- Dick's Drive-In
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Dick's Drive-In 
Industry Fast food Founded 1954, Wallingford Neighborhood, Seattle, Washington, USA Key people Founders: Dick Spady, H. Warren Ghormley, Dr. B. O. A. Thomas Products Hamburgers, Fries, Shakes, and other fast food. Website www.ddir.com/ Dick's Drive-In, or simply Dick's, is a fast-food restaurant chain located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1954, Dick's is Seattle’s oldest, continuously operating fast-food restaurant. Dick's has, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal, attained status as a Seattle icon.[1]
Contents
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 in 1954 in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood, on N.E. 45th Street. In 1955, a second Dick's was opened in Seattle's Capitol Hill district. This was followed by a third in 1960 in the Ballard neighborhood, a 4th in 1963 in Lake City, a fifth in Queen Anne in 1974. In September 2010, it was announced that Dick's was planning on opening a new sixth location in the Seattle area and that an online poll on their website would determine the new location.[2] 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.[3] All but the Queen Anne location are without customer seating. The Queen Anne location has indoor tables and no drive-in. The restaurants only accept cash; there are no ways to use electronic forms of payment.
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 Special," which includes lettuce, mayonnaise, and chopped pickles; and the "Dick's Deluxe," a quarter-pound version of the Special, with cheese. These burgers were added in 1971. Cashiers do not accept variations on the burger's preparation, or omissions such as asking for the burger without lettuce, but will serve the Deluxe without cheese.[4]
For several years Dick's has promoted benefits offered to employees such as 401K, medical coverage, and a college tuition scholarship.
In popular culture
- Seattle rapper, Sir Mix-a-Lot, identifies the Capitol Hill location of Dick's in his song, Posse on Broadway.
- Gianna Michaels, a pornographic actress, was once an employee.[5]
- In The Presidents of the United States of America's song "Little Indian Princess", the Seattle natives mention wanting to "spend my loose change on a fist-sized ice cream cone at Dick's."
Locations
- Wallingford
- Capitol Hill
- Ballard
- Lake City
- Lower Queen Anne
- Edmonds (Opened on October 20, 2011)
- Bellevue (now closed)
It should be noted that there is a Dick's Drive-In [1] in Spokane. Although this drive-in is operated in much the same manner as the Dick's Drive-Ins in Seattle (Spokane's Dick's offers a few more menu items), this Spokane drive-in is not affiliated with the Dick's Drive-Ins of Seattle.
References
- ^ Payne, Patti (2009-01-16). "Behind the Scenes with Patti Payne - Coffee talk". Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle). http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/01/19/tidbits3.html. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ McNerthey, Casey (2010-08-31). "Dick's Drive-In to open new location". Seattle PI Business Journal (Seattle). http://www.seattlepi.com/local/425916_dicks31.html. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ "A new Dick's Drive-In is coming to Edmonds!". Dick's Media Room, Press Releases. 2010-10-15. http://www.ddir.com/pressrelease. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
- ^ Kelly, Leslie (2008-05-23). "The trick at Dick's? Hold the cheese on a deluxe burger". Seattle PI. http://www.seattlepi.com/food/364158_eat23.html. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
- ^ Inside The Porn Star Studio (2007-01-10). "Inside Gianna". http://www.xrentdvd.com/Porn_Star_Interviews/Gianna.html. Retrieved 2009-12-09.
External links
Categories:- Fast-food hamburger restaurants
- Culture of Seattle, Washington
- Fast-food chains of the United States
- Companies based in Seattle, Washington
- Restaurants in Seattle, Washington
- Drive-in restaurants
- Regional restaurant chains in the United States
- Restaurants established in 1954
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