P. Terry's Burger Stand — Restaurant in Austin

After stopping here with my friends Saturday night and spending $30+ -just 12 hours prior to the following incident- for quite delicious burgers (which is the reason I'm rating two stars instead of one), I am sad to write this, but since the parking authority email seems to be offline, here it is.

Yesterday, my fiancée and I parked our truck at the P. Terry’s lot on the corner of Butler and Lamar at to have brunch, inferring it was shared parking with Carpenter Hall and P. Terry’s. When we returned, we found a boot placed on our front left tire, at which point we called the number on the ticket and were told it would cost $100 to remove the boot. Austin Express Towing (a company I infer P. Terry privately contracts out to tow/boot vehicles) promptly arrived after we paid and we had the boot off our tire in less than 15 minutes.

While I understand the necessity of following parking laws and the local private business’s right to enforce them as they see fit, there is a clear issue with the locations of the towing/booting enforced signs on the property.

Two towing signs are located in the corners opposite the entering lanes where there is no parking. Also notably, the main two long medians along Josephine and Butler where there is actual parking have no sign visible. In general public traffic enforcement procedure, cases involving noncompliance with traffic signs tend to favor the jurisdiction less and the driver more when the sign in question is inconspicuous to the driver (think, getting a speeding ticket right after passing a slower speed limit sign blockaded by tree branches).

These signs stationed in distant corners seem to suggest that they do not serve as clearly visible warnings (given the fact that I and the other 5 people I spoke to along the wall who were booted did not see these signs when parking) but more as an existing formality to give the private property the right to enforce predatory towing among tourists unfamiliar with the local territory. As an out-of-towner, I find this a nebulous and shady practice on P. Terry's part, and quite a detractor from my Austin experience.

As a remedy, I would consider the owner of this property coordinate with the franchisee and/or city to work out placing a more obvious location for this sign, namely along the long parking median along either Lamar...

Dear P. Terry’s Team,

I’m writing to express my genuine admiration for your restaurant. As a former In-N-Out Burger employee of three years, having worked at three different locations—including the high-volume Daly City store in California—I consider myself well-versed in the world of quality burgers.

On my first visit to Austin, I stumbled upon your 404 S Lamar Blvd location around 1 AM. The experience was so exceptional that after finishing my meal, I immediately ordered another. I was blown away by the freshness, flavor, and overall quality. The very next day, I returned with my wife and friends to share the experience.

During the same trip, I also tried Whataburger, as it’s often brought up in the California vs. Texas debate. To be honest, it doesn’t even belong in the same conversation. P. Terry’s stands in a league of its own. The quality, speed, customization, and affordability were simply the best I’ve ever encountered. The most delicious burger I’ve ever had in my life was served to me in under two minutes from the time I ordered. That level of consistency and excellence is truly remarkable.

I’ve always considered In-N-Out to be the gold standard—but P. Terry’s has officially taken the crown in my book. I hope the same care and passion you put into your food also extends to the company culture and the value you place on both your employees and customers.

The only disappointment I had was discovering there was no in-store merchandise available. I was eager to bring home a souvenir or keepsake to commemorate my visit. As a devoted burger enthusiast with a refined and extensive palate, I would love the opportunity to continue spreading the good word about P. Terry’s. If there’s any chance of receiving some merch—such as a hat, sweater, or shirt—I’d be proud to wear it back in California and share my glowing review with everyone I meet.

Thank you for creating such an outstanding experience. I can’t wait to return.

Best...

I have been ride or die P Terry's for over a decade, but this location ruined the experience for me tonight. My order was completely incorrect, even though I was very concise and specific. Most of the ingredients were left off my veggie burger (even though I asked for it all the way with a few things added) except for the diced ones that smell the worst, and the poor assembly and lack of other ingredients meant that all the diced onions went FLYING all over my car when I opened the wrapper. I went back to get a refund for my meal. I have autism, so when I lose my appetite due to a overwhelming sensory experience like poor food assembly or having smelly ingredients flying off my burger, I lose it for a while. I asked for a full refund and they only refunded half of my meal after taking FOREVER to address the issue (the girl at the window was doing her best; everyone else was standing in the back talking). When I mentioned that they didn't refund the full meal, they seemed to be surprised that I would want the entire thing refunded, even though I had asked for a refund on my full meal (very calmly and nicely despite being starving from not being able to afford food for days and this was my paycheck treat to myself). I ended up throwing it in the trash because I'm already having to pay to go to the car wash given they made sure all the pickles and onions would fall out all over my car. This is the WORST P Terry's experience I have ever had in my many years of...