Big Half century: Classic Utah drive-in celebrates 50 years

Time almost stands still at Hires Big H, on the corner of 700 East and 400 South.

History repeats itself daily, with made-to-order burgers, thick hand-cut fries and frosty root beer floats that have been menu mainstays since 1959.

It's one of the few burger joints that still has a "car hop" service, where a server comes out to your car to take and deliver your order. There's also table service inside, but none of the fast-food style of ordering at the register.

This humble "hamburger and root beer stand," as it was called by founder Don C. Hale, has survived through 50 years of American dining. It's a classic that has withstood expanding national restaurant chains, the low-fat frenzy, the vegetarian movement and ethnic food trends.

It's been written up in both Gourmet magazine and the Wall Street Journal, and over the years, customers have included Bob Hope, Danny Kaye, Johnny Miller, Marvin Hamlisch, Jay Leno, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Robert Redford, Jon Huntsman Sr. and Larry H. Miller.

There have been a few changes. In 1959, a deluxe burger with lettuce, tomato and onions was 40 cents. Today, you'll pay $3.85 for a Hires Big H burger, a quarter-pound of ground beef heaven on a bun.

The menu has expanded from mainly burgers to include veggie burgers, sandwiches and even salad.

The saddest change, however, is the absence of Hale himself, who was a regular fixture at the restaurant, greeting customers, overseeing employees, sweeping floors, picking up trash, or whatever was needed to keep things running smoothly.

Now age 91, Hale was forced to hang up his apron a year and a half ago due to poor health.

"He has worked so hard his whole life," said his son, Mark Hale, a corporate officer in the business. "When you consider he was probably 11 when he started working in the family grocery store, he worked for 80 straight years."

It wasn't his idea to quit; his body simply wore out. One day at the restaurant, he fainted on the job, and the paramedics took him to the hospital.

"As soon as he got better, he came back to work, and he fainted again," said Mark Hale. "So he goes back to the hospital and stays a couple days. Then he says, 'OK, take me back to work.' "

And Mark told him, "Dad, fainting in your restaurant isn't really good for business. Maybe you ought to just come and visit, and let us run things."

Hale's children want the company's 50th anniversary celebration to be a tribute to both their dad and their customers.