CULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT
Next up was a local favorite, Circle E Drive-In . The popular institution has been in the community for four decades with two previous owners before Heather and Chad Whitney took the reins in 2022. “We took the leap of faith and purchased the business because it was very successful,” shared Heather. But the timing was bittersweet. Three days before opening, Heather and Chad’s son, Alec , passed away due to complications from Type 1 Diabetes. “Our nickname for him was Big Al since he was six foot four, was a gentle giant, and loved anything to do with beef and cattle,” Heather reminisced. The Whitneys created the Big Al Burger to keep Alec's legacy alive. “When we bought the business, the previous owners said they ran a special jalepeño burger,” shared Heather. “They wanted us to continue serving it. We named it the Big Al because if you knew him, you liked him, and if you tried that burger, you liked it.” Chad and Heather served us the Big Al, the Hawaiian Chicken , BBQ Wings , Cheddar Cheese Curds , and Potato Wedges with a side of Nacho Cheese . For a sweet treat, we dove into what Circle-E calls a Cyclone ; similar to a blizzard. While Patterson munched on the seasonal Apple Pie , I tried the Circle-E Special —a blend of chocolate, peanut butter, and banana.
Award Winning Burger
Circle E Drive-In’s infamous Big Al Burger has been named South Dakota’s Best Burger and titled one of the Top Five Burgers in the State by the South Dakota Beef Industry Council .
18 | 605MAGAZINE.COM
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