"What'll ya Have"

The late great Erby Walker

I just returned from a long football-filled weekend in Atlanta. While in town I had a chance to visit The Varsity restaurant, which is the self-proclaimed World's Largest Drive-In. The original Varsity dates back to 1928 when a former Georgia Tech student opened the restaurant near the university. Today, the drive-in spreads across two city blocks and on game day feeds, on average, over 30,000 people. That's a lot of hot dogs and hamburgers folks.

Over the years The Varsity has become synonymous in Atlanta's folklore with a clever and unorthodox catchphrase. Originated by frazzled cashiers as a way to keep the lines moving the blunt and abbreviated greeting "What'll ya have?" caught on with both staff and public and eventually became the restaurant's unofficial slogan. Today it appears on takeout boxes and cups as well as Varsity memorabilia and is the required greeting to all customers.

I found the food to be pretty standard fare...not as flavorful as some of the other drive-ins I have frequented. But, what it lacks in taste it sure makes up for in personality. The place is a retro time capsule. So, what'll ya have?