This humble location seated just off the main highway first started serving the Waco area in the mid-1920’s as a variety of restaurants. In 1947 local Wacoean, Charlie Cupp and his wife Bessie purchased the joint and turned it into what it is still to this day. The small drive-in remains open and minimally changed from when Elvis would visit in the late 50’s during his time stationed at nearby Fort Hood in Killeen, TX.

Elvis would often come to Waco to stay with friend Eddie Fadal, a DJ he met while working in Dallas. A typical visit to Cupp’s would see Elvis sitting in the back seat of Fadal’s Cadillac as the boys drove up for car-side service. Elvis was reported to order a double cheeseburger with bacon.

^{Cupp’s Drive-In c. 1960s (Cindy Campos via wacohistory.org)}

Today the restaurant is currently owned by the children of Betty Johnson, an employee of the original Cupp family and a prior owner to the drive-in as well. Cupp’s maintains the low-key down-to-Earth vibe of a true original!  

^{Location c. 2020 (via Google Maps)}