Peters' Drive-In Burger Review – Calgary, AB
Peters' Drive-In Burger Review – Calgary, AB
On a boys' trip out to Alberta, I took the Gold Medal Burger quest on a Calgary detour, and by popular demand I stopped at Peters' Drive-In on 16th Avenue along the Trans-Canada. It's a Calgary staple that's been around since 1962. The burger scored a 5.1, good for #130 out of 140 on my Gold Medal Burger rankings.
My order
Robyn was back home for this one (I missed you, babe), so a buddy from the trip took over camera duty. I ordered the usual hamburger with lettuce, onion and pickle only. The woman who took my order was careful about it: she confirmed one patty, read back lettuce, onion and pickle twice, and double-checked that I didn't want the house sauce. The price was $5.09, and the burger was ready in about four minutes. I loved the blue and white bag. It feels like a throwback.
What's inside
The bun was a little funked up from the trip in the bag. Inside were diced onions, horizontally sliced ruffled pickles and torn iceberg lettuce. Nobody could tell me how much the patty weighed, so I guessed about two ounces. It looked like a backyard burger. One bite, everybody knows the rules.
First bite
The patty did not taste like it was made that day. I suspect it's a processed patty, with a bit of a spongy texture, and the ratio was off. Alberta is known for its beef, but I'm starting to think it should be known for its big buns. The bun dwarfed the patty.
- Bun: Big, and a little squished from the bag.
- Patty: Small, around two ounces by my guess, and not made fresh.
- Toppings: Diced onion, ruffled pickles and iceberg lettuce.
- Service: Fast and careful with the order.
- Value: $5.09 is an amazing price.
My backyard ceiling
I have a theory that a backyard burger tops out at a 7, because hitting a 7 with a backyard patty is basically like scoring a 10. This one didn't get there. Still, I went in with low expectations, and it's not the worst burger I've had.
My verdict
This one wrote its own punchline. The price is $5.09, and the burger is a 5.1. It's like Peters' rates its own burgers with the price tag. If you're on a budget and driving by, it's quick and cheap, and the bag is cool. But it's a backyard burger, and the quest rolled on to Airdrie for the next recommendation.
Find Peters' Drive-In
Calgary, AB
