Pilot Butte Drive-in in my opinion has the best hamburgers in town, so the news that they’re planning on opening a second location on the west side of town is a good thing. From the Bulletin:

[Bill] Falconer, who bought the restaurant in April 2007, did not want to give a specific location while still negotiating a lease. But he hopes to begin serving up the restaurant’s signature burgers, Cobb salads, shakes and other food at a site on Northwest 14th Street/Southwest Century Drive around Memorial Day weekend, if the rental deal works out.

Hours for the Pilot Butte Drive-In Westside will likely be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at first, Falconer said. He would like to open for breakfast sometime next winter.

A west-side location will not likely be able to capture the same drive-in ambiance of the restaurant on Greenwood, with its car-hop stations and message-board sign, complete with neon lettering and analog clock.

The west-side location being negotiated is a newer, more modern building, he said. It won’t have drive-up service.

Definitely a lot of the charm of PBDI is the old A&W drive-in ambiance, but if they serve up food on the westside that’s just as good as the original location, then I can’t imagine it won’t be successful.