Most thought it would never happen, but after 70 years, the Big Dipper now accepts debit and credit cards. The drive-in has been a staple of Owensboro’s west side since 1954 and one of only a handful of establishments to operate on a cash-only basis.
“We needed to make sure our customers have options to pay,” said general manager Sherry Ashby. “It was time to catch up with the times. Kids and young adults these days just aren’t carrying cash.”
The restaurant made the change on Thursday but was only willing to market it once employees familiarized themselves with the system.
“We really needed to get used to it before we started marketing it,” she said. “It’s still taking us some time to embrace the change, and it’s slowed us down some, but we’re adjusting.”
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-60s, 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 even though the times have forced the establishment to make some changes, Ashby said the family atmosphere and supportive community keep the restaurant thriving. The Owensboro Times recently crowned the Big Dipper the community’s best drive-in restaurant in its Eat Down the Street Contest.
“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.”
Ashby said she hasn’t seen a noticeable increase in crowds yet but knows that could all change once word gets out.
There is a 3% surcharge for using a credit card, a minor inconvenience for the countless customers who had to find an ATM before ordering a burger.
“We had to make ourselves available to everybody… I don’t want someone to come by, and they can’t eat because they don’t have cash,” she said.
The Big Dipper is also looking to add a new menu item next week, but that’s a secret for now.
