Zip's Drive-in (Spokane WA)

Date: April 17, 2025

Location: 223 S Lincoln Street, Spokane WA

Website: https://www.zipsdrivein.com/

I spied the Zip’s Drive-in sign beckoning from the roadside, and I gotta admit, I was lured in like a famished fish. Founded in 1953, their motto is “thrift and swift.” Sounds like my kinda place.

I ordered The Grand Burger, a quarter pound of beef with pepper-jack cheese, pickle, lettuce, tomato, and thousand island dressing, on a toasted burger bun.

1 Aesthetics — I liked the look of the gooey cheese and the veggies playing peekaboo under the hood. Didn’t care for the grey beef, crushed bun, or pale, shredded lettuce, however. 5

2 Flavor — Kind of bland. The meat, cheese, and veggies were virtually flavorless. And isn’t thousand island dressing supposed to include pickle relish, hard-boiled egg, lemon juice, onion, and spices like garlic and paprika? This sauce was pretty much 50/50 ketchup and mayo, sugary sweet, with no kick. 5

3 Mouthfeel — Meh. The texture of styrofoam. 5

4 Quality/Freshness — Not great. The bun was stale, and all the other ingredients were substandard. 4

5 Integrity — Not bad. A decent burger build. 6

6 Atmosphere — Unsatisfactory. I was attracted by the colorful signage and classic drive-in facade, but the interior seating area was shabby and squalid, with molded plastic booths, broken light fixtures, locked restrooms, and lots of sketchy street people hanging around. 4

7 Service — Fair. 6

8 Satisfaction — Not satisfied. I didn’t enjoy this bland burger, and felt a little queasy after eating. The greasy onion rings were no help, either. 3

9 Creativity/Uniqueness — Meh. 5

10 Value — Priced reasonably at $6.39, so a good bang for your buck, but the quality is just not what it should be. 6

Although I certainly do appreciate a quick meal at a fair price, I doubt I’ll return to Zip’s. This place needs a deep cleaning, and there are far better burgers available elsewhere. Not recommended.

Total Score: 49