Are you looking to enjoy a burger and fries while appreciating a bite of history? The east side of Wisconsin Dells has just the place.
Big Boy made its return to Wisconsin Dells on Monday. General manager Chaz Hastings said it is the first franchise in the area in more than 30 years.
The revived burger joint, which features many other food offerings, is located at 701 Broadway, the former site of Myrt and Lucy’s Family Restaurant, which closed last year.
Hastings and owner Melissa Stuckart ran a Big Boy in Sussex, in Waukesha County, before closing it in July. Hastings and Stuckart also own Hofbrewzhaus, a German brewpub located two blocks west of Big Boy on Broadway closer to downtown.
The new Dells Big Boy will be open year-round and have late night events on Fridays and Saturdays beginning in October, Hastings said. It also sells wine bottles and merchandise with the image of the iconic Big Boy mascot.
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“We feel really good,” said Hastings. “The reception from the community has been incredible. So many people say that it feels just like it was 30, 40, 50 years ago.”
In the first two days on Monday and Tuesday, Hastings said customers were reminiscing about life events from their younger years and how eating at Big Boy brought them back.
“I think it is going to bring something that is family friendly, as well as adult-friendly, if you want to be out with your friends and grab a burger and a beer,” said Sue Getgen, a Lake Delton resident who owns Lake City Social on Wisconsin Dells Parkway. “It kind of touches all bases.”
“It gives us a nostalgic thing to do,” said Katie Getgen, Sue’s daughter.
The new Dells restaurant has the classic Big Boy burger, which features two ground beef patties, a circular bread slice in the middle, and a signature sauce. It also has a double meat version of the burger, along with fried chicken sandwiches, turkey and fish sandwiches, soups, salads, milkshakes, a breakfast menu and five different appetizers.
“We have a lot to offer,” said Hastings. “More than what you would think of in a regular burger joint.”
Along with the diverse menu, the Wisconsin Dells Big Boy is the first one to serve beer and wine, according to Hastings, who said that he and Stuckart wanted to “bring in other fun elements” with the restaurant having a bar.
“Big Boy After Dark” will be the Friday and Saturday night events from 9 p.m. to midnight, which will feature one- and two-person musical acts, Hastings said. The restaurant will also have bingo events.
“It is the old school feel, but we made sure we brought in all the new elements that people expect today,” said Hastings. “We want to make sure that we bring some entertainment along with the dining experience.”
There are several statues of the famous Big Boy mascot throughout the Dells restaurant, including ones of him dressed in Batman and Spider-Man outfits, as well as one of him in a Green Bay Packers jersey outside.
All of the statues are holding the classic burger, including one that stands on the roof. Hastings estimated that about 20 to 30 cars each day have stopped just to take pictures with the Big Boy mascots outside since they were installed during the summer.
The roof statue was erected just before the restaurant opened after lying on the roof for months.
The Sussex location opened in 2021 and was the first Big Boy in Wisconsin in 26 years, according to Milwaukee Magazine. Today, most Big Boy locations are in Michigan, with some in California, Ohio, North Dakota and Nevada. Hastings said there are roughly 300 Big Boy locations in Asia.
“It has been really cool to be part of bringing this back,” said Hastings. “The nostalgia, the pride. We want to carry on this brand and help restore what it once was in Wisconsin. It’s going to touch a lot of people.”
