Cheese Frenchee
Quick Bite
A Cheese Frenchee is a grilled cheese sandwich dipped in batter, coated in cracker crumbs or cornflakes, and deep-fried until crisp outside and molten inside. It is Nebraska’s answer to the question, “What if grilled cheese had a crunchier destiny?”
History
The Cheese Frenchee is a Nebraska fast-food classic most closely tied to King’s Food Host, a Lincoln-based restaurant chain that began serving the sandwich in the 1950s. King’s is gone, but the sandwich never really left Nebraska’s memory.
The basic construction is gloriously simple: white bread, American cheese, and salad dressing or mayonnaise, cut into triangles, dipped in egg batter, rolled in cracker crumbs or cornflake crumbs, and fried until golden. It is part grilled cheese, part fair food, part school-lunch nostalgia.
After King’s closed, the Cheese Frenchee survived through regional chains and local restaurants. Amigos/Kings Classic still lists a Cheese Frenchee made with American cheese and salad dressing, hand-dipped in egg batter and cracker crumbs, then fried golden. Don & Millie’s also highlights its cheese frenchee as one of its beloved made-from-scratch items.
Today, the Cheese Frenchee is one of Nebraska’s most charmingly specific foods. It is not elegant, and it is not trying to be. It is crunchy, creamy, cheesy, and built for people who believe grilled cheese was already good but could use a fryer.
Fun Facts
- The Cheese Frenchee was popularized by King’s Food Host in Lincoln.
- It is usually cut into triangles before frying.
- The coating may use cracker crumbs, cornflakes, or a similar crunchy crumb.
Where to Try
Their menu lists a Cheese Frenchee with American cheese and salad dressing, hand-dipped in egg batter and cracker crumbs and fried golden.
A Nebraska fast-casual favorite that still serves the beloved cheese frenchee and calls it one of its made-from-scratch items.
A longtime Lincoln stop often associated with classic Nebraska comfort foods, including Frenchee-style nostalgia.
About the Game
This recipe is part of Van Life Challenge, a travel-themed board game from Gray Dog Games where players explore the United States, discover regional foods, and collect memorable experiences along the way.
Each featured food celebrates a real place, a local flavor, and the kind of delicious roadside discovery that makes every trip feel like an adventure.
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Spread the bread: Spread mayonnaise or Miracle Whip lightly on the bread.
- Make sandwiches: Make 4 cheese sandwiches with 2 slices of American cheese each.
- Cut into triangles: Trim the crusts if desired, then cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.
- Make the egg mixture: Whisk eggs and milk in a shallow bowl.
- Set up the coating: Place flour in a second bowl. Mix crushed saltines or cornflakes with salt in a third bowl.
- Coat: Dip each triangle in flour, then egg mixture, then crumbs.
- Chill: Chill the coated triangles for 15 minutes to help the coating stick.
- Heat the oil: Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F.
- Fry: Fry the triangles in batches until golden and crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Drain and serve: Drain and serve hot with pickles.
