Big Dipper has been voted Owensboro-Daviess County’s favorite drive-in restaurant in the Owensboro Times Eat Down the Street contest. Big Dipper now moves on to the championship week of the voting competition. For a full breakdown of how the entire contest works, including our list of restaurants and categories, click here.
Big Dipper got its start when George Osborne opened the establishment in 1954 after re-thinking owning a Dairy Queen franchise.
Osborne initially aimed to sell soft-serve ice cream on the family-owned property next to the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn. According to his son Robert, George came out and moved dirt so that he could “trade frontage space for the land behind him.” Then, in the mid-1960s, he added a drive-up wing along with a big neon sign featuring a hamburger and an ice cream cone, expanding his menu and his business.
And while times have certainly changed, general manager Sherry Ashby said the family atmosphere and supportive community keep the restaurant thriving.
“We have to thank everyone who comes through here,” Ashby said. “We have so many loyal and regular customers who support us day in and day out. We can’t thank them enough.”
Selena Sloan is the manager and said the Dipper’s attention to detail, fresh food, and welcoming atmosphere make it what it is.
“We have some the best customer service around,” she said. “Our customers are more than customers; they’re family. We’re constantly searching for ways to improve our menu and create the best customer experience possible.”
After a storm destroyed much of the building in 1981, the family immediately began reconstructing the place. The same year, local leaders expanded Parrish Avenue from two lanes to five, making room for the nearby McDonald’s.
Shortly after, Robert returned from college to see the Dipper’s parking lot reduced from multiple rows to a simple entrance and exit.
“That summer I came home, there were no signs; it was just the building,” Robert said in a 2019 interview with Owensboro Times. “My friend and I helped Dad put the roof back on. That was a pivotal time, and that’s when I fell in love with the business.”
After helping his father return the restaurant to its glory, Robert returned to Lexington to complete his accounting degree and took a desirable job out west. As the Dipper continued to thrive and the elder Osborne began to slow down, Robert decided it was time to return home.
Over the years, the Big Dipper has maintained a consistent menu and offered several items that are not only unique to the restaurant but have quickly become Owensboro favorites.
One of the most popular menu items is the Dipper’s old-fashioned hamburger.
“That’s a unique item,” Robert said. “You could change it, improve it — you could make it better. I won’t claim that this is the best burger ever — but it’s a unique burger you can’t find anywhere else.”
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