Call it a tradition. After a night of partying on Austin's 6th street, I always grab a burger and fries at P. Terry's Burger Stand. Founded in 2005 by husband and wife Patrick Terry and Kathy Terry, P. Terry's first location opened on the corner of Lamar and Barton Springs where they started serving burgers and milkshakes in the drive-thru. Today, the company currently employees over 500 employees in their 16 locations in Austin, Lake Travis, San Marcos, and soon to be San Antonio.
That's right, P. Terry's is heading to San Antonio! The Texas fast-food burger chain will be setting up shop at the Medical Center at 8539 Fredericksburg Road, complete with a dining room for up to 65 guests, in addition to a covered patio and a double drive-thru. According to San Antonio Current, the burger chain will begin hiring this summer but there are no concrete dates on when it will open.
It All Started with a Book
According to founder Patrick Terry, it all started with the book Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser. The book, which examines the fast-food industry can be loosely compared to Sinclair's 1906 novel, The Jungle. After reading, he angled his business practices to align with the book. Hand-cut french fries, homemade veggie burgers, all-natural beef, and higher salaries for their employees propelled the Austin, Texas brand into the hearts of consumers.
While Patrick Terry might not be willing to franchise the business anytime soon, he has been adding new staff to the company including Todd Coerver, former CEO at Larkburger and executive at Whataburger, as the new CEO of P.Terry's. Eight news stores are slated to open in the next two years, including the soon-to-be P. Terry's location in San Antonio.
The Simplicity of a Cheeseburger
Less is more when it comes to the P.Terry's menu. For breakfast grab an egg burger and breakfast potatoes for less than $5. Once the clock hits 11 am, it's time for lunch and five different offerings including a hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, chicken burger, and a veggie burger.
The burgers are made with Black Angus beef and the veggie burgers are handmade with brown rice, crimini mushrooms, oats, and black beans. Bacon and jalapenos can be added on for an additional $.95 and $.25. For a side, a piping hot bag of fresh-cut fries hits the spot.
Where will this burger chain open next?