The Clancy’s restaurant in Sidney has been cooking up its popular topper sandwich and other well-liked breakfast, lunch and evening menu items since 1966. It has passed the test of time.

ScoresBroadcast.com, the radio on your phone for high school sports, has cooked up one good game after another, traveling all over the state for the last 18 years keeping fans in west central Ohio in touch with their favorite teams.

And back in 2008, much to the delight of it listeners, the free online service cooked up the phrase, “Clancy’s. Nothing fancy, just fantastic food.”

Without question, it has been “the most talked about” commercial heard during the coverage of high school contests on SCORES, the Shelby County Online Radio Entertainment System. For the last 15 years, Clancy’s has been promoted throughout each broadcast and then highlighted at length as the “Star of the Game” sponsor during the close to each broadcast.

SCORES and Clancy’s are once again proof that good fast food and good high school sports can make a great combination.

During recent evaluation of the nation’s best online audio programming that is streamed via the Internet, the SCORES platform and its commercial production earned the “gold standard.”

Modeled after the various National Association of Broadcasters awards of excellence, like the NAB Crystal Radio Awards and the NAB Marconi Radio Awards, the first-ever recognition of the best-sounding online media cast a spotlight on Sidney and Shelby County, Ohio.

The sixty-second Clancy’s audio spot on ScoresBroadcast generated rave reviews for its creativity, credibility, and memorable humor. Such positive and well-produced elements were judged to separate the message from those representing other fast food establishments promoted in online programs from coast to coast.

For sure, however, Clancy’s has never really required the salesmanship offered by an electronic medium and still doesn’t today. Clancy’s has continued to sustain itself and expand a regular customer base since opening its doors on Wapakoneta Avenue in Sidney in 1966.

The chain began in Noblesville, Indiana, when its owner chose a Keystone cop as a logo and launched the initial store in 1965. A year later it became the first fast-food restaurant in Sidney.

In 1996, Gary Strasser of Anna was employed as manager of the Sidney location. He quickly grew the store by enhancing its name recognition. He made sure Clancy’s “gave back to the community” through sponsorships that supported senior citizens, non-profit organizations, and a wide range of city and county events and activities.

Over the years, Clancy’s has catered to a major breakfast business that favors eggs cooked to order, an off-the-griddle menu, several different breakfast sandwiches, and, of course, biscuits and gravy.

At lunch and dinner, Clancy’s patrons choose from 20 different sandwiches including the topper and super topper, plus the sloppy joe, cheesy joe and even bologna. They can also order a piece of “pie or cake of the month.” A uniquely flavored milkshake is featured regularly.

Manager’s and daily specials at Clancy’s include tenderloin and meat loaf, for example. Youngsters love food items, like grilled cheese, in the junior cadets portion of the menu.

“Without traveling to Dayton I can enjoy authentic international cuisine right here in Sidney at Clancy’s,” says a female customer in the SCORES audio commercial.

“Teens fill their tummies at Clancy’s, too,” the announcer continues. A Lehman High School student then comments, “I see them at after-school activities with their brown Clancy’s to-go bags.”

The audio spot concludes, “Eat in, drive up, order out. Nothing fancy, just fantastic food, at Clancy’s.”

And that statement, without a doubt, is not puffery. For 14 straight years, Clancy’s has been voted by Sidney Daily News readers as having the number one breakfast in Shelby County. Clancy’s “home-cooked” meals also produce great feedback from customers.

Strasser, a part of Clancy’s for 27 years, has reduced his role to mini-supervisor today. The new general manager of the local Clancy’s for the last five years has been Darin Klopfenstein, who spent 20 years in supervisory positions at Wendy’s.

While the health crisis altered many shopping and retail habits, visits to quick service restaurants have roared back. In fact, many such eateries are experiencing business that exceeds pre-pandemic levels. Clancy’s is no different.

By the way, the Clancy’s partnership with ScoresBroadcast.com is one of the four or five longest that SCORES currently holds with various sponsoring organizations.

You might say, the Clancy’s-SCORES combo was “made to order.”