Dick's Drive In (Federal Way WA)

Date: March 8, 2025

Location: 32048 Pacific Hwy S, Federal Way WA

Website: https://www.ddir.com/

For years I’ve heard raves about Dick’s Drive-In from friends who grew up in the Seattle area. An Emerald City favorite since 1954, Dick’s boasts “the best food, at the best price, in the shortest time.” Thought maybe SqueetSquatch should head over there to investigate.

I ordered the famous Dick’s Deluxe: two 1/8 pound grilled beef patties, with melted cheese, lettuce, mayonnaise and pickle relish.

1 Aesthetics — an inviting appearance, even without tomato. 6.5

2 Flavor — I have to admit, after so much hype, the taste of this burger was a bit of a let-down. The two beef patties were paper-thin, unseasoned, dry, and tough. The American cheese and sweet pickle mayo relish (basically tartar sauce) seemed to be doing all the heavy lifting, flavor-wise. 6 

3 Mouthfeel — Fair; would be dramatically improved with the addition of something crunchy, such as onion, sliced tomato, pickle, or whole leaf lettuce. 6

4 Quality/Freshness — Both the burger and the bun tasted very fresh. 7

5 Integrity — Held together very well. 9

6 Atmosphere — No indoor seating, and there’s neither a drive-through nor a traditional drive-in with service out to the vehicles, but the iconic signage and row of walk-up order windows have a distinctive appeal that’s somehow very on brand for Seattle. 6.5

7 Service — Amazing. So fast! 9

8 Satisfaction — Weirdly, in spite of the rather bland meat discs, after devouring this sandwich I found myself immediately craving another one. Is there some secret, addictive ingredient? 6.5

9 Creativity/Uniqueness — Similar to chains like Krystal and White Castle, these folks have put their own spin on hangover food with this pared-down creation. 7.5

10 Value — Am amazing value at $5.75! 9

Not my favorite burger joint, but I can appreciate why the locals love it so, and will definitely be back. It’s also good to know that the employees are paid fairly, and receive childcare and health insurance. Recommended.

Total Score: 73