RUNZA
Hoppen Hierarchy:
★★★
District: all over Omaha
Fast Food Restaurant
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Takeout
Standout Dishes: Jammin’ Bacon Cheeseburger; Runza; Frings
Eating Runza just feels like home.
That is, to a native Nebraskan, at least. This is the food we grew up on. Pockets of ground beef and cabbage fueled our maturation from children to adolescents to adults. Frings, Runza Rex, and Temperature Tuesday aren’t just seared into our memories, but our souls.
Many times when I talk to people that aren’t from Nebraska, they say they don’t get the hype about Runza. That it’s good food, but not all we native Nebraskans talk it up to be.
Maybe there’s some truth to that. Because Runza is tied to our post Little League game dinners, Sunday suppers, and on-the-go upbringings, we hold it in a higher regard. Food and human memory are genetically linked.
But, in my opinion, whether you grew up on it or not, Runza just serves damn good fast food.
What started as a humble hamburger stand in Lincoln in 1949 has blossomed into 90 locations across five Midwest states. It’s an official partner of Nebraska athletics, helped popularize the iconic duo of chili and cinnamon rolls, and ships its namesake sandwiches across the nation.
Runza is a core strand of Nebraska’s DNA.
It all starts with the Runza Sandwich, which, despite its name, is not like any sandwich you’ve seen before. It’s an elongated pocket stuffed with ground beef, cabbage, and onions. This is Runza’s version of the bierock, an Eastern European pastry that’s become a staple of Midwest dining.
The bread, baked in house each morning, is the star, as it has as soft texture and a mild yeasty flavor.
The beef is seasoned wonderfully, giving it a deeply savory flavor, and, while fast food quality can vary by location, is typically not at all dry. The onions and cabbage are cooked down to provide a subtle sweetness. It’s perfectly enjoyable on its own, and dollops of tangy mustard only enhance it.
The original is Runza’s staple, but the restaurant also serves various flavored Runzas. The BBQ Bacon Runza is stuffed with bacon, Swiss cheese, and BBQ sauce, while the Spicy Jack Runza employs bacon, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, and Southwest ranch.
Runza also comes up with seasonal specials, such as a Reuben Runza or Philly Cheesesteak. The Italian Runza (Italian sausage, black olives, marinara, mozzarella) in particular is a fan favorite, and hordes of Nebraskans swarm Runzas various locations when it sporadically graces the menu.
As iconic as the classic Runza sandwich is, you’ll find many who say the restaurant’s burgers are actually its calling card. These 1/4-lb. burgers are simple but consistently get the job done. The beef is seasoned well and remains juicy, the American cheese melts to politely enrobe it, and the pickles, diced onions, ketchup, and mustard transport you to a backyard BBQ.
But Runza takes things to another level with the Jammin’ Bacon Cheeseburger, a sweet/heat masterpiece that leans more toward the latter. The bacon adds some nice saltiness and cream cheese brings a little tang, but it’s the sticky sweetness of the bacon jam that shows up with just the right amount of sugar to accent an otherwise very savory burger.
And Runza doesn’t throw in the towel with the sides. The Onion Rings are made in house, as large rings are double-dipped and fried to achieve a brilliant crispy consistency with a deeply savory flavor to match the natural sweetness of the onion. They’re as good as any in the fast food game.
And the French Fries are no slouch, either. These crinkle cuts have ridges perfect for sauces (including Runza’s beloved ranch) to cling to, and they maintain a good amount of potato flavor. Can’t choose between the rings and fries? Get Frings, which stuffs a bag with the best of both fried worlds.
No one is going to confuse Runza for gourmet dining, but this is about the pinnacle when it comes to fast food. Runza actually puts effort into its cooking, not just grabbing a bunch of premade items from a bag. The Runzas are baked each morning. The ranch is made in house.
So yes, this is fast food. But Runza is fast food like your mom cooked it.
That’s why Runza has become such an institution in Nebraska. Maybe out-of-staters won’t always understand it. But we do because it’s a part of who we are.