Foster’s Old Fashioned Freeze

When this place was fosters, it was great. we used to go 1 – 2 times a week. It changed hands, they took the forsters sign down. it was ok, but not what it used to be. I coulrn’t care less about the condition of the tables, if the food is good. who cares what is written on the tables. I just miss the old original fosters freeze that used to be there. come back!

Okay, so first off let’s state the obvious, this place looks like a complete dive, like it’s been neglected for the past 45 years, the tables are gross and there’s graffiti everywhere and you probably can’t figure out what the damn place is called, well, it’s Foster’s.
I’ve been going here since I can remember, and it’s all I’m craving at the moment but my craving will have to wait to be fixed until I come back to California. You’re not going to find a single «healthy option» on their menu because they don’t have a Healthy Choice Menu and great, keep it that way. You don’t come to this dumpy looking random diner looking for something you’d order at French Laundry, you’re going to get something deliciously greasy; I’ll just about eat anything on their menu. Oh and there’s no substitute for their awesomely salted fries and (low-​fat!) soft serve. It was my favorite way to end the day at good ol’ MJHS.

What is this place really called? Its no longer «officially» Foster’s Freeze, then what the hell is it?
I have eaten here 3 times in almost 6 years and it has steadily gotten worse.
Its not the diner type greasy burger you are craving. The only redeeming factor that I found in the food was the French Fries. Those were exactly what I was craving that day.
My husband ordered the #7 ranch burger something-​or-​other. He really liked his and he really liked his onion rings.
I got the #2 regular Cheese Burger with all the fixn’s. The bun was weird. It was like a bun you would get on some type of breakfast sandwich from Burger King. Not something I would normally think to put on a burger.
I would give them 3 stars just for the Dog Friendly factor. I just cant over look the food.
My dog sat on my lap with her head laying on the table outside. If anyone said anything to me I probably would have gotten up and farted on their french fries and then said, «Now you don’t have to worry about dog germs.»
No one said anything though, darn it.

To start off, this place has no name. It’s not listed anywhere on the building and it’s not listed on the receipt.
The tables are gross, sticky, dirty, covered in graffiti and not in an interesting way. Oh and it’s next to a mental health ward, which explained the woman screaming things to herself and wandering around the tables.
I haven’t even gotten to the food yet. Almost immediately I got a sore stomach from their microwave chicken tenders and their fries were scalding hot inside, but only warm outside which lead to me burning the back of my throat.
It still hurts, thank you very much.
The service was good, but the place was so just… icky and dirty, that I would never come back.

nostalgic but thats about it. dont even think about getting a dipped cone unless you want running ice cream all over.
better places to be had for sure, could use a better staff, fresh paint and a little more cleaning.

Foster’s Freeze (or whatever this place is calling themselve now) is another stop on my occasional search for quick takeout and then back to the office. Since this place is so close to downtown, the County offices, and the local industry, you see all types of folks here. And occasionally, its best to mind your manners and keep your back to the wall.
This Foster’s Freeze also looks a little tired and jack w. is probably right about the need for a good power wash. Yet at the same time, it’s kind of part of this genre and reminds me (fondly) about my Midwest home. And once you get past the décor, service has been quick, my food has always been good and the ice cream has been tasty.

I didn’t try out any of the food (and don’t plan to) but this is a solid little ice-​cream stand if you are in the MTZ on a warm day. Seating outside is available but you may have to bus the table yourself before you sit down to enjoy your half and half dipped cone.

This place needs a good hose down. The tables are perpetually sticky. The sidewalks dirty. Get a power washer and start everyday with a good hose down. You’ll decrease the flies, germs and increase you customer satisfaction, The sign hasn’t worked in years. The ice cream does taste okay.

so I’m at Foster’s Freeze with my dad. For those who dont know, just to get an idea of what we’re dealing with here, Foster’s is this walk-​up, old Drive In Hamburger Soft Serve ice cream place thats been in Martinez forever. The Korean owners, who speak very little English, decided it would be cheaper to not pay franchise costs to be a Foster’s officially so now they get the same food from the supplier, they just cant call it Foster’s.
So my dad and i were at «_​os _​_​_​_​Freeze» as the sign says now, and this guy walks up in a pimped out track suit, clubbin shades siteways pro-​fit cap, basketball sneakers and fiddling with some kind of cellphone PDA sidekick thing. He starts off asking if they have Steak Teryaki… which isnt in one of the many conveniently photographed and posted menu items they had in the window.
She says back in her broken English that mostly consists specifically of OS Freeze menu items, «no, Teryaki Chicken». he says «you aint got no beef teryaki?» (she said no you fuck!. look at the pictures asshole) so he settles for the chicken but asks. «what kinda meat is it?» she replies «its teryaki chicken». he then whines «naah naah, is it breast meat?» and points to the chicken breast sandwich picture.
This only confuses her more. she answers enthusiastically «chicken breast sandwich?» (this reminds me of that episode of southpark with the future people taking our jobs) anyway.
he says «naw naw, what kinda chicken meat is in the teryaki chicken. its dark meat huh» she repeats some confused babble about the chicken sandwich. rightly so, this guy is a moron. then he gives up and orders, of all things, the ranch burger. he barks his order at her «well done. and can you make the fries crispy»
Dude this isnt Burger King you cant get it your way. they have pictures man! THAT is what you get. so they went back and forth with the ranch burger. much like the teryaki steak conversation. he continued to ask shit like «what kinda ranch is it, do you make it or is it in a bottle…»
meanwhile my dad and i, and some dude that ordered before us are there in awe of this guys audacity and stupidity. Making fun of him under our breath but loud enough for him to hear us. Nothing will bring strangers together like someone else making a fool of themselves in public.
It went from being funny, like ‘ha ha look at that nerd ball’ — to complete and utter disbelief. a feeling that can only be compared to seeing a flying saucer and not being sure if what your seeing is real or not.
At this point my dad was ready to throw down. This guy stood there customizing his order for about 25 minutes. This specialized order, hich would surely be screwed up by the nice Korean woman, merely due to the language barrier. I shit you not. 25 minutes. Most of this time we were just standing around the corner at the tables peeking over to see if he was still there, missing most of who knows what he was trying to order.
My dad went over to see if our order was ready yet and overheard the line that made us go ballistic. «…uhm, do your straws have paper on them…» WHAATTT??? this guy has to be kidding. where are the hidden cameras. Ashton where are you? paper on the straws??? but alas, he was dead serious and when he found out that he couldnt get Mr Pib, he then ordered water, and since he found out the straws had no paper on them he asked «uhhm do y’all got bottled water?» is it on the menu? Is there a picture of bottled water on the menu? NO you shit head your ordering through a ratty screendoor in a window!!!
so FINALLY, he finishes and decides he wasnt that thirsty after all.
you asshole. we get our food as the line of people starts to give their orders. man i hope they knew enough English to realise how much of a fucktard that guy was and spit in his well done bottled ranch burger.

Why am I giving four stars to a chain burger joint? Fosters triggers 1970s nostalgia in me. It’s paved from the parking lot up to the order window, and as the sun blasts down on you you see a place that clearly hasn’t been redecorated in 30 years. The burgers are decent, the shakes are great, and you’re surrounded by patrons who just posted bail (the courthouse and county jail are a few blocks away).
And where else are you going to get to see napkins emblazoned with the L’il Foster mascot?
Four stars — three for the shakes and burgers, one for the unconsciously retro ambience.