Among the many things Covid has ruined: the only Dick’s with indoor seating. Now it's just a giant empty space, with stand-up eating counters all around the perimeter. Sure, this setup’s better for lines, but it offers the sensation of eating a cheeseburger on the edge of an empty dance floor. The ugly 1970s-era brick building doesn’t help either.

The chain’s second-oldest location feels like a proper drive-in, not something simply parked on an oasis of concrete. If you’re taking food to-go anyway, the Crown Hill location isn’t far from magnificent outdoor spots like Carkeek Park and Golden Gardens. But this Dick’s can struggle with speedy service: Lines take longer than you’d expect, given the customer volume.

Hooray for finally getting a south Sound location—this Dick’s opened in 2018. Sadly its location in the shadow of a Lowe’s doesn’t exactly scream “atmosphere.” But at least the sign is one of the cool ones that revolves?

On first pass, it’s easy to hate on the Bellevue Dick’s. It’s in the heart of a shopping center, and a rare Dick’s that's part of a strip mall (albeit in a prime corner spot) rather than a standalone building. But the place has endearing quirks, like that weird archway with the neon Dick’s sign that helps befuddled drivers find their way to the ass end of the complex. And the marquee with signs for both Dick’s Drive-In and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Plus it’s the only Dick’s location on the Eastside.

The original Dick’s might as well be a civic landmark, with its enormous retro sign and a high customer volume that keep fries hot and burgers fresh day into night. This location is magnificent when it comes to crowd control (hungry families, boisterous college kids, even Bill Gates that one time). Over the years, Dick's has secured extra parking around the restaurant, but half the lot is gravel, which injects weird county fair vibes.

The layout is identical to the Kent location, but things feel different. The restaurant seems properly separated from the WinCo Foods across the parking lot—and thus, more drive-in-esque. On weekends, classic car owners and Volkswagen drivers like to congregate here, which is fun. The first new Dick’s location in 37 years ushered in a new era of expansion; blame Edmonds city codes for the fact that the sign doesn’t revolve.

Sir Mix-a-Lot’s posse rolled here. Macklemore cavorted on the roof for his “White Walls” video. The Capitol Hill location oozes cred, but it’s more than that. When bar-goers turn out in force, waiting in those nighttime lines becomes a communal act, much like the line outside the bathroom at a bar: We’re a little drunk, and we’re all in this together.

It will probably never appear in a music video, but this circa-1963 location does the best job capturing the spirit of Dick’s as it was intended. It has a walkable, neighborhood location. A parking lot that isn’t too big or too small, but just the right size to foster that drive-in atmosphere. Old people. Young people. Late night people. Sober people. And for all of them: a wellspring of hot fries and endless Deluxes on fresh buns. An underappreciated oasis.