SEATTLE — It’s some bittersweet news for burger fans. Dick’s Drive-In in Seattle’s Capitol Hill will be closing temporarily for a remodel.
The closure is set to begin on Dec. 13, and the company hopes to reopen during spring 2022.
The location, on Broadway just north of Denny Way, has never been remodeled since it was first built in 1954, according to a company Facebook post.
For those horrified at the thought of changing anything at this classic drive-in burger joint, don’t fret. The company said that the outside is not getting any changes, and the remodel will focus entirely on the interior.
Updates to the structure include new plumbing and electrical, new built-in coolers and some upgraded equipment.
The company expressed gratitude as well for its landlord at the location, writing, “It’s a wonderful example of one family business working through the generations with [one] another.”
Workers at the Broadway location will be transferred to other Dick’s Drive-In locations during the remodel, according to the company, and will be back once it is complete.
Dick’s Drive-In will also continue to visit parts of the Puget Sound region via its popular food truck.
The restaurant chain recently announced that it was raising starting wages to $19 an hour to try to fill dozens of open positions. The wage will immediately jump to $20 an hour following the completion of a skills test.
Dick’s Drive-In is working to open a new location in Bellevue, for which it plans to hire 50 new employees.