A popular, family-owned hamburger chain from the Bay Area is further expanding into the Central Valley with its first location in Turlock, the Journal learned Wednesday.
Work is currently being done inside the space at 1811 Countryside Dr. to open a Nation’s Giant Hamburgers.
The chain has already made its presence known with signage on the windows announcing they will be opening soon. Sources told the Journal that they anticipate opening in December.
The space was last occupied by a botany and herbal remedy store, and before that was a longtime home for a U.S. Air Force recruitment office. It neighbors businesses like FoodMaxx, Chong’s Chinese and Thai Cuisine, and Smoke City.
Nation’s Giant Hamburgers is most known for its 1/3-pound beef patties, though their all-day breakfast menu featuring pancakes, toast and omelets is also a big draw, as well as their shakes and freshly baked pies. Also on the menu are sandwiches and hot dogs.
According to the company website, there are currently 36 Nation’s Giant Hamburgers across the county, with all but one being in California. The Turlock restaurant is one of seven new locations that are expected to open by the chain in the coming months, which includes a second Modesto location.
Modesto is home to the first and (as of now) only Nation’s Giant Hamburgers in Stanislaus County, opening in late 2022 at the former Wells Fargo bank branch at 2509 McHenry Ave. The second Modesto restaurant will be on the west side of the city, at 3900 Pelandale Ave., though it is unclear when that spot plans on opening its doors.
Other locations in the 209 are in Tracy, Stockton and Lodi.
When the doors to the Turlock restaurant open, hours will be 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday, and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Nation’s Giant Hamburgers was founded in 1952 by Russ Harvey, when he used the money from the sale of his 1948 Buick to open a hot dog stand in San Pablo, complete with a 10-foot-wide counter with six stools. He quickly added burgers to the menu, focused on large portions, leading to an explosion in popularity and a name change to Harvey’s Giants Hamburgers.
Dale Power was hired as a janitor for Nation’s in 1960, and a decade later, purchased his first restaurant in Oakland. He decided to rebrand his location as Nation's, as he believed they sold the best burgers in the country. Harvey and Power changed the company name to Nation's across the board and became partners under the brand.
For more information on Nation’s Giant Hamburgers, visit www.nationsrestaurants.com
