Big Wheel Restaurant

The Big Wheel Restaurant, formerly located at the corner of Madison and Adams St. across from McDonalds, was a staple for late nighters and families alike. The location, best remembered for its’ iconic Big Wheel sign, opened in 1967, and was open 24hrs a day. The Big Wheel was a chain with locations in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, and the Muncie location was its 12th location. 

When The Big Wheel originally opened, they touted their ‘Californian’ decor, but it was remodeled to a more western look in 1979. They offered classic dishes like pancakes and breakfast slams, as well as things like swiss steak. 

The company was bought by Steak and Shake in 1985, but the building remained standing until 1991, briefly a different restaurant called Around the Clock. The iconic sign was left intact for a number of years following , with the visitor’s bureau preserving it as a billboard for Muncie pride, but it too was later demolished. The site of Big Wheel is now the parking lot of the downtown Open Door clinic.