Sacramento County drive-in plans its farewell after 65 years serving burgers and shakes
It was a busy Friday morning at Lou’s with a steady flow of customers coming in to support the drive-in burger stand.
As patrons got to the order window, many asked to confirm the news about the mainstay’s closing, while others proposed ideas to the owners so that they could remain open.
Lou’s Drive-in has been serving burgers and shakes to the North Highlands community in Sacramento County since 1958, but come Oct. 28 the restaurant will be permanently shutting its doors, according to an Instagram post on Thursday.
Restaurant owners Leilan and Robert Kitchens have been negotiating with their landlord to buy the current building at 6229 Watt Ave., but they haven’t been able to come to an agreement, Leilan Kitchens said as she blended two vanilla milkshakes.
“We’re not millionaires here. We’re literally just getting by,” she said as her husband grilled burgers and her mother punched in orders at the register.
The Kitchens have owned Lou’s for 14 years after purchasing the drive-in from Don Roberge, Robert’s grandfather.
“Grandpa was the one that was going to shut the doors down, because he was going to retire, but we ended up buying it from him,” Leilan Kitchens said.
There were once four Lou’s in the Sacramento area that were opened by the late Lou Bergh, according to The Bee’s archives. Bergh and Roberge were business partners.
A cheeseburger at Lou’s ranges from $6.35 to $10.80 depending on the type of cheese, patty and chili fixings. Leilan Kitchens wants to keep her menu items fairly priced, she said, and feels that with a steep commercial mortgage payment she won’t be able to do that.
Serving burgers and milkshakes for 65 years
North Highland resident Judy Whitaker was waiting for two chocolate milkshakes at Lou’s on Friday morning. She worked at the shop 30 years ago and refers to the burger drive-in as “an icon.”
“I’m really upset about it,” Whitaker said as she leaned on the counter next to the order window. “This is an icon. These are the best milkshakes and burgers that you can possibly get.”
Lou’s is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday, just an hour after opening, there was a line of about five customers waiting to place their orders.
On Instagram people lamented the closure with crying emojis and red hearts.
“I grew up here, I worked here when I was going to college,” Whitaker said. “In the summers my son used to ride his bike down here.”
Lou’s plans to serve its last burger and milkshake on Saturday, Oct. 28.
This story was originally published October 21, 2023 at 5:00 AM.