The Hat (Glendora Flagship)

Bill Brown opened the original Hat stand in 1951 in what was then a relatively rural stretch of Glendora — the city was substantially smaller in 1951 than it is today, with extensive citrus groves and ranch land surrounding a compact downtown core. The choice of a walk-up roadside stand model was practical and conventional for the era: postwar Southern California was building out its car-centric retail infrastructure rapidly, and small walk-up stands along major roads served the growing population of car-owning suburban families. Route 66 was a busy regional road and the Glendora stretch was an accessible site for a new food business.

The giant fiberglass hat above the building was inspired in part by the postwar Southern California tradition of programmatic architecture — buildings shaped like the products they sold or designed to be visually arresting from a passing car. Glendora and surrounding Los Angeles County in 1951 still had numerous examples of this style: the Brown Derby restaurants downtown shaped like a hat, the Tail O' the Pup hot dog stand, and the Donut Hole donut shop in La Puente shaped like a giant donut. Bill Brown's hat signpost fit this tradition and proved durable as a brand visual.

The original Glendora location grew steadily across the 1950s and 1960s as Glendora itself grew. The pastrami sandwich emerged in the early years as the signature item that distinguished The Hat from generic burger-and-hot-dog stands. By the late 1960s the original Glendora location had built a substantial loyal customer base and Bill Brown began considering additional locations. The first expansion locations opened in the early 1970s, eventually growing into the current chain of roughly a dozen Hat locations across the greater Los Angeles area.

The pastrami dip sandwich is the menu item that most first-time customers come for. The construction is straightforward: a generous portion of hot griddle-warmed pastrami (typically about half a pound per sandwich, though portions can vary), piled into a halved French roll, served with a small cup of beef-pastrami au jus for dipping. The pastrami itself is sliced thicker than typical deli pastrami — closer to a quarter-inch slice rather than the paper-thin slicing of New York-style deli pastrami — and the seasoning runs toward the peppery and slightly smoky end of the pastrami spectrum.

Toppings on the standard pastrami dip include yellow mustard, sliced pickles, and pickled chiles. Some customers add Swiss cheese or American cheese for an additional charge. The classic Hat order is the standard pastrami dip with mustard and pickles, eaten with a side of crinkle-cut fries (substantial portions, salted, hot) and a soft drink. Variations include the pastrami chili cheese fries (pastrami piled on top of chili cheese fries) and the pastrami burrito (pastrami wrapped in a flour tortilla with beans, cheese, and salsa).

Beyond the pastrami, The Hat's menu includes burgers (the standard cheeseburger is competent fast-casual quality), hot dogs (a respectable chili dog), chili cheese fries (substantial), tacos and burritos (genuinely Mexican-American in style, reflecting Southern California's deep Mexican food influence on quick-service menus), and breakfast items at locations that serve breakfast. The menu is broader than the pastrami-only reputation might suggest, but the pastrami dip remains the defining order for most visitors and the reason the restaurant has become a Southern California food landmark.

The Hat has expanded to roughly a dozen locations across greater Los Angeles since the 1970s, including locations in Pasadena, Alhambra, Brea, Lake Forest, Monrovia, Upland, and several other San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire communities. The expansion has been gradual and family-controlled — The Hat is not a franchise operation and all locations are corporately operated, which has helped maintain menu and quality consistency across decades. Each location features a version of the signature giant hat sign in homage to the original Glendora location.

The Glendora flagship at 611 West Route 66 remains the original location and is generally considered the spiritual home of the chain. The building has been updated and modernized across the decades but maintains the original walk-up window and outdoor seating layout (recent renovations have added some additional indoor seating in some locations, but the walk-up model remains central). For Route 66 travelers and Southern California food enthusiasts, visiting the original Glendora location specifically — rather than one of the satellite locations — is the traditional pilgrimage.

Hours at the Glendora flagship are generally 10am to 1am daily, with extended weekend hours common. Late-night accessibility is part of The Hat's appeal — the chain has a substantial late-night customer base of post-bar diners, restaurant industry workers ending late shifts, and college students from nearby Citrus College and Azusa Pacific University. The combination of generous portions, reasonable prices, and late-night hours has driven repeat customer behavior across decades.

The Hat sits on the historic Route 66 alignment through Glendora, about half a mile west of The Donut Man — Glendora's other famous Route 66 food landmark. The two stops together form a substantial Glendora food itinerary that food-focused Route 66 travelers commonly build around: pastrami dip lunch at The Hat, then drive five minutes east to The Donut Man for a fresh strawberry donut (if it is strawberry season) or a standard donut order. The combination produces one of the most genuinely distinctive Route 66 food experiences in California.

Beyond the immediate food stops, downtown Glendora — along Glendora Avenue, just south of the Route 66 corridor — is worth combining with a Hat visit for travelers with extra time. Glendora's downtown maintains a walkable Main Street character with specialty shops, cafes, and the Golden Spur restaurant (a 1918 stagecoach-stop-turned-Route 66-diner that is its own genuine Route 66 stop). The Glendora Chamber of Commerce visitor information point is located near downtown and provides maps and orientation for visitors.

For Route 66 travelers continuing west, The Hat pairs naturally with afternoon stops in Pasadena (about 15 miles west) — including the Fair Oaks Pharmacy soda fountain in South Pasadena and the broader Old Pasadena historic district. Travelers continuing east pair The Hat with stops in Rancho Cucamonga (about 5 miles east), including the historic 1848-era Sycamore Inn and the 1937 Route 66 Service Station visitor center. Plan The Hat as a lunch anchor and let the adjacent attractions fill out the day.

First-time visitors should plan to arrive at a non-peak hour for the easiest experience — late morning (around 10:30am to 11:30am) or mid-afternoon (around 2pm to 4pm) typically have shorter lines than the standard lunch rush (12pm to 1:30pm) or dinner rush (5:30pm to 7pm). Weekend lunch hours can have substantial lines, but the order-and-serve process is efficient and waits rarely extend beyond 15 to 20 minutes even at peak times. The walk-up window setup keeps the operation moving quickly.

The standard first-time order is the pastrami dip with mustard and pickles, a side of crinkle-cut fries, and a soft drink. Asking for the sandwich "wet" — with the au jus poured over the sandwich rather than served as a side cup — is a common variation that produces a wetter, messier eating experience. Asking for the sandwich "on the side" is the default for diners who want to dip the sandwich themselves. Either way, plan on substantial portion sizes — The Hat's pastrami sandwich is genuinely a full meal and most customers do not finish the standard combo without some leftover.

Parking at the Glendora flagship is available in a small attached lot and on adjacent streets. The lot can fill up during peak hours and short walks from street parking are common during lunch rushes. The restaurant accepts cash and most credit cards. Prices have risen across the 2020s in line with broader Southern California fast-casual inflation, but a pastrami dip combo typically runs $12 to $16 — reasonable for the portion size and the regional food-icon status. The walk-up model means there is no table service and no tipping is expected.