We are Planning a Reopening...visit us often for details

The Rebel Drive In Restaurant opened in 1964 (some say earlier) at locations in Cleveland and the Chattanooga area. The original owner of the company named the restaurant chain after his son’s ball team where his son attended school.

In that year, local well known restaurateur Emary Bryant began managing the Rebel, also known as "The Rebel South" on Highway 11 in Cleveland. In 1966, Bryant along with the firm purchased the Bears Den on North Ocoee Street, changing its name to "The Rebel North." Still in operation today and solely owned by Mrs. Emary Bryant, known to most as Ms. Ruby ( Ms. Ruby retired in 1999 closing the business). This unit stands as the last of the popular Rebel chain. Some Rebels throughout the region belonged to a group of restaurants named the Chow Now which followed the theme of the 60's drive in era.

The Rebel’s offered inside dinning or curb service and were the first in the region to feature the electronic car side ordering system. In those days the curb side customer would phone in an order from a telephone system at the car.

The Rebel owners called their popular hamburger the lottaburger and offered a smaller version of the same hamburger called the Chunky Burger. A Double Decker was also featured. Lemon Ice Box pie and homemade Onion Rings were popular food items at the restaurant for years.

The company began offering breakfast in 1964 at the South Lee Highway unit and was probably the first Drive In to offer gravy and biscuits in the Cleveland area. This menu item raised eye brows from other area restaurants as gravy and biscuits were considered a back woods country treat unknown to the public food service trade.

Over the years the Rebel employed many teenagers and helped give young people a start in the work field. Dozens of marriages and life long relationships began at the Rebel. Occasionally a couple will come in to celebrate an anniversary to honor where they first met or experienced their first date.

Today the Rebel continues to offer the same curb service or dinning room eating plus the lottaburger and other menu items it started almost 35 years ago. Often the company has considered discontinuing the curb service as popularity for eating in the car decreased some years ago. However, according to Mrs. Bryant. "We just have never had the heart to really close the curb and go with strictly dinning room service. We want to keep the Drive In image of the 60's and still offer a dinning room for the customer that enjoys that."

Many employees at the Rebel have worked for years for the company. Twenty five years of service is not unusual and many five and ten year tenures are on record. The Rebel has celebrated the retirement of a few employees with parties and going away presents.

In the 60's the Rebel was the most popular place to "circle’ and look for friends. "You just hadn’t been to town till you had gone to the Rebel with a date and set on the curb listening to the jute box." Ruby Bryant says. "Those were the good old days. Lots of people tell me how they used to squeal their tires and show off a new paint job on their car at The Rebel. We have fond memories of those days. The young people of those days are now adults with children and grandchildren, many who land their first job washing dishes or serving food at the Rebel."

Recently the Bryant's held a fund raiser for lake Forrest Elementary School. 650 Lottaburgers were sold with lots of people leaving without being served due to the big demand. We hope to offer some of the much wanted items for online users...Stay Tuned