Ricky's Drive In West: Classic Burgers and Shakes in Columbia

What to expect at Ricky's Drive In West

Ricky's Drive In West is a standalone burger joint in Columbia that serves the kind of food you order at a counter and eat in your car or at a picnic table outside. The menu centers on hand-formed beef patties, hand-cut fries, and milkshakes made to order. The restaurant has been operating since the 1980s and occupies a small building with a drive-through window and a handful of outdoor seating, located on Devine Street on the city's west side.

The space itself is no-frills: you walk up to order, pay at the window, and wait for your food. There is no table service, no indoor dining area, and no Wi-Fi. What you get instead is speed and consistency. A basic burger with fries takes about ten minutes from order to hand-off. The kitchen does not attempt to be trendy or experimental—it focuses on doing a few things well and doing them the same way every time.

Key Takeaways

• Ricky's makes hand-formed patties and hand-cut fries fresh to order, not from frozen inventory.
• Milkshakes come in standard flavors and are mixed individually, so they take longer than the burgers.
• The restaurant operates as a drive-through and walk-up counter with outdoor picnic tables; there is no indoor seating.
• Prices are moderate for a burger-and-fries meal, and cash and card are both accepted.

The burger and fries

The signature item is a basic cheeseburger: a single or double patty, American cheese, and your choice of toppings from a short list that includes lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and condiments. The patties are hand-formed in-house, which means they are thicker and less uniform than fast-food burgers, and they hold together better when you bite into them. The fries are cut fresh daily and fried in batches, so they arrive hot and crispy rather than sitting under a heat lamp.

You can order a burger plain, loaded with toppings, or somewhere in between. The kitchen will customize it, but the menu does not offer specialty burgers with unusual ingredient combinations. If you want a burger with bacon, mushrooms, or a fried egg, you can order it, but you are building it yourself from available components rather than choosing a named item. This approach keeps the operation simple and keeps wait times short.

The fries are a strong point. Because they are cut and fried fresh, they have a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior, and they do not taste greasy. A regular order is substantial—enough to share or to eat as a side for two people. The restaurant also sells a basket of fries on its own, which is a common lunch order for people who want something quick and cheap.

Milkshakes and drinks

Ricky's makes milkshakes by hand in a blender, which means they are thicker and colder than shakes from a machine, and they take longer to prepare. Standard flavors include vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. The restaurant also rotates seasonal flavors and will sometimes make a shake with a flavor not on the posted menu if you ask. Because each shake is made individually, you should expect to wait five to ten minutes if you order one during a busy period.

Soft drinks come in fountain cups, and you can refill them while you wait for your food. The restaurant does not serve alcohol, coffee, or specialty beverages like smoothies or fresh-squeezed juice.

When to go and what to know

Ricky's is busiest at lunch, roughly 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and again in early evening around 5:30 to 7 p.m. If you want to avoid a line, go mid-morning or mid-afternoon on a weekday. Weekends are consistently busy, especially Saturday afternoon. The drive-through moves faster than the walk-up counter during peak times, so if you are in a hurry, use the window.

The restaurant is cash-friendly but also takes cards. There is no table service and no reservation system. Outdoor seating is first-come, first-served and limited, so on warm days you may end up eating in your car or taking your food elsewhere. The building has a small parking lot with space for about a dozen cars.

Ricky's is closed on Sundays and operates limited hours on some holidays. Hours are typically 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, though it is worth calling ahead if you are planning a trip during a holiday week.

How it compares to other burger spots in Columbia

Ricky's occupies a middle ground between fast-food chains and sit-down burger restaurants. It is slower than McDonald's or Burger King but faster than a full-service diner. The burgers are higher quality than chain fast food because the patties are hand-formed and cooked to order, but the restaurant does not charge diner prices. It is the kind of place you go when you want a real burger without the wait or the bill of a table-service restaurant.

The main trade-off is convenience and comfort. You are not getting a booth, a server, or an indoor climate-controlled space. You are getting a good burger made fresh, fries that taste like potatoes, and a milkshake that tastes like it was made in a blender rather than dispensed from a machine. If that appeals to you, Ricky's is worth the trip to Devine Street.

Parking and location

Ricky's Drive In West is located on Devine Street in the western part of Columbia, near the intersection with Wheat Street. The building is small and set back slightly from the road, so it is easy to miss if you are not looking for it. There is a small parking lot on-site with space for roughly a dozen vehicles. Street parking is also available on Devine Street if the lot is full.

The restaurant is accessible by car and by foot if you live or work nearby. Public transit options are limited in this area, so driving is the most practical way to reach it. The drive-through window faces the parking lot, so you can order without leaving your car.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I order online or by phone?

Ricky's does not take phone orders or offer online ordering. You order in person at the counter or through the drive-through window. This keeps the operation simple and ensures food is made fresh after you order.

Do you have vegetarian options?

The menu is burger-focused, and most items contain meat. You can order a grilled cheese sandwich or a basket of fries, but there are no dedicated vegetarian burgers or plant-based proteins on the menu.

How long does it take to get food?

A burger and fries typically take eight to twelve minutes from order to hand-off. Milkshakes take longer because they are made individually—expect five to ten additional minutes if you order one. During peak lunch hours, wait times can stretch to fifteen or twenty minutes.

Is there indoor seating?

No. Ricky's has a counter for ordering and outdoor picnic tables for eating. Most customers eat in their cars or take food with them. Indoor seating is not available.

What payment methods do you accept?

Ricky's accepts both cash and card. There is no minimum purchase for card payments, and the restaurant does not charge a fee for using a card.