Lee Trawick
Reporter2@riverbendnews.org
“With an open grill, you can greet everyone who walks in. You can chat with guests sitting at the counter and cook fresh meals right in front of them. And isn't that what restaurants are supposed to be like? Neighbors bonding together over great service and tasty food?" — Kenney Moore, Hwy55 Founder
There's nothing quite like the old-fashion diner experience. The red leather benches, the open grills across from the counter, and the greasy, mouth-watering burgers all combine to create a dining experience like no other.
Live Oak residents can soon look forward to a partaking in the burger, fry, milkshake trifecta, as the city will welcome Hwy 55 in mid-2023. Hwy 55 is an old-style burger and fries franchise that originated in North Carolina, where Kenney Moore opened the first location. However, at the time, his restaurant was named Andy's Cheesesteaks and Cheeseburgers in 1991. There, Moore cooked every burger himself from morning until night in front of the customers at the counter.
Today, there are 108 Hwy 55 locations throughout the Southeast United States, primarily in North Carolina, where they have 81 locations. Twelve locations are in South Carolina and 15 can be found throughout Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Louisiana, Georgia and Florida.
Live Oak's location will be found off US Highway 129 South, just south of Interstate 10. They will offer old-fashioned hamburgers, cheeseburgers, cheesesteaks, fries, fried pickles and other sides, and a wide variety of milkshakes. The atmosphere will be reminiscent of an all-American diner with its open-grill design. Hwy 55 is dedicated to the community it serves, while hand-crafting meals front and center.