ORLANDO, Fla. -- An iconic Orlando restaurant known for its savory roast beef sandwiches is celebrating a milestone.

• Beefy King in Orlando celebrates 50 years
• Specials all month long
• Restaurant has been in Orlando since the 1960s

"To see what we've accomplished and what Orlando has turned into in 50 years, it's amazing," said Roland Smith.

Smith's family took over Beefy King, which is turning 50 years old on Saturday. They'll serve up only their original menu of roast beef, ham and spuds -- half off -- to kick off their anniversary month.

For some, like longtime customer Sherry Gross, the Milk District eatery is a beef institution.

"My sister and I, we were just little girls and I remember coming in and I think these were the same chairs," said Gross with a laugh. "There's nothing like a Beefy King sandwich, there's something unique about it."

While the chairs and lighting have changed since 1967 -- and they now serve turkey, pastrami and barbecue -- not much else has: The restaurant still cooks the roast beef sandwiches the same way, using a boiler to push steam through a sizzling hot plate. And microwaves are no where to be found.

"I have lived here all my life and this is just one of the places we enjoy coming to," said Gross.

"My life is Beefy King and my family that works in it and our customers," said Smith. "We treat our customers like they're family."

But, as Beefy King looks to the future, they’re reminiscing about the past.

A FINE IDEA

As Arby's roast beef restaurants began popping up, so did an idea in the mind of Tom Veigle.

"My brother called me one day and said we need to get into the roast beef business," said Jim Veigle.

So, the brothers, who already found success with Tom's Pizza, set to work on a roast beef shop of their own on Bumby Avenue in Orlando. They were hands-on, working through the construction process and putting equipment together. According to Veigle, they built the structure for $24,000.

Soon after their opening on November 24, 1967, the brothers were franchising Beefy King.

"We opened other in Cocoa, Merritt Island, Memphis Tennessee, one in Bahamas," explained Veigle. "My brother Tom was the brains and force of getting things started."

Meanwhile, the Smith family had just moved from Detroit, the patriarch looking to move out of the home improvement business and into a new outlet. A cousin had worked for Tom's pizza and before long, the Veigle brothers were doing a deal to sell a Beefy King franchise to Freeman Smith.

"They told him the new concept they were coming up with called Beefy King roast beef sandwiches," said Smith. "They shook hands and said okay, we're going to do it."

Eventually, Beefy King had sold 107 franchises and went public. But, according to Veigle, they sold most all franchises by the 70s to another company, who closed all stores.

"It was kind of sad, a lot of hard work in getting it going," said Veigle.

But, the flagship Beefy King managed to survive--even thrive in coming decades.

Jim Smith slowly took over the business from his parents, pouring everything he had into the restaurant. It was in his blood, he said.

"I’ve grown up here, all our customers I would call our family too," he said, adding he has no idea what it is about the spot to which its longevity can be attributed.

"I wish I could tell you, I don't know," he said.

VEIGLE'S PASSING AND BEEFY KING'S FUTURE

Jim Veigle still lives in Winter Park, stopping by Beefy King two to three times per year to catch-up with the Smith family who took over his beloved business--and dine on roast beef.

"I think it's the personal service, the great food, they haven't changed anything," he said.

One thing that has changed, however: Tom Veigle passed away suddenly last year, after a brief fight with cancer. It shocked the family and the Beefy King community.

"Tom and his family is what got our family to what we are at this time," said Smith.

They honored the founder at his funeral last summer, serving up both pizza and roast beef sandwiches.

Now easing himself out of the operation, his daughter and husband at the helm, Smith just hopes his family can carry on the tradition now seared into Orlando's culinary landscape.

"I’ve seen people coming in, carrying their babies in here. Now those babies are bringing those babies in here," he said.

"The support we've had to be able to be a small, family-owned operation like this and survive for 50 years in the corporate world of corporations that have millions of dollars to spend on this type of thing and here we are. One little operation that started 50 years ago and still thriving."

Gross thinks the city beautiful’s got their back.

"They are, I would say, one of the very best communities at supporting businesses like this," she said.

"It makes me feel proud and my brother would be very proud," said Veigle.

Head to the Beefy King website for more information about the restaurant.