BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The restaurant business can be a minefield. Between 14 and 30% of all restaurants fail in the first year, half fail within five years and two-thirds fail within 10 years. But 50 years? Almost no one lasts 50 years. Less than 1% of restaurants last 50 years.

Well, the 1% club has a new member.

It’s none other than Happy Jack’s Pie ‘n Burger, a cozy little mom-and-pop lunch counter a block behind the Fox Theater, 20th and G streets. Frances and Ruben Rosales raised a family thanks to Happy Jack’s and its three generations of satisfied customers.

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Most of the 17 News team descended on Happy Jack’s late Monday morning for hamburgers, chips and a double helping of Frances — and Ruben too.

The original Happy Jack’s opened in 1963, the year Frances graduated from high school. She and Ruben bought it from Jack in 1976, a half-century ago. That’s the anniversary they celebrated with the help of several local dignitaries on Monday.

The burgers are great, but that’s not the only reason customers crowd around the 30-seat, U-shaped counter.

“I think much more for Frances’s talking,” Ruben said. “You know, she’s just a good PR person.”

Yes, Frances can talk. And she takes the Happy in Happy Jack’s seriously. Employees must know how to smile.

“Because I’ve had a couple of sad girls come in (to work) and I go, ‘Come on, it’s Happy Jacks, you’re not at Sad Jack’s,’” Frances said. “So that door opens, I want a smile and ‘Hi. Welcome. Come on in.’”

Burgers, smiles — let’s see, what else? Ohhh. Pie. Several flavors, but the go-to choices for most people are peanut butter and a Reese’s-like PB-and-chocolate combo they call Rudy pie.

It’s all part of what makes Happy Jack’s an institution.

“It’s iconic, and it’s Bakersfield,” said Allie Rubio, who came in for lunch. “It’s burgers and pies by genuine people who are locals here. She knows everybody. Everyone knows her. It seems like it’s a fun experience and you always leave meeting somebody new.”

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Fifty years is an achievement, no question. But how much longer can they go?

“I don’t know,” Ruben said. “As long as I can move.”

Keep on moving, Ruben. America needs pie.

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