannon. I've been unable to find the origin of the name. Jun 12 04, 7:01 PM

Beckyel

I was interested in all that, thank you McGruff. We have had one here in Qatar for a couple of years, but don't go there very often. It is nice, but pricey if you have a big family. However, the name has always puzzled me. It is definitely odd. Jun 13 04, 8:18 AM

McGruff

It is a very odd name, and difficult for people to remember at first, so I'm not sure why it was chosen. I've eaten in a couple of them and didn't think the price was out of line because the portions are enormous. Get something you can doggie-bag home. I imagine taking a family out to eat is pricey most everywhere you go. Koo Koo Roo is an odd name, as well. I've never seen one of those. Jun 13 04, 2:01 PM

tendigitarmy

Not sure if this is accurate, but... A "Rudd" is a type of fish and a "*ucker" is one who performs sexual acts on an object. Just speculation, but I assume he may have taken the first letter of each of the first two syllables and reversed them. This would make the name mean that he was referring to sexual intercourse with a fish. Some vagina has been inappropriately labeled as having an odor similar to that of a fish-like-smell, and going further with this very outlandish theory...maybe he was making an attempt at a play-on-words referencing sexual acts with vagina. This is the only real attempt I have seen on the internet to explain the source of the name. I am tired of seeing endless post's from people that cut-and-paste a Wikipedia biography into the available space and then play it off like it is their own. Jul 07 09, 2:03 PM