Original Tommy's marks 80th anniversary with 80-cent chili cheeseburgers

Original Tommy's, the Los Angeles burger chain whose chili-smothered fare has fed generations of Angelenos, celebrated its 80th anniversary Thursday by offering its signature chili cheeseburger for 80 cents at all California and Nevada locations.

The one-day deal — a fraction of the regular $5.50 price — drew crowds across Southern California to a chain whose original Shack in Los Angeles' Westlake district has operated without a single day off since it first opened its doors.

The chain held the special from noon to 8 p.m. at every location in California and Nevada, slashing the price of its signature chili cheeseburger from $5.50 to 80 cents, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The main celebration unfolded at the original Shack at Beverly and Rampart boulevards in the Westlake district, where giveaways, a DJ and a performance by Belmont High School's marching band drew fans throughout the afternoon.

Dawna Barnal, CEO of Original Tommy's and granddaughter of the chain's founder, said the milestone called for a direct expression of gratitude. "It's hard to believe that we're here. We just want to do something to thank our loyal who've been with us. We wouldn't be anything without them," Barnal said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Barnal also credited her grandfather's guiding philosophy. "My grandfather was always big on that — the customer's always right," she said.

A spokesman for Original Tommy's described what makes the flagship location a fixture of the city's food culture. "Iconic to all the Angelenos, simply because this location has been 24 hours a day, seven days a week since the opening. So it's always available — pre-Dodger games, post-Dodger games, late nights, after the clubs, we're always here," the spokesman said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

For eight decades the corner of Beverly and Rampart has served as a gathering point for Angelenos at every hour — a late-night landmark that has outlasted trends and kept the same chili recipe across generations.

Marking eight decades in business, Original Tommy's shows no sign of slowing down — the Shack at Beverly and Rampart remains open every hour of every day, just as it has from the very start.