Casa Juan, the small, pioneering fast-food burger joint in Manacor, turns 55.

PalmIt's midday and cold in Manacor. The intermittent rain intensifies the wintery feel. Today, the windows of number 1B on Carrer de la Verònica are still closed to keep out the wind, which nevertheless slips in through a crack in the half-open door.

The place, one of the most emblematic and pioneering fast-food establishments in Manacor, smells of chicken. Seven pieces are already turning in the toaster, releasing the juices that will later prevent them from drying out. On the grill, the onions sizzle as they lose water and volume, becoming soft. It's been 55 years since Juan Giménez opened Casa Juan on the corner of Carrer Amistat. It was 1970, the same year Isabel Beltrán was born, also from Manacor, who, exactly 25 years later, would take over the city's most iconic burger joint in April 1995.

"We used to come here to buy things. We were regular customers. We knew that B (who had taken over the place in 1990) wanted to leave the business, which was then run by his mother-in-law. "We thought it would be a good idea and we took it over... and we've been here ever since." Casa Juan "was a tiny 11-square-meter place, like any other, except that a few years ago we had to rent the garage next door because the Health Department required us to have restrooms. But what you see is what you get," he explains while keeping an eye on the grill and his niece, Natàlia Mates, opens the door for the chicken delivery. The chickens are placed in a bag big enough to keep them from feeling sorry for themselves for the next few days.

"Although we're known for our rotisserie chicken and hamburgers, we make everything: frankfurters, sandwiches, pepitos (steak sandwiches), chicken wings, fingers, and kebabs," Isabel recalls. "Even though we used to serve half the family, right now there are just three of us: Mónica, Natalia, and me." Two people work in shifts behind the counter every day of the week from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., except Wednesdays, which are for resting. "Organization in such a small space is essential. We divide up the tasks. The grill is the most in-demand job, of course, because you have to focus on just one thing."

Speed

"We're staying in business because it's good and cheap, but above all because we're fast and we deliver," says Natàlia Mates, the owner's niece. The classic hamburger costs €3.75, while the "super" with goat cheese and caramelized onions costs €5.50, just 25 cents less than the bacon and cheese sandwich. "Here we have a different kind of customer, different from the customers at franchised burger joints. Many are families from the neighborhood and lifelong residents of Manacor. People we know who say they love us," she smiles.

There are busier days, of course. Weekends are among them. On a typical Saturday, Casa Juan can serve between 25 and 30 chickens and around 50 hamburgers on average. However, they've never considered taking advantage of potential late-night demand beyond 11 p.m., or during the peak times of Manacor's nightlife. "I'm afraid of cats, so it's best not to risk it. Also, so we can rest. We're fine like this."

In the beginning, and for decades, wood paneling covered almost the entire premises, and white tiles separated the kitchen area, which was always open to customers. Customers could also take their orders through a side window without having to enter the premises, where only about five or six people could wait at a time. No frills, but with a very particular character. "People miss the cudgel that used to be on the bar. Now, in its place, there's a backlit sign that displays photos and prices of what's available."

"Little by little, we've had to adapt to the regulations," says Beltrán while explaining the new contemporary trends. "Now, the most popular burger is always the one with the most toppings. Sometimes I don't understand how people can want so many ingredients, how they even open their mouths to eat it... Before, the simple one with cheese or bacon was the most popular."

Location and future

"I've always wondered if it would be better to move to a bigger place, but maybe all this would fall apart, people wouldn't know us as well anymore, and customers might not buy if we went somewhere else. This is history as it is." Like any neighborhood business, the network of local shops is essential. The owner of the Italian restaurant right across the street stops to say hello and take the bread that's been left at Casa Juan before he opens. "The closing of the Can Ribot bakery, for example, affected our sales. Because one thing led to another, and if you stopped to buy something and you only had enough time to prepare lunch, you'd stop by there to pick up a chicken for lunch."

"I don't know what might happen in a year or two; it's very demanding work. Certainly, it's very entertaining, but it's also true that you always have to be on your feet, and that causes circulation problems, and it shows," they both maintain.

There have been many anecdotes throughout the Beltrán family's three decades. "Once, a woman came in with a bag full of hamburgers to see if we could toast them for free. We've had to call the police a few times, too... but only a few times. A few years ago, when we still had ketchup and mustard in plastic bottles, a man didn't realize we'd just switched. He kept banging on the bar, thinking it was stuck. Finally, after so much persistence, he managed to break it, and there was red ketchup everywhere."