Dick's Drive-In on Broadway

awesome shakes {i love the strawberry mostly} and deliciously greasy fries… FOR CHEAP!!!! Both make a nice quick lunch or snack and is under $5!!!! 2 shakes and fries are like 5.27… my daughter loves the shakes so we get two and I eat the fries, too greasy for her. Plus, they give you a load of fries. I recommend not going during lunch, because they are insane busy and the fries tend to be either undercooked or undersalted or even both. I say go around 2ish when lunch rush is over and everything is super fresh!

A friend of mine who moved to Ballard from Yakima wondered aloud to me once why the locals raved about Dick’s so much, and yes, when I drove past, the building looked like a giant plexiglass jack-in-the-box.

You see, my friend and I, as residents of Eastern Washington, had seen our fair share of burger joints. For us, Miner’s in Yakima was one destination we knew well. She had taken me to a “hole in the wall” restaurant that served great Korean food, so I guess she wondered why everyone would be so excited about a common burger joint when exotic food abounded, compared to where we lived.

Well, I read a few media articles about Dick’s, and found out more about the company’s hiring practices, wages, and scholarship programs—and why they were impressive… for a burger joint.

Neverthless, I still have to laugh listening to Sir Mix-A-Lot rap about Dick’s in “My Posse’s On Broadway”, remembering what the place looked like to me. Now… now I have to see sometime how good the food is.

If you are from out of town, please note:

They do not so special orders.

Thanks,

The Management.

Cheap food and delicious too. I always get a cheese, chocolate and fries. Where else could be so good!

OMG!! But sooo good. And the shakes…mmmm

Was the last time I ever ate a hamburger. Seven years and counting. I have a very vivid memory of eating this burger as I walked down the street and thinking that it might be my last. It was delicious, but at the same time I was reading Diet for a Small Planet and decided to give up beef and pork to save the world. It was a protest against the unequal distribution of food in the world. I am no longer that idealistic college senior—at least not entirely—but I still haven’t been tempted enough by any form of beef to eat it. Maybe if I ever make it back to Seattle I will commemorate the occasion by having another burger.

Good Greasy Food!

I meant to go to the original in Wallingford, but this one was closer. The fries actually tasted like potatoes, and the shake was pretty awesome. I’d definetly recommend it!

One day I when I was working the main window a girl came up to the front of the line. She was discussing her order with her boyfriend and there was talk of a hamburger. He persuaded her out of it then walked away.

Since the extra hamburger seemed to be a point of contention I told her she could order a hamburger now that he was gone. Her response floored me.

“I can’t because he’ll hit me.”

Then she took her order and walked away.

It was the most disturbing thing anyone has said to me, and there was no way for me to do anything about it.

When i was 16 years old i was one of many (2500+) homeless youth on the streets of Seattle with no where to go, nothing to look forward to.

One day i found myself up on Broadway alone and just standing out on the strip trying to mind my own business when a man approached me and asked me if i needed help. I wasn’t asking for anything from anyone so i was rather surprised by his inquiry but never the less nodded my head and humbly reply that yes i did. i was hungry and couldn’t remember the last time i had a real meal that didn’t require either stealing something or asking for a handout.

So this stranger took me over to Dick’s and ordered two large bags full of food for me. He asked me if i knew where the youth shelter was and when i replied that i did, he nodded and told me to look out for myself and stay out of trouble before walking away.

I wish i could remember who he was, or at the very least what he looked like but i was so ashamed of myself in that moment that I don’t think i even looked him straight in the eye once. It was one of those pivotal moments in my life i think, something so brief yet significant. I think i found a little bit of hope and faith again in my life with those two bags of Dick’s burgers given to me from a stranger.

who ever you were – thank you so much. I wish i could have really thanked your for your act of kindness but couldnt do anything but hide behind my own shame.