Upon the greedy feeding frenzy led by Marriott's insatiable lust for quick and easy profit during the middle 1980s following Bill Marriott the elder's death (disclosure: I own Marriott International stock), Speedway's Howard Johnson's Restaurant did not stand a chance. It was closed and shorn of its Orange and likely served as any number of eateries (shown on these pages as the El Rodeo featuring Mexican cusine).

Note that by the latter 2000s, the former Speedway Motor Lodge was operating without the benefit of any brand identity as simply the Budget Inn--likely with the next economic upturn, yet facilitated by another shyster enduced credit bubble, the site will be redeveloped--and nothing of the once ultimate in luxury will remain....

Above: Right of the entry--what was known as Arizona Cactus Stone decorated the Restaurant's front.

Below & Lower: Inspired by Edward Durell Stone's mid-20th century moderne designs, the Speedway Restaurant's concrete block "wing" walls remained extant as recently as the middle 2000s.