It's hard to compete with the big boys. That's especially true in the world of fast food, and doubly so when when the two biggest fast food chains in the world are just feet away.
But Mr. Happy Burger is still the straw that stirs the drink in Logansport.
It's always good to find a restaurant with the word "happy" in it and Logansport has one. There's even a nickname!
"Everyone goes to Haps. And they call him Haps." This contented customer is talking about Bob "Haps" Shanks, Mr. Happy Burger's owner.
Sandwiched right smack dab between the two biggest burger chains in the world.
"18 feet from the world's largest chain. And 42 feet from the world's second largest chain," said Shanks.
Bob Shanks will tell you he was here first.
"It's got that 50's, 60's feel to it. I love that music that plays overhead," said one fan.
Mr. Happy Burger opened its doors in November 1961, when you could get a burger, fries and a milk shake for 45 cents. Since then the menu has gotten bigger, and so has the business.
Shanks walked us through the new addition to point out how his building has grown over the years.
But for all of the change, one constant remains: Bob Shanks.
He almost called the place Mr Lucky Burger but since he doesn't believe in luck, he decided to go with "happy" instead.
His customers are huge fans, not just of his business, but of Shanks himself, who spreads positivity as he greets everyone who comes in.
"He's a man of faith," said one customer.
"He's always impressed me," said another.
Shanks says he's been blessed ever since - blessed to have customers like the Dillmans.
The restaurant has been so successful that the Indiana Restaurant Association put it in the Restaurant Hall of Fame. It's got a cow out front, something that attracts fans.
"A lot of people go out and get their pictures taken in front," he said.
So clearly it's more than serving only Cass County corn-fed beef or investing in the community. Mr. Happy Burger has an intangible the big chains can't cook up. Bob Shanks IS the community. He also has a knack for knowing what his customers want.
"Wouldn't it be nice if I could have some fog come out of that steer's nose shooting out along the highway? Every fifteen minutes for five seconds. That's pretty long when you do it for five seconds!" Shanks joked.
That'll make them happy for the next 50 years.
"Just make sure you pay before you leave," Shanks advised one table.
Bob Shanks tells us that his most successful business deal was actually marrying his wife Shirley. They've been "happy" together for 62 years.
Got any "only in Indiana" ideas? Email Kevin!
Mr. Happy Burger is located on 3131 E. Market St., Logansport, IN 46947
Phone: (574) 753-6418
