Indiana’s First Drive-In Has Ground Its Own Steakburgers Since 1929

Triple XXX Family Restaurant opened in 1929, making it Indiana's first and oldest drive-in. The current building dates to 1961 and is a genuinely rare surviving example of googie burger-stand architecture.

The burgers, called chop steaks, are made from 100 percent sirloin butt ground fresh daily and formed by hand before hitting the grill. Guy Fieri visited for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. USA Today included the burger on its 50 Best list.

The motto, On the Hill But on the Level, refers to the physical location above the Purdue campus and to the restaurant's commitment to honest food. It made the top burger in every state.

The record for burgers sold in a single day stands at 4,450, set on Hobo Day 1947. Nearly 100 years later, the kitchen is still making each one by hand.

What to Order

The Duane Purvis All-American adds cheese and peanut butter to the house patty. That combination sounds questionable until you try it. Regulars order it reflexively. The Bernie Flowers All-Pro keeps it cleaner with onion, lettuce, tomato, and mayo for those who want the beef without the flourish.

The double with fried onions cooked into the patty is the standard recommendation from anyone who eats here more than once. Milkshakes are made with real ice cream. The Triple XXX Root Beer arrives in a frosty glass mug and has been on the menu since the 1920s.

Breakfast is served all day, which matters at a Purdue campus-adjacent spot where the schedule is unpredictable. For more on the food scene nearby, see old-school Indiana diners worth the detour.

Nearly 100 Years on the Hill

Greg and Carrie Ehresman run the restaurant today. Greg first worked there as a dishwasher in 1969, bought a half-interest in the business, and has operated it since 1999.

The Ehresman family has maintained every tradition the previous owners established, including the hand-grinding, the sirloin-only beef policy, and the recipe for the Duane Purvis. Six generations of Purdue students have eaten here. The next generation is already in line.

For generations of Purdue students, Triple XXX is the first meal of freshman move-in and the last meal of senior week. That kind of life-cycle loyalty is the most durable kind a restaurant can build.

The Ehresmans have maintained the 1961 building with deliberate care. The googie architecture, the spinning stools, and the hand-painted menu board are preserved, not recreated. For more of the state's dining history, see legendary restaurants across Indiana.

Plan Your Visit

Triple XXX Family Restaurant is at 2 North Salisbury Street in West Lafayette, steps from the Purdue University campus. Open Monday through Saturday; check the website for current hours.

Keep in mind that during Purdue home-game weekends, the restaurant gets incredibly busy with returning alumni, so arriving early is highly recommended to secure a seat.

Outdoor picnic tables available. The carhop service has been retired, but the atmosphere remains unchanged since the 1961 opening of the building. While you're planning the trip, check out classic drive-ins still operating in Indiana.