Hot Bird

We probably took food out from there over 20 times. They were the only place you could get rotisserie chicken at the time (neither Met nor La Grande Castilla de Jagua offered it at the time). They also sold ribs, and the available sides were cole slaw, macaroni salad, baked potato, and fries, IIRC.

It was really only a take-out counter when you went in; everything was behind bullet-proof plexiglas, and your money and order went in/out on a revolving platter-cylinder.

There was also a degree of sophistication, as their computer had a phone number based database for when you called in your order, and they could simplify your ordering process by seeing, for instance, what your last order was.

I genuinely miss them.

You're definitely in the ballpark, but I can't say precisely.

I remember once having an actual Hot Bird ceramic mug... Hmm. Have to check the basement for that special item!

Chicken and ribs with no oil? It was destined to fail. You need the grease!

he used a quality sign painter, though - those signs are still clear as day! My wife remembers Hot Bird fondly from her high school years, so it must have closed no earlier than 1994...