Photo by Duane A. Laverty

At the corner of West Waco Drive and North 26th Street, Kim’s restaurant stands as a testament to its strength: serving quality food at reasonable prices.

While many restaurants have come and gone over the years, from locally owned start-ups to high-powered chains, Kim’s has survived the test of time.

The sign outside Kim’s, which was built when that location opened in 1965, boasts a “drivateria.” It was among the first restaurants in Waco that allowed people to order food from their cars. Kim’s continues to have a drive-through today, but most customers prefer to dine inside.

The restaurant traces its roots back to 1956, and some of the same customers that graced its doors then still dine at Kim’s today.

One a recent visit, I saw Dave Campbell, the former Waco Tribune-Herald sports editor and founder of Texas Football magazine. A local judge or two might also be among the diners on any given day.

But the ability to appeal to a wide array of customers is what gives Kim’s its staying power.

Walk inside, and you’ll see Baylor students, young families, retired couples — you name it — eating at the establishment that is a Waco tradition.

Unlike some Waco restaurants that stake a claim to doing one thing well — such as barbecue, burgers, or steaks — Kim’s offers a variety of fare. And with a $4.50 lunch special, it’s also easy on the wallet.

The restaurant offers two choices Monday through Friday on its lunch special menu. The special includes a vegetable and a salad. But many diners frequent Kim’s for its burgers.

“Hamburgers have always been our primary thing,” said Gene Stanley, owner of the restaurant. Gene and her husband Bill opened Kim’s first Waco location in 1956. “Our meat is never frozen, and we make our own patties.”

Other popular dishes at the restaurant include chicken-fried steak, chicken-fried chicken and meatloaf.

Family plays a big part in Kim’s daily operations. Gene Stanley (center) and her husband Bill opened Waco’s first Kim’s location in 1956, and she still comes in most days. She’s flanked by her granddaughter Sarah Rippen and her son-in-law Mark Rippen, who co-manage the restaurant on Waco Drive.
Photo by Duane A. Laverty

Kim’s is also known for its shakes and malts, made with soft-serve ice cream.

In addition to the Waco Drive location, Kim’s had a number of other locations throughout the years: on 18th Street; at 33rd Street and Hillcrest Drive; on South Valley Mills Drive; and one in Woodway, which was located near the Highway 84 access road and Santa Fe Drive.

About 1975, the restaurant at 2600 West Waco Drive became the only Kim’s location in Waco.

Although Bill died in 1999, Gene, who turned 80 in April, is still usually at the restaurant six days a week. Kim’s is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and is closed Sunday.

Gene and Bill grew up in San Angelo, where they went to high school. Bill later attended what was then Abilene Christian College (now university) and opened a restaurant in Big Spring called Dairy Maid. Bill owned that restaurant when he and Gene got married in 1949.

The Stanleys moved to Sweetwater, and also had Dairy Maid locations in Brownwood and Abilene.

But they sold their restaurants — and the name — to Kip’s Big Boy, a Dallas-based group of restaurants.

Gene said that a salesman who visited their restaurants noted that Waco didn’t have many “drive-in” restaurants — just one at the corner of Waco and Valley Mills drives.

After a visit to Waco, Bill decided the city was the perfect place for a new start in the restaurant business.

Kim’s mainstay remains daily plate lunch specials priced below $5.
Photo by Duane A. Laverty

Gene said although she sometimes missed West Texas during her early days in Waco, it didn’t take long for the community to become home.

“This is a good place to raise a family and live,” she said. “My parents moved here, and we had several other relatives move here.”

The Stanleys’ first Waco location, on East Waco Drive, was called AAA. They could no longer use the Dairy Maid name. But AAA was a brand of root beer from Oklahoma City, Gene said. And since they owned stock in the company, they served that beverage at their Waco restaurant.

“In 1958, we changed the name to Kim’s,” Gene said. “We were trying to think of a catchy name. It was Kip’s that bought us out. We thought Kim’s was a good name. Plus, we had five daughters at the time — we ended up with six. And none of them was named Kim” to avoid any sibling rivalry. The Stanley girls are Connie (who died in a car accident in 1986), Donna, Debbie, Susan, Wynell and Marian.

All of the Stanley girls worked at Kim’s when they went to school, but none of them currently works full time for the restaurant.

Donna Wachtendorf, one of the Stanleys’ daughters, said Kim’s is where she met her husband, Wilbert, known more commonly by his nickname “Walky.” He is a member of the Hewitt City Council and worked for the Hewitt Police Department for three decades.

Family remains a big part of the restaurant. Gene’s son-in-law Mark Rippen is the restaurant’s general manager. And Sarah Rippen, Gene’s granddaughter and Mark’s daughter, works at the restaurant.

Manager Mark Rippen serves up Kim’s Philly Cheese Steak sandwich with steak fries.
Photo by Duane A. Laverty

Gene said Sarah is the only one of her grandchildren employed there.

“She’s been my right-hand person,” Gene said. “She takes care of the scheduling and manages that part of it, which is a tremendous help.”

Several employees have worked at Kim’s for years — or even decades. Gene speaks of a cook who has worked at the restaurant for “40 years, maybe longer.” Another cook who specializes in breakfast items has worked there “probably 25 or 30 years.”

And she speaks of people at the front counter and throughout the restaurant as if they are family.

Gene said the thing she has enjoyed most about being in the restaurant business is “getting acquainted with all the people in town — judges, lawyers and just plain folks. It’s wonderful to see everybody. It’s the reason I still come in every day. We have all types of people come in here, and the customers are very loyal. I don’t know everybody’s name, but I often know what they like to eat.”

That customer loyalty is rewarded by quality food, and an old-fashioned dedication that keeps Kim’s popular.

“One customer comes in almost every day because we’re the only place in town that fixes her freshly squeezed limeade,” Donna said.

“Everything we serve is made to order, and that’s rare for a fast-food restaurant, she added. “So many restaurants have opened and closed over the years, but we’re still here. We offer good food at affordable prices, and it’s a good option for people.”

Donna said growing up with a family in the restaurant business was a great experience.

“It’s been fun,” she said. “We were all involved in the business when we were younger. I bused tables when I was 12 and it instilled a work ethic in me that not everybody has today. What we learned working here as kids helped us to be successful in life. We got to meet a lot of people here, and still have a lot of friends who come by and visit us.”

Waitress Christie McCoy serves a couple of late-lunch customers.
Photo by Duane A. Laverty

Artwork features restaurant mascot Kim.
Photo by Duane A. Laverty