Houston's Legendary Prince's Hamburgers (updated)

Prince's Hamburgers has a long history in Texas, especially in Houston. It is probably the most iconic, most legendary burger restaurant in Space City. And yes, I mean moreso even than the beloved Whataburger.  (Note: Since writing this post, Prince's has closed - probably forever. See Analysis: The Inevitable Fall of Prince's Hamburgers.)

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Whataburger is legendary, but not as much as is Prince's. By the time Whataburger started up in 1950, Prince's Hamburgers had already been in business for 14 years and was already legendary. Unlike Whataburger, Prince's is actually named after the man who founded the restaurant. There is no "Mr. Whataburger." 

I recently visited Prince's Hamburgers for the fifth time at the Sharpstown Park Golf Course and had their magnificent Bopper Bacon Cheddar Burger with fries and their famous onion rings. I also had the great pleasure of interviewing co-owner Terry McConn, who gave fascinating insights into Prince's history and future plans. 

According to the Texas State Historial Association (TSHA), George Douglas “Doug” Prince, Jr. started a "small hamburger stand on Lemmon Avenue in Dallas in 1929....Within a year, Prince looked for greater opportunity, and on a visit to Houston in 1934, he decided that city was the best location for his business."

Prince's at Sharpstown Golf Course

Mr. Prince moved to Houston in 1935 and "opened his first-drive in an old Weber’s Root Beer stand at 4509 South Main. The contract said that the Weber name should remain for six months. After that time the 'Prince’s Famous Hamburgers' name was launched in March 1936."

"As carhops became popular across the country," says TSHA, "he staffed each drive-in with attractive carhops dressed in sequined uniforms similar to a band majorette. Prince’s is credited with helping to popularize the position, and in 1941 Prince’s carhop Jeanette Hall was crowned “America’s first Carhop Queen” and was pictured in Life magazine." (And that was nine years before Whataburger existed.)

Unlike Whataburger, which is thriving today and was acquired by a Chicago firm in 2019, Prince's Hamburgers nearly went extinct. "The last Prince's Hamburgers location in Houston has closed, a victim of Hurricane Harvey's massive flooding," the Houston Chronicle reported in 2018. "The location at 3425 Ella Boulevard was the last location standing."

But Prince's is not down yet. In fact, they seem poised for strong comeback, as you'll see in my video.