Burger Street

Burger Street is the work of Bill Waugh, an Abilene businessman with a remarkable record in Texas fast food. In 1967 he opened the first Taco Bueno, built it into a regional chain and sold it in 1982; he was also behind the Casa Bonita restaurants and Crystal’s Pizza. In 1985 he opened a burger prototype in Lewisville, north of Dallas, using what he had learned, and Burger Street grew from there.

The restaurants are small buildings with drive-up windows on both sides. The chain is family-owned and not franchised; it has stayed regional, with locations around Dallas–Fort Worth and in the Tulsa area of Oklahoma.

The burgers are a third of a pound of beef, hickory-seasoned and cooked when you order. A “Deluxe” comes with chopped romaine, purple onion, tomato, pickles, mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup. Two items are very Texan: a chili cheeseburger made with Fritos chili and a Frito chili pie on the side menu. The sides are curly fries or tater tots, and the drinks include cherry limeade.

Drive-thru restaurants around Dallas–Fort Worth and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

• Sonic Drive-In (United States, since 1953). Order through a speaker from your car and a carhop brings the burger. Also built on beef, cheese and a double stack.
• Jack's (United States, since 1960). Alabama’s home-grown fast-food chain, where biscuits share the menu with the Big Jack. Also built on beef, cheese and a double stack.
• Wayback Burgers (United States, since 1991). A Delaware burger stand that grew into a franchise from Buenos Aires to Tokyo. Also built on beef, cheese and a double stack.
• Spangles (United States, since 1978). Wichita’s 1950s-themed steakburger chain, famous in Kansas for its odd TV adverts and a six-patty burger called The Beast. Also built on beef, cheese and a double stack.