Dick’s Drive-In is opening its newest burger restaurant in Federal Way next year, according to an April 28 announcement from the company.
The iconic burger restaurant is planned to stand along Pacific Highway South in The Commons mall lot, near the incoming Amazon Fresh store.
“We are thrilled to announce our next location,” said Jasmine Donovan, president of Dick’s Drive-Ins and granddaughter of the namesake Dick Spady. “When we searched for our first location in South King County, we loved every city and community we visited and wished we could open a location in all of them. It’s very exciting to share that we will soon be creating delicious memories in Federal Way.”
Donovan said Dick’s is aiming to open the Federal Way location sometime in 2023, depending on the permitting and construction process.
She added that the restaurant will look nearly identical to the existing Dick’s Drive-In location in Kent. Federal Way will then serve as the Kent location’s “sister store,” allowing customers and employees to enjoy the two South King County cities outside of Dick’s Seattle locations.
A model image of the incoming store shows a stand-alone building on the parking lot’s west side with exterior service windows facing Pacific Highway South. The Commons mall property is owned by Merlone Geier Partners.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dick’s Drive-In to The Commons at Federal Way,” said Heather Beal, managing director at Merlone Geier. “This iconic local restaurant has such a deep and delicious history in our community and will perfectly complement our growing line-up of exciting new stores and restaurants.”
The Federal Way location creates about 50 jobs, Donovan said. The minimum wage at Dick’s in Kent is $19 per hour and the Federal Way locations hopes to match this income, according to the company.
“Some people have wondered why we would continue to grow with all the uncertainty we face right now. We are proud of the jobs we provide and want to provide more opportunity to people, especially during these challenging times,” she said, adding that all of Dick’s shift, store and regional managers are promoted from within.
In 2018, Dick’s opened its first South King County restaurant in Kent after customers voted for a location south of Seattle.
The Dick’s restaurant in Kent is close to Highline College’s main campus. Among other benefits, the company offers a $28,000 education scholarship for all employees working at least 20 hours per week, according to Dick’s.
Dick’s Drive-Ins serves a limited menu of burgers made from “fresh-never-frozen” USA-certified Angus ground beef on fresh and locally made buns, as well as hand-cut fries from Washington potatoes and hand-dipped and individually whipped milkshakes, according to the company.
