Last Arthur Treacher's to celebrate half-century in the Falls on Thursday

Kerry Clawson, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips at 1833 State Road in Cuyahoga Falls is the last free-standing location in the nation.
Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips at 1833 State Road in Cuyahoga Falls is the last free-standing location in the nation.

Hear ye, hear ye, Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips fans: The last free-standing location in the world will celebrate 50 years of serving the Cuyahoga Falls community with an anniversary celebration from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

The public event will be held at the restaurant at 1833 State Road a year from the date that Falls Mayor Don Walters proclaimed June 30, 2021, "Arthur Treacher Day."

More: Nation's last Arthur Treacher's in Cuyahoga Falls keeps reeling in customers during Lent 🐟

On Thursday, Walters and restaurant owner Ben Vittoria, who has owned the location since 1988, will speak between 3 and 4 p.m. Arthur Treacher's also will offer raffles, giveaways and T-shirts.

It's Fish Friday! We... - Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips | By Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips | It's Fish Friday! We have all the hot fish and chips you could ever want! We even have our delicious shrimp and chicken that's sooooo irresistible! Stop...

Food specials will include fish or chicken boats — six pieces of chicken or fish and a family chip (a family-sized serving of English-style fried potatoes) —  for $19.99. The restaurant also will be passing out cake, cookies and ice cream, plus introducing new desserts that will be going on the menu.

The celebration will continue with customer appreciation days Friday and Saturday, said manager Christian Burden.

Last of an era

The Falls restaurant with its iconic yellow and green lantern outside is the only place where you can get the full Arthur Treacher's menu, including its Alaskan pollock fish dipped in a proprietary batter and fried in vegetable oil. The Falls spot has developed a cult following as customers from other states travel to the last remaining Arthur Treacher's for a taste of nostalgia. (The original chain was founded in Columbus in 1969.)

More: Take a trip down memory lane at the last remaining Arthur Treacher’s in Cuyahoga Falls

More: The last Arthur Treacher's to stay in Cuyahoga Falls

Vittoria, who lives in Sharon Township, closed the second-to-last Arthur Treacher's in Garfield Heights last June, partially due to labor shortages. He's since been focusing on the last remaining restaurant in the Falls, where he still cooks with other fryers in the fast-food seafood restaurant's back line of production.

Ben Vittoria, "the original fish fryer" and owner of the last free-standing Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips in the nation, serves up freshly fried fish at his restaurant on State Road in Cuyahoga Falls.
Ben Vittoria, "the original fish fryer" and owner of the last free-standing Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips in the nation, serves up freshly fried fish at his restaurant on State Road in Cuyahoga Falls.

That work throughout his 45-year Arthur Treacher's career has earned him the nickname "the original fish fryer."

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Arthur Treacher's to make splash in Falls with 50th anniversary party