June 4, 2021

A new restaurant featuring burgers, sandwiches, chislic and ice cream opens today in Lennox.

Rob Huber has owned the building at 1012 S. Main St. for several years and seen multiple tenants come and go, so he decided to create his own concept.

Chuck’s Drive-In is in memory of his late father-in-law and was inspired by small-town restaurants that become go-to spots in the nice weather, especially for ice cream.

“We’re seeing if it works in Lennox, and I think he’s going to be good,” he said.

Food is cooked to order, and the menu includes a variety of burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, hot dogs and chislic.

Huber, a Freeman native, “grew up on chislic, and chislic is lamb, and it’s on a stick,” he added.

He has purchased “two mammoth ice cream machines” and a third as a backup “because that’s the lifeblood of the business.”

The ice cream menu includes strawberry/vanilla and chocolate/vanilla soft serve as well as shakes and malts in a variety of flavors, sundaes and Cyclones that can be made with nine candy choices.

In preparation for opening Chuck’s Drive-In, the building has been gutted, resided, reroofed and had new windows added and the parking lot repaved.

There’s a walk-up window for ordering and pickup as well as indoor seating with 10 booths.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.