Tommy "Big Bite" Brennan
December 22, 2025
Sixty-Three Years of Doing One Thing Perfectly
Betty's Diner doesn't need a gimmick because it has something better: consistency. The double smashburger is exactly what a burger should be — thin patties with crispy, lacy edges, American cheese melted into every crevice, soft bun, pickles, onions, mustard. That's it. That's the whole recipe. And it's been perfect since 1962.
The milkshakes are made with real ice cream, hand-spun on a Hamilton Beach that's older than me. The pie — apple, cherry, or chocolate cream depending on the day — is baked by Betty's granddaughter using the original recipes.
The prices are almost suspiciously low. I ate a burger, fries, a shake, and a slice of pie for under fifteen dollars, and I left happier than I've left restaurants that charged ten times that.
The milkshakes are made with real ice cream, hand-spun on a Hamilton Beach that's older than me. The pie — apple, cherry, or chocolate cream depending on the day — is baked by Betty's granddaughter using the original recipes.
The prices are almost suspiciously low. I ate a burger, fries, a shake, and a slice of pie for under fifteen dollars, and I left happier than I've left restaurants that charged ten times that.