By Dick’s Drive-In | Press Release
SEATTLE, Wash., January 28, 2021 – Today, marks 67 years since the first Dick’s Drive-In opened in the Wallingford District of Seattle in 1954. There have been ups and downs for our city, region and country since then, and 2020 was one of the most challenging in our history.
As we reflect on this, we are overwhelmingly grateful to you, our customers, for choosing Dick’s Drive-In and granting us the opportunity to invest in our employees and our communities.
By acting quickly to put COVID safety protocols in place at all locations, we were able to remain open, serving you safely throughout the pandemic. Although it might have looked different at times, we continued to deliver timeless value to you by serving quality food fast, at low prices and with instant service.
Thank you for continuing to wear masks and socially distancing at all of our locations.
Because you chose Dick’s Drive-In and your family enjoyed their favorite burger, fries, and shakes, we were also able to:
- Continue to employ 300 people and provide the best pay and benefits in the industry, including 100% employer-paid health insurance, $28,000 scholarships and childcare assistance, 401K with employer match, vacation, and paid volunteer time.
- Distribute with the help of our customers 58,536 burgers to Hospital Heroes and first responders across the Puget Sound region in partnership with our long-time vendors, MacDonald Meat and Franz Family Bakeries.
- Donate through the combination of RoundUp for
Charity, employee donations and company matching, to local charities doing
tremendous work in the Pacific Northwest:
- $5,000 for Bloodworks Northwest
- $18,000 for the American Red Cross to help families impacted by the wildfires
- $30,000 for No Child Sleeps Outside
- $150,000 to our eight charity partners: Mary’s Place, FareStart, Cocoon House, Compass Housing Alliance, ROOTs, Operation NightWatch, St. Martin De Porres, and First Place Scholars
- Serve over 800 Veterans free meals on Veterans Day.
- Provide monetary and in-kind support to over 100 organizations in the region from local schools, to Boys and Girls clubs and Junior Pipe Bands.
- Create a Food Truck to bring delicious burgers made from fresh, never frozen, Certified Angus Beef on locally made fresh buns, and hand dipped and individually whipped shakes to people across the Puget Sound region.
Due to the pandemic, we cannot celebrate our 67th anniversary in our traditional fashion. However, we look forward to celebrating many exciting events with our customers and community this year including the day when all who want it can receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the announcement of the next Dick’s Drive-In location, and the 10th anniversary of the opening of our Edmonds location.
May 2021 bring you and yours many blessings! Here’s to another year of making memories together.
Author: Mario Lotmore
