SEASON FOR SLIDERS
Jack’s Drive In opens today
WYNANTSKILL, N.Y. » Local roadside burger joint Jack’s Drive In is starting its 80th season on Saturday — serving sliders, fries and shakes while carrying on a longtime tradition.
Burgers will hit the grill once again at Jack’s Drive In on Saturday morning, when the eatery opens at 10 a.m., an hour earlier than usual.
Customers will come from around the area for another taste of Jack’s Drive In cuisine, especially the famous sliders, served with caramelized onions and ketchup on a toasted bun.
Manager Albert Deeb predicts selling more than 2,000 sliders on opening day, just a fraction of the thousands to be sold in the months ahead.
Each year, Jack’s Drive In opens in March and closes in November, weather permitting.
Despite lots of recent snow blanketing the region, the smell of caramelized onions tells locals that spring is in the air.
To prepare for opening day, Jack’s Drive In ordered about 1,000 pounds of onions, which employees were slicing up on Friday.
The owners also hung a new sign out front on Friday, replacing the old, weathered one.
This new welcome sign, along with the oniony aroma, is sure to draw a crowd for the drive in’s 80th season.
Located at 24 Main Ave. in Wynantskill, right on the Troy border, Jack’s Drive In was originally founded in 1938 by Jack Horn. Back then it was a carhopstyle drive-in operated out of a wooden shack.
Now the seasonal business is owned and operated by the Deeb family, as it has been since 1966.
Today, Jack’s Drive In is a small brick building with a walk-up window where customers place their orders. Many diners still choose to eat in their cars, or at one of the outdoor picnic tables on the grounds.
Deeb said on Friday that he’s looking forward to getting back to business. “It’s fun seeing the customers we haven’t seen for a few months, because you become friends with them. We cherish our customers here at Jack’s. Without them we wouldn’t be here.”
Jack’s Drive In also has many longtime staff members who return each season to cook the sliders, fries and other fare.
Over the last 80 years, the Jack’s Drive In menu has only had a few minor changes. Cheese was added in 1994, when the drive in began offering cheeseburger sliders and cheese fries. And four years ago mini hotdogs, made by another longstanding Troy company Helmbold’s, made their debut and became an instant hit.
Thick milk shakes and chocolate milk are big sellers at the drive in too.
Deeb said his goal for the future of Jack’s Drive In is simply “to continue to serve the customers with the same quality food we always have.”
Now officially eight decades in, Jack’s Drive In is among some of the oldest still-operat-
ing eateries in the area — and its keeping with tradition with hopes of operating this way for many years to come.
Jack’s Drive In will now be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. until winter.
From May through August, Jack’s Drive In will host monthly Monday Night Bike Nights for motorcycle enthusiasts. Dates will be announced on the business Facebook page. The first event, in May will feature live music by a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band.
More information about Jack’s Drive In is available online at the Jack’s Drive In Facebook page.