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Peters' Drive-In
Categories: Restaurants Fast Food Restaurants Burgers Fast Food, Burgers [Edit]
219 16 Ave NECalgary, AB T2E 1J9
(403) 277-2747
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
72 reviews for Peters' Drive-In
Review Highlights
"burgers, and milkshakes are must try."
(in 34 reviews)
"Shakes are are thick, heavy, and not too sweet."
(in 13 reviews)
"They have plenty of picnic tables to sit and enjoy your..."
(in 3 reviews)
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72 reviews in English
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Review from Vishal M.
Calgary, AB
2/5/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I love Peters' milkshakes! Whenever I have a craving for ice cream, I satisfy it with a Peters' drive-in shake or one of their banana splits.
I also love their burgers. I have tried hamburgers around the world and I have to say that Peters' ranks in my top 5.
: ) -
Review from Jane M.
1/6/2012
Drive-ins like this are so rare these days. Before I moved to Canada, I'd only seen them in films (further proving my point that 'everything in North America is just like the movies!!').
I was taken here during Stampede in 2010 and considering it was one of the days where it didn't rain during that summer, Peters' was kind of packed. We managed to snag a bench, though. Because it was my first time there, it was my birthday, and I'm me, I tried the burger, fries, onion rings and milkshake. I won't lie, the burger was pretty delicious, but nothing spectacular if you're used to the gourmet burgers food trucks seem to be churning out as of late. The onion rings here are great and the fries do what fries are supposed to do. However, the real star of this place is the milkshakes. Anytime we're back in calgary, we swing by and pick up a milkshake to go. There's hundreds (literally) of different flavours and they've got everything from blueberry to marshmallow. My favourite is the chocolate, chocolate, and orange. Pro tip: The chocolate isn't that chocolatey, so if you want it in your shake, double up. Otherwise, the other flavours will drown it out.
This was also the fateful night that I discovered mosquitoes don't like me, so it really was a rather pleasant evening -- burgers and a dash of schadenfreude. Four stars just because of the milkshakes. If they didn't have those, it would definitely be a three-star place. -
Review from Cory R.
Calgary, AB
11/14/2011
SORRY Calgary, but Peter's Drive In is NOT the legendary, awesome, fabulous place you think it is.
Peter's Drive In serves flavourless mushy burgers on unimpressive white cake buns. A "small" frozen Con-Agra generic brand fries weighs about a pound, and everyone thinks this is remarkable. It is not.
Service is empathetic and generic.
For a MUCH MUCH better and more satisfying "Drive In" experience, head to "CB DRIVE IN" on Northmount. CB actually serves similar food, but its cheaper and the fries are of particular note: old-school krinkle cuts with that orange seasoning salt. The food at CBs is extremely close to what you would have gotten in the 50s or 60s. AND the owner guy is this hilarious, friendly, AWESOME Korean guy with a VOICE that should be in commercials. You have to go there to know what I mean.
ANyway, dont bother with Peters no matter how much you have heard how its a tradition and a landmark and all that. CBs Drive In, or Angels Drive In (Bowness) are WAAAAY the hell better, and ICONS in their own way as well. -
Review from Ryan K.
Calgary, AB
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
I, like many born and raised Calgary folk, have been going here for years. In the past few years I have not been much but recently had a coupon so I gave it a go before my hockey game. It was just as I remembered, which is a good thing. I had the all time favourite chocolate banana milkshake and enjoyed it to the last slurp. There is just something about the atmosphere that will always keep me coming back. The portions are huge and the milkshakes actually taste like milkshakes compared to other fast food chains attempts. If you have not been you must have just moved, and now that you have read this what are you waiting for?
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Review from Kelly T.
2/3/2012
While visiting my family out in Calgary, they took me to Peter's Drive-In. It looked like a real deal drive-in not like Sonic drive-in. We ordered at the windows outside, which was neat but being from California I was freezing! I really liked the chocolate shake, the burger is okay but nothing special, and also I didn't like the fries. Overall, I had a great experience but I still like In-n-Out more!
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Review from Thomas M.
Calgary, AB
1/25/2012
Peter's was bought by new owners in 2005 and the food quality went WAY downhill. anyone claiming to like the burgers here either hasn't actually eaten one, or is speaking about a visit 25 years ago. i don't know how anyone can eat that crap. the meat is equivalent to the No Name frozen patties you get at superstore, and they slather it in this disgusting "bbq sauce" to try and cover up the nasty taste. anyone who likes this stuff must be high on crack, which is another popular item in the surrounding neighborhood. BLECH. In effort to cut costs, they are also hiring (exclusively, it seems) migrant workers who can't speak a lick of English.... and who don't know the first thing about what a hamburger or a drive-in even is.
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Review from Maui P.
1/27/2012
A must do! I hit Peters everytime I travel to the north. I have been going there for 35 years and the quality and taste is consistent everytime I go. I studied the story of Peter and his brother Bob in business school. For those that don't remember Bob branched out and had several burger chains that eventually failed while Peter kept things the same and ended up buying the land and the houses around him to make room for a parking lot. Stay true to what you know and you will be ok!
The word on the street when Gus Pieters put his place up for sale in 2005 was that a group had made an offer to purchase and it was accepted. Before it closed Gus Pieters found out that the new group was not going to continue to give the employees free food and he killed the deal.
Peters is now owned by a lawyer and his wife who is also a lawyer, Stephen Hayden and Joanne Rowe. They are both no longer practicing law as the business has now provided them with an honest living. -
Review from Tiffany N.
Calgary, AB
9/29/2011
While cramming a sub in to my face, my sister asked me how far away Peter's Drive-In was from where we were. I told her that it was 10 minutes away, and since I used to live across the street from it, I knew exactly where it was. She had never been, so I said, "let's go. Otherwise, they kick you out of Calgary."
Yeah, when I lived across the street from Peter's, my neighborhood smelled like french fries and hot grease. If I was bleary-eyed from my migraine medication (which was often); I'd stumble over there and order their onion rings, take the bag home, polish them off and then pass out in a 3-hour junk food coma. Sigh. Memories :).
My sister's first experience included a burger, fries and a banana, oreo and coffee-flavored milkshake... though she did not bring all the boys to the yard. Maybe because we were surrounded by cops on their dinner break. Her response to the food was that the burger was juicy, the fries were fresh and her milkshake was phenomenal. Guess we caught Peter's on one of their better days, since it can be hit or miss! I've gotten amazeballs onion rings, and sad and soggy onion rings. You take your chances, but since they haven't changed their prices in the last few years, it's not a bad risk to take.
Pro-tip: either bring a spoon with you when ordering a Peter's milkshake or let it sit for a while, or you'll give yourself a headache and sore jaw attempting to suck it out of the straw.Listed in: Delightful WPF
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Review from Daman M.
Calgary, AB
8/31/2011
Great place for food when you are really hungry!
The large fries are like a bloody shopping basket and the burgers are so yummy that you WILL go back.
However as nice as the burgers and fries are, the one thing that keeps me rocking back to this 50's looking place is the milkshakes! Almost every flavor you can think of is here to be whipped into your sweet large shake!
Now the only bad side of Peters is the dodgy crappy sides you get..
I found the onion rings over cooked and greasy, cheese dog is just a little frankferter which you can hear screaming from the proccessed cheese sauce.
So if you are heading along 16th and you feeling hungry STOP HERE! -
Review from Jennifer L.
Calgary, AB
7/14/2011 ROTD 10/6/2011
Peter's Drive-In is located in central 16th Avenue NE. You can't miss it! The lines can get pretty long (drive through and standing), but when you finally get to order .. you get your food pretty fast. I usually order a cheese dog ($3.30), which consists of a nice juicy wiener, cheese, ketchup, relish and their 'special sauce' (bbq sauce). It is DEEEEEEElicious! I also get the onion rings..OH.MY.GOD. I think they have the best onion rings in town! They seem better than eat in restaurants or other fast food joints. The onion rings are nice and crispy AND they fill the container right up! Its just oniony heaven in a container ($4).
If I may add, it is summer ...so hitting the ice cream up here is a definite must! I've tried the sundaes ($4) and they're quite good..they have some whip cream on top of the choice of fruit (blackberry, blueberry, pineapple, raspberry, or strawberry) and its pretty big. What is the best in my humble opinion... is the CHOCOLATE DIP! I ordered a large ($3.30) (which I should of gotten a small $2.30) It was HUGE! The chocolate is nice and thick and the ice cream is yummilicious. It can get messy so be sure to ask for extra napkins!
I do recommend Peter's for a quick snack...good prices, fast service, great selected foods...what more can you ask for?
The only downfall I'd say is trying to get in and out of Peter's on the busy days. Its kind of a Mickey Mouse route. -
Review from Dan D.
5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Peter's.
I mean, yes, the nostalgia factor is cool. I love a place with some history. I love a place that has been doing the same thing for decades.
But when that "thing" is not very good quality, what more can you say?
The burgers are tough little flattened hockey pucks that are doused in enough of a condiment mish-mash to both mask the crappy patty and turn the bun into a soggy wad.
The shakes are like sucking sweetened cement. Not bad, just not very functional. There are a lot of flavours, which is fun, but what good is that if you can't even get them to come out of the straw?
The ONE thing that I think Peter's really has going for them is the onion rings. They are actually REALLY good. Possibly the best in the city. This is their one saving grace that saved this review from being ONE star.
Sorry Peter's, I think if I need a burger fix, I'll be heading around the corner to Boogie's. -
Review from Lizz H.
Calgary, AB
7/4/2011
I'll admit to being one of those people does like Peter's burgers and onion rings and shakes over others in Calgary. Heck, I'd rather pay $10 here and have a burger and a shake than wait around in an alley in DT!
I love the Peter's DriveIn Burgers - because they taste like burgers! Strange concept, I know - but to me they taste like something I would make at home and the condiments etc just add to a very nostalgic feeling for me.
Onion rings are second or on par perhaps with A&W's, but generally are fresh and all sorts of deep-fried goodness.
Now the milkshakes -are amazing of course, the best being the rootbeer flavoured milkshake - like the leftover rootbeer and milk you get from a float. Divine! But did you know that you can order a small milkshake which is $1 less, and is a lot smaller - so if you don't want to pack on 2000 calories of goodness, you'd only have to pack on maybe 1250?!
So, there are those that talk about the 'burger' wars from one drive-in/ retro restaurant to another - but Peter's is a go-to for me - open late, consistent quality and service and very quick to move through lines as well.
Peter's - I'm definitely a fan! -
Review from Emma G.
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm really surprised that I haven't reviewed Peter's yet! How long have I lived here?! I'm ashamed of myself.
Anyways, I personally don't like the burgers that much. Like, they're kind of good, but they're messy and I don't ever find myself craving them.
The onion rings, on the other hand...so good. So crunchy and salty and delicious.
I also tried a cheese dog recently and somehow, just that piece of processed cheese on a plain hot dog was like the perfect combination. I really loved it.
The milkshakes are my favourite part. They're big and super thick and come in a million flavours.
Honestly the food isn't great, but it's a lot of fun to drive through and sit in the parking lot eating your greasy food. Also, I can always bribe my roommate into doing my share of the chores by offering to drive her to Peter's. It's a foolproof bribe.
Worth nothing: it's CASH ONLY! So go and bring cash. -
Review from Mia T.
10/17/2011
I love Peter's. Its nothing fancy, and there is always a line up, but you tend to move quickly. Ive always gone for the ice cream and fries, which they serve in huge portions. The banana split is ginormous. There's something about the vibe of the place, when its busy, especially at if you're there at night. Just a fun place to be, because you can tell everyone is enjoying their treats.
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Review from Jacqueline S.
Edmonton, AB
4/16/2011
Peter's Drive in is definitely a fixture on my road trips to Calgary. I'm not a huge fan of the burgers, but the fries, onion rings and milkshakes are delicious.
A fun experience and definitely worth a stop! -
Review from Garnett S.
Edmonton, AB
2/17/2011
More sizzle than grade "B" beef I'm afraid. IMO Peter's makes its money largely on reputation and longetivity rather than quality.
Peter's kills any claim that I could otherwise make to being a logical human being. For some reason I stop there almost every time I go to Calgary, even though I don't really like it all that much. It just seems like an obligation. I guess that I still enjoy the novelty of walking up to the window to place my order. Or maybe its because I can get a chocolate, mouthwash, and bourbon milkshake
Peter's does have passable burgers, fries, and milkshakes. And they have rightfully gained notoriety for serving almost comically sized shoebox portions of fries. But the quality of the food just doesn't match the hype. Perhaps it is due to the large order volumes they continually have to pump out.
The cash only transactions may seem old-fashioned and nifty to some, but likely a dubious veil to the Canada Revenue Agency. -
Review from Yoda t.
Calgary, AB
10/19/2011
It's a simple recipe: burgers, dogs, fries, rings, shakes. No salads, no vegan, no new age healthy options or fusion silliness.
One reason to go above all others: the milkshakes. They are without a doubt the key to this place's longevity, and they're consistently excellent. For the whiners who complain about it being too thick, wait for it to melt a bit, or bring a spoon. Honestly, we should all have such significant problems in life... Anyways, I feel somewhat guilty that I have never ordered any flavor OTHER than root beer, but it's so good I don't even want to risk being disappointed by an oreo/banana/mango whatever... -
Review from Helene R.
Calgary, AB
11/22/2010
Oh Peter, where did it all go wrong? You used to be the place I craved whilst knocked up, now I can't even look at you. Why, why have you changed? Your burgers are a mess, and not even a hot mess, just a sad sad mess. Your fries have lost their perk and are oh so greasy, not even the good greasy that is sexy. And your shakes, the start to our affair, although still hold a place deep within the very depths of my soul, are now the main reason I don't see you anymore. While still temptingly delicious and oh so creamy, I WILL NOT PROSTITUTE MYSELF FOR YOUR $5 SHAKE. I AM SORRY, YOUR MILKSHAKE DOES NOT BRING ALL THE BOYS TO THE YARD, HECK IT ISN'T EVEN BRINGIN' THE GIRLS!
I am sooo over you Peter, even though every summer you tempt me so, all I can say to you is fuggedaboudit. -
Review from Sabahat N.
Calgary, AB
2/3/2011
In and out! I am not a fan of waiting for my food, so this place is fantastic! They give me my burgers/onion rings/milkshakes in 5 seconds after I order! Then I get to take it to my car and eat it! Score!!
Now, on to the food.. The burgers are okay - you have the option of a single, or a double or a triple! The onion rings are fantastic! Crispy and thick and juicy! The milkshakes are so gigantic I definitely need to take one other person with me to share it. And it's so thick when you get it, it's usually much easier to drink after 10 minutes or so, when its a little more liquid. -
Review from Marc K.
Cochrane, AB
5/3/2011
Peter's was suggested to us to be the best hamburger place in town.
We drove there and tried it just to find out that the burgers are mediocre but the milk shakes are great actually. They used fresh fruit in our milk shakes which made them taste better than many other we had before. -
Review from Donna M.
Calgary, AB
11/14/2010
Can't believe how many people I know that live in other provinces, but still know about Peter's Drive-In, and make time for a stop while in Calgary.
Definitely a Calgary treasure! Great food, reasonable prices, although line-ups are frequent - they typically move quickly, lots of parking, tables around if you prefer to stay. Still have not caved to electronic age - it's cash for food, and all staff adds up amounts with pen on paper.
Milkshakes are tastely, and usually so thick that it takes a few minutes before you can actually use a straw! yum.
Never been - you must try. -
Review from Kaeleigh E.
Calgary, AB
8/26/2010 ROTD 10/9/2010
Ok I will admit that maybe quality ingredients isn't the appeal here. But I love their burgers. I love them!! Something about them is just SO good. The buns are soft at the processed cheese is perfectly melted, lots of ketchup.
I also am also fond of their shakes. These babies are HUGE! Your typical milkshake nothing out of the ordinary. But I think what makes this place a hit is it's just *FUN*. It's fun to go, it's fun to sit and eat greasy ole burgers and shakes in your car, it's just a little different, and pretty cool.
I'm a huge fan and will be back time and time again! -
Review from Crystal W.
Calgary, AB
6/5/2011
If you like big milkshakes with lots of flavor varieties and non-greasy burgers, stop here. The fries and onion ring portions are huge. If you see a long line-up, don't worry about it 'cause it tends to move along nicely and you may encounter some interesting people. Personally, I'd rather grab a burger here than any other fast food joint and I've never left without a milkshake.
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Review from jon h.
2/11/2011
I got a burger today at lunch. $3.30 Single burger, but it more like a patty and a half.
Always busy, and always tasty. I was debating about also getting the tasty onion rings and a milkshake, but I would have needed a nap after.
Milkshake tip -you can combine flavors, so mix and match your favorites! -
Review from Winnie B.
9/21/2010 4 photos
Just try their onion rings, okay? If that doesn't win you over... Well, damn. They're not greasy at all... AT ALL! How do you make them so delicious and crunchy without them dripping oil? Some new miracle innovation? I even feel a little healthy eating Peter's Drive-In's onion rings... Yum.
Cheeseburgers are on point, too. I can't say much about them, though, because all I can remember and think about while writing this review is how good their onion rings were... -
Review from Michael H.
Calgary, AB
8/20/2010
On every visit to Calgary I make at least one visit to Peter's. I can remember eating their burgers and drinking their milkshakes all the way back to Grade 1.
They've barely changed. They moved into a slightly larger location sometime in the late 80s. But that's it. They could have branched out into multiple locations, but they didn't. They've kept themselves in the same location, serving the same burgers, fries and milkshakes for well over 40 years.
Nothing at all has changed about these guys. Same great burgers (they were rated #1 Burger in Canada for quite a few years in a row back in the early 80s ... not sure who was handing out the award at the time or if the award is still given out) with the same great taste, same milkshakes made with real fruit, same giant portions of fries.
These guys have consistently sold Calgarians great burgers for a hell of a long time, without sacrificing any of the quality that made them great. -
Review from Gabe A.
3/21/2011
It is undoubtedly a Calgary institution, but Peter's can be extremely unpredictable in their quality. I've had some great burgers, and I've also had burnt turds on a bun; juicy, crispy onion rings and just plain juicy with grease; and let's not get too into their milkshakes! If you've ever tried to suck a golf ball through a garden hose, you have had a Peter's milkshake. This isn't even to mention the ridiculous number of flavors to choose from, calculated to boggle the mind and never to find a perfect combo. A trip here on a pleasant summer day can turn into an all-day nightmare as you go from one snaking line to another in the midst of suffering heatstroke, or else suffocate in your car from the fumes of twenty cars ahead of you. Try it once to say you have, then decide if its worth the inflated prices.
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Review from Alix Laura W.
Calgary, AB
7/18/2010
I like Peter's because I like the business model - cash only,, one location, staff in scrubs. This is a local business that is driven but not driven to crazy ambition - they want to make decent burgers that people like and serve over 4,500 combinations of milk shakes.
I know what I'm getting when I go there - I don't go there too often though. Maybe three or four times a year? I feel like the food is well cooked and the ingredients are fresh. But then again - I like McDonald's too so how much can you honestly take my word for it?
It's a Calgary classic - I dig. -
Review from Bernie G.
Edmonton, AB
6/9/2010
Maybe I don't get it.
You get a huge portion of fries, but they're bad. There's no interact payment, so you have to have cash on hand, and if you're a vegetarian, you're basically screwed. I really don't understand the appeal of this place. -
Review from Aymie R.
Calgary, AB
7/24/2011
I love coming here for a summer indulgence - amazing milkshakes! It is tough to find a good Tiger Tiger milkshake in this town! I am not so much of a fan of the food - anything I've had has been dry and overcooked.
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Review from Matt H.
Calgary, AB
Updated - 9/21/2011
what happened???? new owners and cutting cost!.. about 2 years ago i went there after a short absence, i remembered it being very good ... well the burgers were bad.. something was different there was no taste... the fries were still good.. but the burgers.. not... i went back 6 months later same, burgers were tasteless and covered in a tasteless sauce, i gave it one more chance yesterday :( , well im no longer going to be going there, i don't know why it is still busy? it is sad because that was teh first place i went to 20 years ago and it was GREAT... what happened???
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/19/2011
years ago... GREAT now .. just Meh, i use to take out of town friend there but now we go else were,… Read more »
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Review from Shannon M.
North Vancouver, BC
8/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
Peter's is a Calgary institution and if you don't know it... well, why the hell not?
I try really REALLY hard to stop here at least once whenever I visit my hometown (sadly, didn't make it my last trip), and I often get cravings when I'm back home in Vancouver which really isn't helpful.
Surprisingly, I'm not really in it for the milkshakes. WAY too big and thick for my taste (though I won't hesitate to order a Coke float to get my ice cream fix instead and it's nice to know that if I really wanted a marshmallow/raspberry/mint milkshake I could get it. Not that I ever would). What are the cravings for then? Why, the burgers! One of the only fast food places I know of who use bbq sauce on their burgers and that makes them sooo good. Plus, I find it really weird and awesome that a "single" burger actually consists of 1.5 patties. Hmmm.
But my main vice? Dude, the onion rings. There's only one size and it's huge, so plan on sharing with a friend or 2, but holy crap they're good. And this is coming from someone who DOESN'T. EVER. eat onions. The only way, in fact, is in ring form, specifically from Peter's. So that's saying something.
Plan on being in a very long line (both for the drive-through and standing at the order window) especially in the summer on a nice day or night, but they've got their system down pat so it really doesn't ever take too long to get through it. And last I knew, they only take cash or debit, so plan on that. -
Review from Starsia E.
Calgary, AB
4/11/2011
It used to be the best burgers ever but they have changed. The burgers are still good but a little less charbroiled flavor and leaning more toward mass produced. It is still leap years ahead of macdonalds I still stop in and pick up a cheese burger, onion rings and milk shake a few times a year because it's still tasty.
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Review from Kreag S.
Vancouver, BC
11/17/2008
The only reason to ever set foot in Calgary...if only for the experience alone..for those of you out there to young to have been around for the A&W or White Spot Drive-Ins that brought you your good to your car....I used to love it when my parents took us to A&W and they brought that orange tray the hooled onto your car window and the Root beer still came in the big frosty mugs..alas...I digress...Peter's will give you an experience that is close enough!
The burgers are pretty good..standard "rink" or "beach" type burgers...the fries are awesome and the portion size is defiantly enough to share!
Now...if you aren't really feeling the Burger thing then no worries...the milkshakes will be worth the long wait in line..OMG sooo effing good...they are so think that your face practically sucks into the straw as you try to get some out...oh...soo..good! The Root beer is my personal fave but the chocolate is a nice classic!
If you have no car to Drive-In, fear not! You can also walk up and order as well. They have plenty of picnic tables to sit and enjoy your grub.
I will warn you that on a hot summer day Peter's gets super busy, so be prepared to wait! -
Review from Rosalind D.
Calgary, AB
2/22/2011
i went to junior high at a school that was in walking-distance of this place, and i have to admit that i didn't eat there too often.
the food wasn't terrible, and no i never had any problems with the food that i DID order there.. but there are a few other things that steer me away from peters.
1. i'm a tiny a person. the over-sized meals and milkshakes served here are insanely to huge for a person my size to consume.
2. prices are stupidly high.
3. there's too many stupid milkshake flavours to look over to find the good ones.
4. no one wants peters in bad weather.. and calgary is terribly unpredictable when it comes to bad weather.
5. i've heard about many bad experiences from OTHER people with peters.. food being found uneatable, or the food resulting in them becoming ill
but i also have to say that i luuuuv the environment and just the whole 'drive-in' idea and still keeping that restaurant tradition alive. me and my friends will bike down to peters on a hot summer day - that's when it's best.
SOME of the milkshakes are verrrrry tasty too, i won't lie.
i've grown up with peters, and its always been around so its nothing super exciting for me, but i definitely suggest it for anyone who's just driving thru calgz looking for lunch or a snack. it'll be a good one-time experience for a nice memory from calgary. -
Review from shain r.
Vancouver, BC
10/22/2008
So you have decided to do a cross country road trip this coming summer and you find yourself in Calgary, Alberta... and you have a hankering for a hamburger.....Peter's is the place to stop.
Hands down the best burgers I ever had while living in Calgary. First off I recommend parking your car getting out and doing a walk up order.. the experience is excellent. Picture it a 1950's burger shack complete with drive through. Order yourself a burger and one of their many milkshakes (I luv the maple one) and you won't be disappointed.... oh and don't forget about the fries ... delicious! -
Review from Geoff B.
Strathmore, AB
8/16/2010
The milkshakes are still the best in the city. Tons of flavors and very large portion size.
The food isn't as good as Boogie's, but it's a place everyone knows about. When someone unfamiliar to Calgary comes to visit us, we'll probably take them to Peter's.
Careful -- it's cash only! -
Review from Stewart P.
7/8/2010
Peter's is undoubtedly a love-it or hate-it type of place. Part of what makes it great is the nostalgia for people who grew up with it such as me. The burger's are sloppy and juicy but there is nothing quite like them. I sometimes have dreams about them, they are that wonderful - but not everyone feels the same as I do. My wife, for example isn't a huge fan.
The one thing that no one will disagree on though is that they have incredible shakes. They have unlimited flavor choices and you can mix and match them however you want (although in the last couple of years they have started limiting people to 3 flavors per shake).
Even if you are lactose intolerant, the trip is worth getting the runs for.
Oh, and don't forget to bring cash - they don't take debit or credit. -
Review from Jennifer P.
Edmonton, AB
12/5/2008
If you live in Alberta and have taken a road trip to Calgary, chances are you've stopped at Pete's. It's legendary. It's been famous for decades. Even when I was a kid, we stopped here on a team road trip and it was the highlight of the whole trip.
Pete's is really nothing fancy. It's reputation preceeds it. It's an average greasy burger joint but the food is good and the portions are huge. I remember to this day a box of fries as big as a shoebox. Some 20 years later the thrill and mystique are gone, but it's still fun to stop for a burger and fries and milkshake. It's so much more exciting than going to McDonald's, and pretty much as cheap as the golden arches. Pete's has been deep fried into our collective conscience, and I like it that way. -
Review from Brad G.
Calgary, AB
1/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
The main attraction to Peters', for me, is the kitsch. A drive-thru with serval walk-up windows, the retro feel, late hours (open to midnight 7 days a week!), and some very smiley staff do tend to overshadow--in a good way--some very par for the course fast food. The texture of the burgers is nothing truly to write home about; neither are the fries or rings. The milkshakes are offered in near-countless flavour combinations (yet I only ever choose chocolate), and on my last visit I watched a guy muscle his way through a Root Beer & Raspberry milkshake; I couldn't tell if the look on his face was regret with a tinge of revulsion, or simply simply physical exertion as he tried to extract the shake from its home through a straw--but it didn't sound like a flavour explosion I would accept, even under extreme circumstances.
I do recommend Peters' Drive-In for the experience. It tends to make me nostalgic for a car hop youth I never had and only dreamt about thanks to the likes of Happy Days and American Graffiti; but sadly, I don't recommend it simply for the food.
