Winter, spring, summer, or fall, 
all you have to do is call 
and I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah. 
You’ve got a friend.

“You’ve Got a Friend” by Carole King, 1971

Some legendary destinations start with simplicity. Peters’ Drive-In has continued with their winning recipe of simplicity, it would seem. Admittedly, their menu is no longer simple, but their business concept is.

Peters’ pride themselves on their ability to serve up hundreds – if not thousands! – of combinations of ice cream from their selection of over 30 flavours. With my favourite being their thickest ever butterscotch milkshake, they also serve up generous soft serves and sundaes, not to mention their mouthwatering burgers, hotdogs, fries and poutine. This is top-notch fast food at it’s most traditional. And, dare I say, at it’s best. Expect line-ups on just about any of its 362 open days in the year!

Gus Pieters, visionary and owners of this Calgary institution and landmark on 16th Avenue NE, was originally a baker and pastry chef of Dutch heritage. He immigrated to Canada in 1954 and brought his brainchild – Peters’ Drive-In – to life in 1962.

As of May 2015 Peters’ also serves up their famous foods to thousands of patrons at their second location in Gasoline Alley, south of Red Deer. Read more about some of Peters’ history and cool stories by Avenue Magazine here.

Explore some of our other favourite ice cream destinations in Calgary here.

Featured image courtesy of “Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine”