Lake City Dick's Drive In

Photo & Text Copyright 2008 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved, including reproduction or republishing.

Seattlites have a longtime love affair with Dick's Drive In restaurants. There are five of them and they have become a beloved fixture in the northern neighborhoods. Why such affection for a hamburger joint? Maybe its the owners' personal commitment to doing good business and offering employees much higher than average starting wages, health benefits, childcare allowances, and college education incentives (details here). In short, there seems to be a real human being behind the business. The first Dick's opened in the Wallingford neighborhood in 1954. This one is in the Lake City neighborhood and has been busy 7 days a week since 1963. For a view of the restaurant click here. (And, you might remember my photo of the Holman Rd. Dick's from December 2006). Dick Spady was 29 when he and his two partners opened the first Dick's, which continues to keep a very simple menu of hamburgers, fries, shakes and floats, pop, and ice cream. Extra condiments cost a nickel, and you could set your watch by the gathering lunch crowds at most sites. Their first hamburgers were 19 cents, and the current price is only $1.20. They make their own fries from scratch, buy their own fresh beef from a local supplier, still hand dip their shakes, and have created over 50 years of good will through their community involvement and charitable donations.

Oh, and I wanted to say congrats to our CDPB friends in Spain! What a wonderful win after 40 years!