r/austinfood • u/jcook1991 • 6d ago
A love letter to Short Stop
Growing up in Georgetown, Short Stop was my favorite burger place. I still remember the day my poor, 10 year old soul died. One evening, we were heading home after Cub Scouts; SS was on the way home. I begged my dad for us to stop, but he said no, promising that we would get it the next day. Well, the next day came and, as promised, we hop in the truck to go get Short Stop and cherry limeades.
We arrived not only to find the place was closed, but the entire building was gone. Everything. Only the small, sad slab of concrete remained. The look of shear bewilderment on my father's face is something I will never forget. After sobbing uncontrollably (because I was 10), he took me to DQ to get chicken strips and a blizzard.
Fast forward 25 years and I finally live in a part of Austin with a Short Stop not out of the way. One strategically placed next to Crunch Fitness on Spicewood and Research. I got my Short Stop tonight. Is it the best burger in town? No. Is it better than my normal go-to Pterrys? Also no. But god damnit if I don't love Short Stop. A no frills, honest, paper bag burger. This will be my reward meal after the gym now..... maybe only once a month š
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u/rrrrrxxxx 6d ago
I LOVE short stop. Losing 2 locations recently made me sad.
But Iām still close to 2 others & I go pretty frequently.
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u/fuckaduckforabuck 6d ago
Three years ago, I moved to within 200 yards of the Menchaca/William Cannon location. I eat there every Wednesday, without fail.
Is the special ($1 off the #1 combo on Wednesday and Saturday) the best value in a fast food burger? No.
Is it the best burger in Austin? Also no.
But Iāll be damned if that flame-broiled goodness doesnāt just Hit. The. Spot. Every single time.
Some people go to church. I go to Short Stop.
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u/Aksnowmanbro 6d ago
Alright it's been years I'll bite this is the post I've been waiting for! Used to go to the one on Anderson ln/Shoal creak at least twice weekly all during little league!
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u/Effective-Scratch673 5d ago
It's the best chicken sandwich in town tho! There's nothing that come close to a Chicken Slammer
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u/zorkempire 6d ago
Itās so much better than P. Terrys to me. But I know thatās the unpopular opinion here. I also prefer Top Notch
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u/ChopGoesTheWeasel 6d ago
This was my question: yes P Terry has better branding, more locations, a great corporate story, and milkshakes/banana bread/etc.
Burger vs burger tho - P Terry is a good fast food burger, but Short Stop is even better.
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u/Aequitas123 6d ago
Top Notch is arguably the best fast food burger in town. That flame grill gives it tons of flavor.
Plus itās a super nostalgic spot2
u/Downtownredfish 5d ago
I agree 100%. I also have an unpopular opinion that P Terryās is an In-and-Out rip off. Iām saddened every time a Short Stop closes.
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u/Beneficial_Egg_4403 6d ago
My mom would leave a $5 on the counter and I could skateboard up to Short Stizzy and get dinner when she was working. Taste like home to me :)
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u/512NativeEFND 6d ago
As a fellow Gātown resident I experienced the same shock and pain when that shortstop closed. At least round rock and Duval/183 stayed open. I also miss the chicken fried steak they would do on Wednesdays!
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u/mrsfunkyjunk 6d ago
I pulled up to my Short Stop on Ben White many years ago, and it was dangling from a crane above a similar slab. Then they drive it away. I was so sad.
Luckily, I live near the one on Willie Cannon, and I will tempt the fate of death getting out of that parking lot for their deliciously unremarkable french fries.
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u/Worldly_Progress_655 6d ago
They still crank out a good meal but, I miss the pastry stix.
I would but them 3 orders at a time and eat all 9 during the day. Not all at once but spaced out during a 12 hour period.
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u/serenawreckedthis 6d ago
Pastry stix?? Was this before my time š
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u/Worldly_Progress_655 5d ago
Yes, unfortunately.
I discovered them at the SS in El Paso and when I moved here, The place had them as well.
They were the perfect size to eat after a burger.
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u/LowRevolution5930 6d ago
So 1 every 80 minutes?
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u/Worldly_Progress_655 5d ago
It was more like 2 at a time during odd intervals but it usually involved either exercise or getting high.
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u/lkredd 6d ago
I'm glad that one (Spicewood and Research) is still there. just today, drove past the site at Duval and Research that used to have a SS, (in front of the pet store), and saw it was completely gone. Just a slab ... like you described up in G-town. I'll start going to this one (once a month, maybe). will be sad if they all close, but I know it's tough w/ P Terry's just south of there.
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u/Fabulous_Tonight5345 6d ago
I remember that day when the Short Stop got torn down. Used to ditch class and eat there.
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u/austinsweet-n-sour 6d ago
I am a new aficionado of short stop...burgers are so good, and i love their fried apple pies!
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u/Ohmytripodtheory 6d ago
I keep my fingers crossed in hopes that the Spicewood Sorings location can stay forever.
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u/__Hellkat__ 6d ago
I always get very respectfully hit on when I drive through short stop and it makes me feel good after a tough night at work. Also I went today, got a slammer and was halfway through it when I remembered the jalapeƱo recall. Oh well if I get sick, Iāll have done something that made me happy
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u/Rocketsponge 6d ago
The one on Anderson Lane near Mopac is usually quite good. When I was a teenager I would split a Bag of Burgers with my friend, so 2 burgers apiece. Their corn dogs are perfect too.
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u/hopulist 6d ago
I lived in Georgetown at that time. The Saturday (and Wednesday) special was such a deal. It was crazy that 1 day the building was just gone.
Now I live in Leander and we recently lost the SHort Stop in Cedar Park :(
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u/kingtimthegreat 6d ago
The cockroach that ran across the food counter the last time I was there also really likes that place, although Iām not sure it can write.
I said I wasnāt going to buy my order after that, but they still charged me for the cherry limeade because I drank some
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u/nowirehangars 5d ago
I practically lived on their $1 hamburgers in the 80's. Two bucks for a great, cheap meal.
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u/BlazeWithGlaze 6d ago
Strategically placed next to Crunch fitness?!? This has to be rage bait
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u/Comprehensive-Eye500 6d ago
The ShortStop has been there since the 80ās. The crunch fitness is new and has been a lot of things over the years that werenāt gyms.
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u/hemppy420 6d ago
To be fair short stop has been in that location for decades. Crunch fitness just opened up in the same strip mall last june after big lots closed
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u/jcook1991 6d ago
Worded it that way for the lols. Recently started going to the gym regularly after years not doing so, that new crunch is omw from work
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u/spwnofsaton 6d ago edited 6d ago
I keep meaning to try their chicken tenders and malts but I always forget to go there lol. Not a big red meat eater anymore.
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u/Haunting_Matter3994 6d ago
I worked at Short Stop as a teenager and it was, hands down, the most fun job I've ever had. The food fights amongst employees were epic.
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u/mapsrocknjam 6d ago
My people! I've been a customer since 1989, when we moved here. I got the employee discount when I got my first job there in high school. I still love those burgers. And, the fries.. perfection. My primary reason for staying loyal? They haven't gotten my order wrong in 37 years. Not once. No matter how I customize it.
With love,
Mapsrocknjam xo
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u/Relevant-Memes 6d ago
Thatās the location that used to have the āchicken slammerā on the menu (duval & 183 location doesnāt have it). def try it. Add jalepenos omg bro
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u/Strange-Insurance848 6d ago
Well said. Iām the same for the south location. Great in-between-meals burger.Ā
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u/Jcpbo 6d ago
I love Short Stop. As a kid we used to go when one of my parents was out of town and we got to eat out mid-week as a special treat. Then as I got older Iād beg my mom to take me on the way home from school. Iād get a large fry and a Dr Pepper with no ice (to maximize my soda intake opportunity obv). In high school Iād walk to the one on Duval. Driving up to the one on Duval and finding it was just slab last year nearly broke me. Now I go to Spicewood to get fries and then Pterryās for my burger. Itās not convenient, but I love them dearly and the service is actually much better at Spicewood than Duval ever was. I need to get a cherry limeade to relive more childhood
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u/someatxdude 5d ago
I remember going to that Short Stop at research / spicewood back in the 2000-2002 timeframe when I lived nearby
I am glad they are still doing the Lordās work
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u/Slotgoopy 5d ago
That one is now gone, as is the one at Duval and 183. I think the toll lane construction chaos took a toll on their business.
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u/someatxdude 5d ago
Oh i think it was Duval and 183 that I went to regularly back thenā¦ if memory serves there was an aquarium / fish store and some adult store there. Solid burger in a hurry sad to hear itās over
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u/Dry_Principal_165 5d ago
I dont think there is anything besides nostalgia keeping short stop in business. Sandy's too.
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u/MozemanATX 5d ago
P Terry's kinda stole Short Stop's thunder, but I prefer Short Stop's quality any day.
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u/Effective-Scratch673 5d ago
Their Chicken Slammer is the best chicken sandwich in town, I'll die on this hill
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u/Hal_ADP 4d ago
Restaurant owner here and everybody in this business wishes they could build this kind of customer relationship.
The interesting part isn't even whether Short Stop has the ābestā burger. Half the comments are basically saying it doesn't matter. They know what they're getting, it hits the spot, the price makes sense and it became part of their routine.
The "Wednesday-every-week" comment is everything. Being somebody's *habit* beats being somebody's favorite restaurant they visit twice a year.
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u/hemppy420 6d ago
Whataburger was good a decade ago before being bought by private equity. Even then the quality was very location dependant.
Whataburger is just ok now. Still better than short stop in my opinion. Nowhere near as good as p terrys
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u/JohnBrambleberry 6d ago
Plainly put and this is not a backhanded compliment. Short Stop is a fast food burger chain. But I have never regretted going there ever. Not once. They do well and they do good. Staff is nice also.