Happy 75th B Day to Yakima’s Miners Drive-In

You were probably enjoying an Easter but one of the valley's best known restaurants, Miners Drive-in turned 75-years-old on Sunday, April 9.

A special Anniversary celebration is underway on Monday.

THE RESTAURANT STARTED IN 1948

The well known Miner's Drive-in Restaurant opened as Miner’s In-N-Out Hamburgers on April 9, 1948 by Ed and Irene Miner.
The burgers and shakes sold for a cheap 25 cents each and were enjoyed by thousands of people from the valley and around the state. Miners quickly became an "institution and people from throughout Washington state and the Pacific Northwest all have fond memories of Miner’s." The restaurant is located at 2415 S 1st Street in Yakima.

Get our free mobile app

THE CROWDS ARE ALWAYS BIG AND DIVERSE

Just about anytime you stop for a burger it's likely you'll see students and athletes stepping off buses to experience Miner’s during their visit to the Yakima Valley. A travel writer from Turkey this past spring stated during his visit when 3 team buses came in while he was eating, “I’ve never seen anything like this! So much excitement, joy and fun. Is it always like this?”
A press release from the city of Union Gap says;

"The humble beginnings as a simple drive-up window with speakers has grown over the decades. A staff of three, Ed, Irene and their son Lee were the initial employees for many years. Now Miner’s has a staff of over 70 people. They have had to expand to two large dining areas, on top of the outdoor sitting area which is popular from spring through the fall.

STILL FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

The business is still family owned and operated, and in fact Lee started his career at Miner’s on opening day, which happened to be his 16th birthday. He will celebrate his 91st birthday on April 9. The business shifted from Ed and Irene to Lee and his wife Lois in the 1960s. The restaurant flourished during this time and the first major expansion occurred. Their children Gary and Renee continued the family tradition and Gary’s children, Rachel, Krystal and David are the current generation that is handling the day-to-day business.

LOTS OF STUFF TO EAT WITH AN EXPANDED MENU

Although the restaurant started with burgers, shakes and fries the menu has grown over the years and now includes several bbq options including beef, ham and chicken, hot dogs, over a dozen sandwiches, several seafood options, chicken and a slew of salads. Their onion rings are one of the more popular items.

QUALITY IS ALWAYS THE NUMBER ONE REASON EAT AT MINERS

“The first thing is quality,” says David Miner. “My grandfather taught me at an early age that we have to treat every customer as if it’s their first time coming to Miner’s. We need to provide a terrific eating experience for them, or they won’t be back. And there is a ton of competition, and that competition keeps growing – so we need to be on our A game every day. Fortunately, all of our team members understand this as well. They aren’t just team members, they are family. And we take great pride in the fact that we’ve had multiple generations of families that have worked with us.”