Local Burger King Serves Up Burgers, Frappes a la Veritas

Each will in the dinning room features colorful photographs, carefully arranged and tastefully framed among them are shots of Widener Library, Memorial Church, Lowell House, and Harvard Stadium. Two small shelves lined with law journals stand beside a large "Veritas" insignium engraved in wood. A Harvard Club perhaps? No, a Burger King.

"We want to capture an attractive decor, reflective of the community," says Joseph P. Tagliente, owner of Cambridge's only Burger King franchise, located on Concord Ave. near the Cambridge-Belmont town line.

"Lots of Harvard and MIT people live in Belmont" and other surrounding communities, adds Tagliente, a 1956 Business School graduate

Tagliente, a varsity football player during his undergraduate days all the U.S. Naval Academy, now own several local burger King restaurants. Each restaurant "tries to reflect the dominant influence" in the community through décor, Tagliente says. He adds that the Harvard motif represents "quite an investment."

"People are very interested and they point out things in the pictures to their children," says Helen M. Powers, the restaurant's afternoon hostess.

"I think it's great to see Harvard pictures on the walls," says customer Roger Graves 43. "It adds a good warm touch." Graves feels that the motif is "a smart marketing idea."

Powers says the restaurant's Fresh Pond location does not make the decor inappropriate adding, "We're really not that far away."