Dick's Drive-In

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Dick's Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryRestaurants
GenreFast food
Founded1954; 70 years ago (1954)
Wallingford, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
FoundersDick Spady
H. Warren Ghormley
B. O. A. Thomas
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington, U.S.
Number of locations
9
Key people
Jasmine Donovan (President, CFO)[1]
ProductsHamburgers, fries, shakes, sodas, and ice cream.
RevenueUS$18 million (2021)
Number of employees
270 (2021)
Websitewww.ddir.com

Dick's Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., or simply Dick's, is an American regional chain of fast-food restaurants located in the Seattle metropolitan area. It was founded in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood in 1954 by Dick Spady, H. Warren Ghormley, and Dr. B.O.A. Thomas. Dick's currently operates nine locations, of which all but one are drive-ins.

History

Dick's original location in Wallingford on a summer night

Founders Dick Spady, H. Warren Ghormley, and Dr. B. O. A. Thomas opened the first Dick's on January 28, 1954, in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood. Located on N.E. 45th Street, the restaurant was designed by noted Seattle architect Raymond Peck, whose iconic design for the original location has been replicated at all future locations except Queen Anne. [2][3] A grand opening was held on February 20, 1954.[4] In 1955, a second Dick's was opened in Seattle's Capitol Hill district.[5] This was followed by a third in 1960 in the Crown Hill neighborhood, a 4th in 1963 in Lake City, and ventured outside of Seattle's city limits for the first time to Bellevue in 1965. The Bellevue location is the only location to have closed, shuttering its doors in 1974 as a Herfy's opened across the street with indoor seating. Shortly after the closure of the Bellevue location, the Queen Anne location opened in 1974.[6][5] All but the Queen Anne location are without customer seating. The Queen Anne location has indoor tables and no drive-in.

The simple menu has changed little over time. It features fast-food staples such as hamburgers, hand-cut french fries, and individually made milkshakes. Dick's is particularly well known for the "Dick's Deluxe," which includes lettuce, mayonnaise, and chopped pickles. No substitutions are allowed and all burgers are cooked to well done. For most of Dick's history, the only available omissions were the Deluxe without cheese or fries without salt.[7][8] More recent menu changes, however, allow ordering plain versions of the hamburger and cheeseburger.[9]

A black-and-white photograph of the Capitol Hill location of Dick's Drive-In, circa 1955.
The Capitol Hill location in 1955

For several years Dick's has offered employee benefits such as a 50% matched 401(k), 100% employer-paid medical insurance, and a college tuition scholarship (currently at $28,000) accessible after six months of employment.[10] In 2013, Dick's Drive-In was voted "the most life-changing burger joint in America" in an Esquire.com poll.[11]

In September 2010, it was announced that Dick's was planning on opening its first new location in over 30 years, and an online poll on their website would determine the new location.[12] After a few weeks of polling, the area north of Seattle won the right for a new Dick's Drive-In. On October 15, 2010, Dick's officials announced the new location to be in Edmonds on the corner of Hwy 99 and 220th St.[13] On October 20, 2011, the 6th location in Edmonds opened to the public.[14] The opening occurred multiple weeks ahead of schedule.

In 2017, Dick's launched another poll to determine its seventh location, which would be located either on the Eastside or in South King County.[15] Over 177,000 participants cast their votes, with the majority favoring the South region.[16] Locations being considered included Kent, West Seattle, South Seattle, Renton, Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila, Auburn, Normandy Park, Des Moines and Federal Way.[17] After an extensive amount of time, it was announced on September 7, 2017, that the 7th location to the chain would be located in Kent on Highway 99,[18] 5 miles (8 km) south of Sea-Tac Airport. The location opened on December 12, 2018.[19]

In September 2020, Dick's announced that it would launch a food truck to serve five locations in Western Washington that were chosen through a public poll: Bellevue, Bellingham, Everett, Renton, and West Seattle. The restaurant also announced that it would be expanding to the Eastside once a suitable location is found.[20]

Dick's Drive-in in Queen Anne

A collaboration with local chef Edouardo Jordan of Salare and JuneBaby was also announced with a three-day popup event at the Queen Anne location.[21] In December 2021, Dick's opened an Eastside location at the Crossroads Shopping Center in Bellevue.[22] Dick's then announced on April 28, 2022, that it would open a ninth location at The Commons shopping center in Federal Way in 2023.[23]

Locations

The Capitol Hill restaurant, 2022

There is also an unrelated Dick's Hamburgers restaurant in Spokane.[27] Although this is a drive-in, operated in much the same manner as the Seattle chain (and with a larger menu), it is not affiliated with Dick's Drive-In.[28]

In popular culture

  • Seattle hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis shot a scene for the music video for their 2012 song White Walls at the Dick's on Capitol Hill. Thousands of fans showed up at the location for an opportunity to catch the stars as the duo performed the song on the roof of the store.[30][31]
  • Since 2017, Dick's has sponsored a "Seattle House" at the annual South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, providing a venue for PNW musicians, artists, and creators to meet, perform, grab at bite to eat, and feel at home in their journey halfway across the country.[32][33]

See also

References

  1. ^ Briscoe, Kienan. "Dick's Drive-In takes innovation from kitchen to community". bizjournals.com (2022–03–14). Puget Sound Business Journal.
  2. ^ Blethen, Cal (July 23, 2003). "H. Warren Ghormley, 84, co-founder of Dick's". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  3. ^ Houser, Michael C. "Raymond H. Peck". Docomomo US/WEWA. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  4. ^ Cole, Gina; Clarridge, Christine (February 20, 2019). "Dick's Drive-In opened 65 years ago, back when a hamburger, fries and a shake cost 51 cents". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c Key, Rachel (2010). "From the SEA to the PDX: Northwest Hip Hop in the I-5 Corridor". Hip Hop America: A Regional Guide. ABC Clio. p. 292.
  6. ^ Kugiya, Hugo (December 9, 2010). "Dick's: Timelessness is the magic". Crosscut.
  7. ^ Kelly, Leslie (May 23, 2008). "The trick at Dick's? Hold the cheese on a deluxe burger". Seattle PI. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
  8. ^ Spady, Richard; O'Connor, Kathleen L. (2012). Spady, John (ed.). Dick Spady: A Life of Visions and Values. pp. 39–42. ISBN 978-0615496405.
  9. ^ "Menu". Dick's. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  10. ^ Spady, Richard; O'Connor, Kathleen L. (2012). Spady, John (ed.). Dick Spady: A Life of Visions and Values. pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-0615496405.
  11. ^ "Secrets of the Most Life Changing Burger Joint". Esquire Magazine. March 9, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  12. ^ McNerthey, Casey (August 31, 2010). "Dick's Drive-In to open new location". Seattle Post-Intelligencer Business Journal. Seattle. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  13. ^ "A new Dick's Drive-In is coming to Edmonds!" (Press release). Dick's Drive In. October 15, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
  14. ^ "Fire up those grills! It's time to OPEN! Dick's Drive-Ins announces Grand Opening for new Edmonds location - Dick's Drive In". Dick's Drive In. October 18, 2011. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  15. ^ Gutman, David (March 6, 2017). "Dick's Drive-In to open new location — and you can vote on where". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  16. ^ "Dick's Drive-In to build new location south of Seattle". KIRO 7 News. March 27, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  17. ^ Hunter, Steve (April 12, 2017). "Kent promotes West Hill site for new Dick's Drive-In". Kent Reporter. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  18. ^ "A new Dick's Drive-In is coming to Kent! Company announces agreement to purchase property in the Midway Shopping Center, just south of the Kent-Des Moines Hwy and Highline College". Dick's Drive In. September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  19. ^ Hunter, Steve (December 12, 2018). "Dick's Drive-In celebrates grand opening in Kent". Kent Reporter. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  20. ^ Ausley, Christina (September 30, 2020). "Seattle's Dick's Drive-In food truck announces surprising first stops; new restaurant location". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  21. ^ Ausley, Christina (September 24, 2020). "Famed Seattle chef to join Dick's Drive-In for October pop-up". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  22. ^ a b Vinh, Tan (December 16, 2021), "Dick's Drive-In opens in Bellevue", The Seattle Times
  23. ^ Clement, Bethany Jean (April 28, 2022). "Dick's Drive-in expands again — here's where the 9th location will be". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  24. ^ Gering, David (April 24, 1988). "Nostalgia to go: Dick's has been Seattle's taste in burgers for nearly 35 years". The Seattle Times. p. K1.
  25. ^ "Dick's Drive-In announces opening day for new Federal Way location". KIRO 7 News Seattle. June 23, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  26. ^ Haun, Riley (September 22, 2023). "Dick's Drive-In announces new south Everett location". The Everett Herald. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  27. ^ Fricks, Alexandria. "Dick's Hambugers". Spokane Historical. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  28. ^ Clement, Bethany Jean (January 13, 2016). "Co-founder of Dick's Drive-In gave us famed burgers — and so much more". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  29. ^ Marino, Nick. "Geek Love: Sir Mix-A-Lot". CMJ New Music Monthly (May 2002)
  30. ^ Trujillo, Joshua (July 15, 2013). "Macklemore shoots new video at Dick's on Broadway". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  31. ^ Perry, Julien (September 9, 2013). "Here's That Macklemore Video Shot at Dick's Drive-In". Eater Seattle.
  32. ^ "Dick's Drive-In & Doordash join together to support PNW bands at SXSW". www.ddir.com. March 11, 2019.
  33. ^ "The Dick's Live Stage Returns to Austin, Texas". ddir.com.

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