Ton’s Drive-In Celebrates 60 Years with Opening of Second Location in Lafayette

Ton's Drive-In, a beloved family-owned and operated diner, recently marked its impressive milestone of 60 years in business. Known for its delectable breakfast offerings and mouthwatering homemade burgers, Ton's has been a go-to spot for locals and visitors in the Acadiana area for three generations. Now, in an exciting move to expand their legacy, Hollie Girouard, the third-generation owner-operator, is opening a second location in Downtown Lafayette.

Ton's Drive-In, originally opened in May 1963 by Rosemary and Alton "Ton" Girouard, quickly became a community staple in Broussard. The diner's popularity grew, leading to an expansion across the street, equipped with the first drive-thru window in Lafayette Parish, indoor dining, and outdoor seating. Ton's has always maintained a family atmosphere, attracting locals and visitors alike by word of mouth.

Ton’s is a place that I’m very familiar with as someone who grew up in the Broussard-Youngsville area. Long before Albertson’s Parkway opened up a convenient route from Highway 90 to the Youngsville Highway; and even longer before the Ambassador Caffery extension tied the Southside of Lafayette directly to Zoosiana, the only way into “town” was Morgan Street to the Pinhook extension in Broussard.

Right there on the corner, at what I knew as the "center point" of Broussard, was Ton’s.

While I’ve probably driven past Ton’s hundreds of times during my childhood, it was usually never open—especially given the fact that I was in school during business hours and the restaurant stopped doing late-night dinner service long before my time as a youngster in the late 90s.

By the time I was out of school, I had already moved to Lafayette; so here is this legendary local spot that I was more than familiar with by name but have never tried their food or knew much about beyond the fact that it had to be good to still be thriving after 60 years in business.

As rumors and word of mouth about Ton’s possibly expanding into Downtown Lafayette began to whisper through my circle of friends, this was the perfect opportunity to take a deep dive into Ton’s Drive-In.

Through mutual friends (at least one of them being her relative) I was able to track down 3rd-generation owner Hollie Girouard, and, almost immediately, gained insights into the history and future of Ton's Drive-In. When asked about the origin of the name "Ton's," Hollie revealed that her grandfather, Alton, had a twin brother named Maxim. Known as Tim & Ton, the nickname stuck, and Ton's Drive-In became the restaurant's iconic moniker.

Hollie shared that Ton's Drive-In opened its doors 60 years ago, thanks to the hard work and dedication of her grandparents, Alton and Rosemary. Broussard has been the original and only location throughout the restaurant's history, garnering a loyal customer base. The new Downtown Lafayette location represents an exciting expansion for the family business.

Reflecting on her childhood memories, Hollie told me she had vivid memories of stamping checks with her grandmother and her grandfather overseeing operations near the back door. Ton's was a special place for families in the community, and Hollie's parents, Karl and Juanita, took over the restaurant as the second generation. Hollie expressed her gratitude for her parents' hard work and perseverance in the face of challenges, as they kept the business thriving through economic shifts.

Carrying the family business forward holds significant meaning for Hollie. She recognizes that establishments like Ton's Drive-In are becoming increasingly rare, making the opportunity to open a second location even more special. Hollie attributes the success of Ton's to the original recipes passed down by her grandmother and the exceptional service provided to customers. The loyalty of their generational customers and the support of the local community have been crucial in keeping Ton's Drive-In thriving.

As a matter of fact, one of the more admirable things I remember from our conversations was how she would remind me that all of these amazing stories and memories weren’t about her, but were about the restaurant. It was a sense of pride that I can’t put into words but will be instantly recognized when you engage with her at either location of Ton’s.

Regarding the decision to expand, Hollie shared that it was unexpected. Chris Granger, who recently purchased the Guarantee Bank building in Downtown Lafayette, approached her with an investment offer. Impressed by his appreciation for Ton's and his enthusiasm for the business opportunity, Hollie decided to move forward with the new location. The revitalization of the classic downtown building adds an extra layer of excitement to the venture, as Ton's becomes part of the area's ongoing revitalization efforts.

While Ton's Drive-In is well-known for its plate lunches, Hollie emphasizes that they offer much more than that. Their commitment to quality shines through in their from-scratch approach, grinding their own meats for dishes like rice dressing and using fresh, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Hollie mentioned that in addition to the restaurant’s usual staples, Ton's Downtown will be introducing grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches and daily juice specials for quick counter service.

CEO of Lafayette’s Downtown Development Authority Anita Begnaud said her team is "thrilled" to welcome the third-generation restaurant to Downtown Lafayette and personally "can't wait" to enjoy her first Ton's burger soon.

History and tradition meet entrepreneurialism and ingenuity at 500 Jefferson Street this summer. Ton’s expansion to the heart of the Acadiana Region during its 60th year in business is a testament to the momentum our city center continues to experience.

The target opening date for Ton's Downtown Lafayette is set for some time (hopefully) before the end of August. For updates and to follow along, you can find Ton's Downtown on Instagram (@tonsdowntown), and soon they will launch their website, tonsdowntown.com

By the way, I finally got my taste of Ton's (it was delish)—and in doing so, I was privileged enough to sit with Hollie Girouard for a "quick" Q&A that turned into an oral history of one of the most successful family-owned local businesses as they look ahead to the future.

Where did the name “Ton’s” come from? Who is Ton?

My grandfather's name was Alton and he had a twin brother named Maxim. Everyone called them Tim & Ton. It's just my grandfather's nickname.

When did Ton’s Drive-in open?

60 years ago both of my grandparents, Alton and Rosemary, worked in downtown Lafayette. "Ton" worked at the hardware store at Vermilion & Buchanan, and Rosemary in a dress shop on Jefferson Street. By May 1963, they had saved enough money to open the drive-in.

Is Broussard the original location; and is it the only location ever?

Broussard is the original and ONLY location to this day. We actually had the first drive-thru window in Lafayette Parish.

What are your first memories of the restaurant?

As a child, I remember my grandmother letting me stamp the back of checks that were to be deposited. My grandfather would sit near the back door overseeing things. The phone better not ring more than twice. Back then, we were open until 9 pm and all the kids went to Ton's after school before their games or after dance class. I remember Ton's being a special place for other families as well as my own. As my grandparents aged, my parents Karl & Juanita took over the restaurant. My dad supervised the restaurant at night, always doubling as security, public relations, and maintenance—oftentimes working on his hunting arrows in the office on slow evenings or sketching his next invention. My mom started working at Ton's when she was only 16 after her family moved to Broussard from Breaux Bridge. It’s where she met my dad while working at the restaurant. My mom would then fuel the restaurant for decades with the help of a few long-standing employees. She did so much herself though. How she woke up at 3 AM to make hundreds of biscuits, worked the kitchen rushes, cooked multiple plate lunches, gallons of sides, catered several schools' lunches, then supported my sisters and me in whatever we were up to, all while running the regular business operations too, is beyond me. I don't know how she did it.

What does it mean to you to be carrying the family business?

It's cliche but places like ours are a dying breed. The fact that we are opening a second location after so long is pretty wild. I think it's great that people love what we do enough to be excited about a new spot. Few places like ours get to see a 3rd generation, much less expansion.

Do you ever step back and say “wow” when you realize the legacy you’re carrying through an ever-changing restaurant industry?

My dream was never to run a restaurant, so yes, I sometimes step back and retrace how the business and I got to this point, and it's a winding path. I think we've survived because of my grandparents' initial dedication to the business and Rosemary's solid recipes. My parents persevered through some economic shifts and kept the business afloat through tight times. I watched them work very hard in an often discouraging and non glamorous service industry, while our catering business grew under my mom's care and my dad's nightly support. They always found a way. I think I lucked out, although I took the reins a year or two before the start of the pandemic. I've had the overall advantages of the internet and free marketing avenues, fellow restaurateurs to help me navigate more efficient ways to run the business, a design degree to save a little money when we need it, and new government programs at my disposal...and by now experience, a lot of experience. Learning how to stay true to the brand and when to adjust to the times can be tricky, still, we are always trying to preserve what works for us.

What’s the one thing you think has kept Tons going - given the aforementioned?

One key decision has been keeping most of my grandmother's original recipes. Also good service. I think if you have good food and good service, that's a solid foundation. Our customers—our generational customers, have kept us going. My grandmother's 2nd customer on opening day in 1963, still comes to breakfast and lunch every day. The old and new generations of people who appreciate investing locally keep us going. That being said, we shop as locally as possible too. Local business owners and their employees are our customers, community members, friends, and families. The cycle works if you take care of each other.

What prompted the move to expand? Any particular reason you chose downtown? This seems to be a time when we’re seeing a lot of growth and positive momentum for local restaurants in the area.

I had no plans to expand or open a new restaurant. The path meanders. Chris Granger, who purchased the Guarantee Bank building, approached me with an investment offer. I know him personally and love his appreciation for Ton's and his excitement for this shared business opportunity. It was a decision that I passed by the family and everyone seems to be happy and proud of our growth. 

How exciting is it for you to be a part of the revitalization of such a classic downtown building?

It's surreal. Chris' renovations are beautiful. It's fun to watch the building start to shine again! We are a longstanding business with a smaller historical footprint in comparison, but it's an honor to be a part of this timeline.

For people who may only know you for your plate lunches and that “plate lunches are everywhere,” what sets you apart from all of that chatter?

We aren't just a plate lunch house, so the variety helps. I think there are loads of great plate lunches around town and plenty of plate lunch love to go around! Everyone has their own way of cooking which makes their plate lunch their own. I know we try to do as many things from the ground up, so we always know what we are really feeding customers. For instance, we grind all of the meats for our rice dressing in-house, we make our own seasoning blend and bread crumbs, we peel and devein our own shrimp so we can make stock with the shells, and we definitely don't sell imported seafood. We also try to grow some of the ingredients we serve at the restaurant. That's pretty unique for a plate lunch place, maybe? We will also have Roddie Romero in the kitchen cooking some delicious gravies for the plate lunch specials. I am really looking forward to that.

If you’re not eating at Ton’s Downtown, what are 3 other local restaurants in town that we might find you at?

Vestal, Pop's & Scratch Kitchen

If you weren’t doing this job what else would you be doing right now?

Rolling a boudin cart on the beach in Costa Rica, selling boudin to surfers & beachgoers

What are the must-try items at Ton’s?

In no particular order (but our burger is our top seller) *Burger *Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit *Fried fish and homemade tartar sauce *Homemade Chili *Chicken Salad Sandwich  *Pecan Bar *Bread Pudding. People will have their favorites and I would suggest trying something new each time.

Will there be certain specials on specific days at the new downtown location?

I can't say that we will or won't as of now. I find that we have so many lunches every day in Broussard that it sometimes becomes difficult to pivot with fresh or seasonal items, which we would love to remedy thereby building a model that works for us downtown.

What are the daily staples that you’ll be offering in addition to rotating plate lunches and specials?

Our downtown menu will be similar to our current breakfast menu with a few deviations, and for lunch, our sandwiches, seafood, salads, and chili, will remain the same for the most part.

Will you be offering anything new or different than the Broussard location?

We will offer grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches for quick counter service for those hurrying to work or school, as well as a daily juice special. Downtown will have frozen coffee all day, 2-3 signature cocktails, and beer.  We will have one plate lunch special each day with sides (much smaller than Broussard's numerous daily options), and one soup each day.

What’s your target opening date? And where can people follow along?

We should be open between mid-July & early August. Ton's Downtown Lafayette will be on all the usual platforms soon. We currently have an Instagram page @tonsdowntown and will have tonsdowntown.com up and running soon. Right now you can follow any and all of Ton's Drive In Broussard's accounts for updates.