Bill's Jumbo Burgers Serving Tulsa Big Time

By Rick Wells, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- If there were such thing as a hamburger heaven, and you were looking for it, some would suggest you might find it just east of downtown Tulsa.  Bill's Jumbo Burgers has been at the same spot for 49 years.  It's one of those places where you can get a perfect hamburger.

There is no one ultimate hamburger, there are lots of places that make them and Bill's is one of them.  Bill's Jumbo Burgers opened at 2002 E. Admiral Blvd in the summer of 1960.  At least three generations of Tulsans have gobbled up the millions of burgers cooked the very same way.

"We don't pre-cook anything.  Everything is by order," said Teresa Johnson of Bill's Jumbo Burgers.

There are seven stools at the counter if you want to eat your burger at the restaurant, but most of the orders are call-ins.  They open at 10 a.m. and are busy right away getting lunch orders bagged up.

Teresa Johnson, her brother, Tim Henry, and his wife, Sandy, run the operation now.  When asked why they haven't expanded during their nearly 50 years of success, Johnson said it would be too much change for the regulars.

"They'd come in and say is this the same place I knew a long time ago?" said Teresa Johnson.

There are a lot of burger choices at Bill's Jumbo Burgers from the standard 1/3 pound Big Daddy right up to the two pound Double Okie.

"It's four 1/2 pound patties stacked up.  It's designed for one person to eat," said Teresa Johnson.

The grill stays busy and there's not much idle time once they get going.  They go through a lot of beef.

"It's usually by poundage.  It can go anywhere, 80 to 120 or 130 pounds a day.  That's a lot of meat," said Teresa Johnson.