This Drive-In Restaurant In Utah Will Make You Nostalgic For Simpler Times

Do you remember the heyday of the drive-in restaurant? Luckily, many of these little gems are still open, mostly in Utah's small towns. Hires Big H originally opened in downtown Salt Lake City, and it's still open - despite the encroachment of the chain burger joints.

Hires Big H Opened in Salt Lake City in 1959. The original location, at 425 S 700 E., is still open.

Don Hale was born in Grantsville and started working at his family's grocery store when he was just 10 years old. When he was 40, he built his dream - a hamburger restaurant.

Don passed away in 2011 at age 93. He worked in his restaurant until he was 90 years old. Today, Hires Big H continues Don's traditions.

You can still pull up and get drive-in service. Turn your lights on, and a server will come out to take your order - just like in the good old days.

The dining room is small, but it has plenty of tables to handle the crowds of diners on a weekend night.

The Big H is the specialty here. It comes with a quarter-pound of ground chuck, fry sauce, lettuce, tomato and American cheese. You can also get it with two hamburger patties.

The restaurant grinds its own chuck every day, and the buns are baked by a local bakery.

The root beer floats are legendary.

You can buy Hires root beer extract to make your own delicious root beer at home.

There's nothing better than a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake.

The fries are cut fresh from whole potatoes every day.

Though Hires Big H keeps its old traditions, it also adds new ones. The menu includes nine veggie burgers now.

You can take home some of Hires' products.

The fry sauce is delicious, and you can also pick up homemade salad dressing, beef or veggie patties, buns and more.

Visit Hires Big H six days a week.

The drive-in is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 am to 11:00 pm; Friday and Saturday from 10:30 am to Midnight; closed Sunday.

In addition to its downtown location, Hires Big H has locations in Midvale and West Valley City.

Do you have any great memories of dining at Hires? Tell us about them!

For more great drive-in restaurants in Utah, take a look at this article.