Hamp Lindsey (center) took over operations of Wade’s Restaurant as a recent college graduate in 1977. He has turned over daily operations and future projects like Wade’s Jr. to his children, Anna (right) and Wade III (left), and the company’s chief operating officer Joey Basso. In addition to being grateful for the family legacy to continue, he’s looking forward to more flying time in his single-engine Cessna and playing more golf.

In the 1950s, Wade and Betty Lindsey transformed their grocery store and lunch counter to a full-fledged drive-in with carhop service. Their goal was to adapt to dining trends of the era, while remaining committed to hearty homestyle Southern cooking. Thus, Wade’s Restaurant was born.

As the business grew, they opened a second location in the 1980s, only three miles from the original restaurant. The owners then decided to close the smaller original location so that they could focus on the larger restaurant where it remains located today. Wade’s offers daily menus featuring its “Famous Fried Chicken”, pork loin, turkey and dressing, baked chicken, southern-style vegetables, scratch-made yeast rolls, and sweet tea.