After Decades Serving Springfield, Larry’s Restaurant Sold, New Owners Say Tradition Will Continue
SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. (Smokey Barn News) — A longtime Springfield staple is entering a new chapter, but its legacy is set to continue. Larry’s Restaurant, a fixture in the community for decades, is changing hands after years of family ownership.
Smokey Barn News has been in communication with the Pratt family. Alan Pratt, son of founder Larry Pratt and longtime owner/operator, shared the following message with the community:
My father, Larry Pratt, started and opened Larry’s Restaurant on Main Street (pictured below), where Springfield Guitar is now, in July of 1964. The original menu offered homemade donuts you could watch being made in the front window, a hot, fresh breakfast cooked to order, and a few hot plates like a roast beef sandwich with real mashed potatoes, all covered in gravy.
It has moved to various locations in Springfield over the years, including two spots on 5th Avenue, one across from CEMC and another just down the road below the old Springfield High School. These locations introduced the Kingburger, a double cheeseburger featuring my grandmother’s homemade special sauce, similar to Thousand Island dressing, only better. Around 1978, Wendy’s came to town offering burgers with lettuce and tomato, so Dad added that as well to keep up with the competition. He also expanded the menu with meats like BBQ pork and baked ham, along with sides like white beans, green beans, homemade slaw, and potato salad.
The last move brought the restaurant to its current location on Central Avenue around 1988–89. This is where the menu grew to include multiple choices of meats, vegetables, and homemade bread. It’s also where homemade pies and desserts were introduced, including chocolate and coconut meringue, pecan and chocolate pecan, chess, fudge, cobblers, and banana pudding. Some of the most popular items today include homemade chicken and dressing, fried catfish, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, and of course, the best sweet tea in town.
I started working for my dad in September of 1984 as a dishwasher, cleaning up, changing fryers, and cleaning the grill. By the fall of 1991, I was opening every morning, making gravy and grits, cooking breakfast to order, handling grocery orders, and managing employees. At that time, we opened at 4:30 a.m., so my day started at 3:30 a.m. Over the years, we adjusted to opening at 5:00 a.m., and during COVID, we moved to 6:00 a.m. That extra hour is about the only thing I can thank COVID for.
In October 2010, Dad went in for what was expected to be a simple bypass procedure that turned into major heart surgery. He was in the hospital for around 32 days, and we almost lost him. That experience ultimately led me to purchase the business. I have owned and managed Larry’s Restaurant since February 2011 until the recent sale, which became effective February 1, 2026.
Restaurant work is hard. The responsibility is huge, not only for your employees but for every customer who walks through the door. Many people think you’ve got it made, plenty of money, living the dream. While we have been abundantly blessed, there is so much more to this business. It has never been about lifestyle. It’s about making an honest living and being there for the community in times of need, whether that’s feeding first responders during an ice storm or helping someone who doesn’t have a dime to their name. You can’t help everyone, but we’ve always tried to do what we could.
I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve loved many parts of it. This restaurant has given me friends and family through coworkers and customers that I am forever grateful for. It has been a ministry in this community in more ways than most people realize. It’s been a place where my brother, myself, and our families have continued my dad’s goal of loving our neighbors and doing our part.
This restaurant has been our life for many years, but as I’ve gotten older, it’s become clear that it’s time to step away and let someone else carry on the legacy. I have prayed for years that the Lord would send the right person when the time came. That prayer has been answered in Brian and Chastity Rashid. Chastity has worked at Larry’s since 1999. She is a staple here and knows and loves every customer just like I do, and like my dad did before me. Her husband Brian worked for Frito-Lay for over 20 years. They are not job hoppers. They are in it for the long haul.
I am excited and proud to see what the future holds for them and this business. They intend to keep everything the same. That doesn’t mean they won’t try something new on the menu when the time is right, just like we always have. When they do, I’m confident it will be something good. Change can be healthy for growth. I will help them as long as needed to ensure a smooth transition.
This decision was not made quickly. It was prayed over extensively. I believe the Lord will continue to use this business, and I’m excited to see how its story continues. All I ask is that the community continues to show up. Keep coming in to sit with your friends at the round table on Saturday mornings. Keep coming to give the girls a hard time in the drive-thru. Keep coming for chicken and dressing day, and for chili and soup when it’s cold outside.
One thing I know for sure, Larry’s is more than a building and a name on a sign. It’s you. It’s this community. It’s a legacy of friends who feel like family, where there’s always a seat waiting and a glass of sweet tea when you need it.
Blessings,
Alan & Family
