This 1950s North Texas drive-in burger restaurant is expanding
Classic burger drive-ins in North Texas can be counted on one hand. But put your pinkies up for one more location from a “real deal” Weatherford stand.
The Malt Shop opened in Parker County in 1958, when two military brothers built it for their wives before heading off to war.
When previous owner Janie Alice Harrison announced she was selling The Malt Shop due to health reasons, David Hart and his brother Shawn Allen bought up the business in 2025.
They fixed up the original hamburger drive-in at 2028 Fort Worth Highway with fresh bubblegum pink paint and a new breakfast menu for reopening last June.
Now, they will open a second location in Peaster with a few new menu specials and Harrison’s homemade ice cream.
Where will the new Malt Shop be?
The new Malt Shop will be located at 8700 FM 920 in Peaster in the old Merl’s 111 barbecue stand.
Merl’s closed in May 2025 when owners Brandon and Angie Rasor decided to sell the space and retire.
The restaurant off FM 920 has a generous patio with an even larger lawn, sprinkled with picnic tables. General Manager Debra Silvia told the Star-Telegram that the new digs will mimic the same drive-in style as the Weatherford joint.
The Malt Shop menu
The Malt Shop is known for its old-school burgers and malts.
The cheeseburger combo is served with tater tots or fries. Breakfast options include tacos, breakfast burgers or pancakes. Malts, made with Harrison’s home-made ice-cream, come in the classic chocolate, vanilla or strawberry flavors, and also in butterscotch, black cherry and banana — and yes, Silva confirmed Harrison’s home-made ice cream will still be at the Peaster joint.
“With it being such a small town, we don’t want them to get tired of us just having the same thing every day, so we’ll always offer The Malt Shop menu, but then we’ll add in a few things,” Silva told the Star-Telegram.
They eventually plan to add a Mexican menu twice a week, barbecue once a month and steak here and there.
When will the new Malt Shop open?
As far as old-school drive-ins go, North Texas only has two others that have stood the test of time: the 72-year-old Frosty Drive N in Denton and the 68-year-old Theo’s Drive-In in Grand Prairie.
The Malt Shop will add to the list, with the new Peaster shop opening soon. The team is aiming to open up the restaurant by mid-June to early July. Excited customers can check The Malt Shop Peaster’s Facebook for updates.