Larry’s Better Burger Drive-In Means More To The Community Than Their Delicious Burgers

ABILENE, TX – On the 1200th block of north Treadway, lies a timeless establishment that is a fast food favorite in the city of Abilene, Texas. Larry’s Better Burger Drive-In, a modest yet endearing mom-and-pop restaurant, bears the namesake of its proprietor, Larry Olney. With a storied legacy spanning over five decades, this revered burger haven has solidified Larry’s status as a local icon. The self-proclaimed old fashioned burger shack achieved that status by not only serving delicious fast food  but also withstanding the test of time for over 5 decades.

Larry Olney, a soft-spoken and humble man, was raised in Truby, Texas, just 20 miles from Abilene. After a brief stint at Hardin Simmons University, he worked for a wholesaler, peddling candy, cigarettes, and syrup. During this time, he stumbled upon the little drive-in that would change his life.

In 1967, Larry took the reins of what would become Larry’s Better Burger Drive-In. The restaurant weathered its fair share of challenges through the years, from break-ins and robberies to adapting to changing times. But through it all, they stood steadfast, earning the respect and loyalty of the community.

What truly sets Larry’s Better Burger apart is that it is a family business. Larry expresses here, “All my kids grew up doing this. But the older ones branched off into and are now doing other things. I have a daughter that’s in the flower business. My other daughter works for Hardin Simmons in the office. My oldest son got off into trucking, he is in the trucking business. But they can all walk right in tomorrow and do this if they need to. They all know what to do here.”

Today, Larry’s son, Danny, is his right-hand man, both in the kitchen and on their farm. They’ve been working together for most of Danny’s life, cooking delicious burgers and tending to their farming duties. It’s this deep-rooted family connection that infuses every aspect of the restaurant. As he stated here, “Danny gets here around 7am. Pam comes around about 7:30 am. I also get here at about 7:30 am. We’ll stay til four. My wife comes in at about 11am, answers the phone during the dinner runs. And I have a sister, she comes in about the same time, you have to answer the phone during the dinner run. And just that’s how we make it. Nothing fancy. Yeah, it’s strictly a family-grown business.”

Their commitment to staying true to their roots is evident in the quality and affordability of their menu. Inflation has increased, but they’ve always committed to serving affordable food and they still have some of the best prices in town.

The COVID-19 pandemic, like many other businesses, had a profound impact on Larry’s Better Burger. Safety measures, such as plexiglass barriers, were introduced to protect customers and staff, although Larry mentions that it didn’t work well due to communication issues.

Staffing challenges during the pandemic led to a change in operations. They reduced their business hours, and Larry now opens at 8 a.m., serves breakfast sandwiches, and closes at 4 p.m. When the business first opened they closed at 11pm but that was many years ago. Through it all,  Larry remains optimistic about the future despite the setbacks that still affect the restaurant today. Staffing and supply issues still haven’t been the same since the pandemic but the restaurant still finds a way to make it work everyday.