TV Restaurants

Is Maid-Rite Drive-In Still Open? Food Paradise Update (Des Moines, IA)

Food Paradise, Season 4 Des Moines, Iowa

Current status

Open

As of October 2026, Maid-Rite Drive-In is open — confirmed via Yelp, July 2026.

What the source shows: A Yelp listing for the Merle Hay Rd. location was last updated July 2026 with continuing photos and reviews; Google Places separately lists it as operational at the same address. How we decide a status →

What happened after Food Paradise?

Food Paradise's 'Drive Thru Paradise' (aired 2012) featured Maid-Rite Drive-In's loose meat sandwich, the pressed, unformed ground beef sandwich the Iowa chain has served since 1926. The Des Moines location operates as a counter inside the Merle Hay Mall food court at 3800 Merle Hay Rd. According to a Yelp listing for the business, the Merle Hay location was updated in July 2026, with customer photos and reviews continuing to post through that update. Google's business listing separately marks the Merle Hay Rd. Maid-Rite as operational at the same address.

The corporate Maid-Rite website, checked 2026-09-08, still promotes the franchise brand generally but does not carry current, store-specific content for this location. Between the Yelp listing and the Google listing, the record indicates continued operation of the food-court counter under the Maid-Rite name.

The episode Food Paradise, Season 4

Episode 10
Aired
Title: Drive Thru Paradise · What was featured: the loose meat sandwich, Maid-Rite's signature pressed ground-beef sandwich
How Food Paradise restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 4 Food Paradise

Season 4: 134 of 199 still open · 12 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 26 Season 4 episodes →

Nearest restaurants By distance from 3800 Merle Hay Rd #988

  • George The Chili King Drive-In

    Des Moines, IA 1.2 mi away

    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

    Closed

  • Flying Mango

    Des Moines, IA 1.8 mi away

    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

    Open

  • Mi Patria Ecuadorian Restaurant

    West Des Moines, IA 3.1 mi away

    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

    Open

  • The Machine Shed

    Urbandale, IA 3.7 mi away

    Food Paradise

    Open

  • Eatery A

    Des Moines, IA 4.0 mi away

    Best Thing I Ever Ate

    Open

  • Smokey D's BBQ

    Des Moines, IA 4.6 mi away

    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

    Open
All 21 TV restaurants in Iowa →

Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 3 references

  1. Yelp https://www.yelp.com/biz/maid-rite-des-moines-des-moines-2
  2. Google https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Maid-Rite+3800+Merle+Hay+Rd+Des+Moines+IA
  3. maid-rite.com http://www.maid-rite.com/
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Record fp-0265 · checked by Cal Marchetti.