Sandy's Decatur locations are legendary. Originally there were only to be four Sandy's, one for each of the original founders. Word got out as to the incredible business that Sandy's was doing and people were begging to buy into the drive-in as franchisees. Sandy's Decatur (East) 1147 E. Eldorado, was Sandy's # 5. Sandy's Decatur (West) 1080 W. Eldorado was Sandy's # 72.
Sandy's Decatur East most likely opened in 1959 while Sandy's Decatur West most likely opened in 1964. All three Decatur locations remained Sandy's after the Hardees buy-out in 1973!
Sandy's fan Harold Dean remembers Decatur Sandy's!
If memory serves me right, in 1965 after being discharge from the army and living in Decatur Illinois with my wife and children we used to go to the Sandys on Eldorado street for hamburgers at 4 for a dollar!
Harold Dean
If you have any memorabilia, pictures or stories of Sandy's in Decatur, Illinois or elsewhere, please email me!