There were other considerations, however. He was married, and he and his wife had started a family.

“It wasn't just about making a paycheck," Wouden says. "I wanted to be able to pursue something that would allow my family to spend time together.”

In 1989, Wouden opened Woody's Drive-In, a mom and pop hamburger shop at 6172 S. 1300 East in the Murray-Holladay area. While Wouden acknowledges there are easier ways to make a living than flipping burgers, he says the business has enabled him meet the goals he has set for his family.

After all, his four children, ages 9 to 19, are all learning the family trade.

“The rule in our house is when you reach the fourth grade, you start working the cash register,” he says. As for his teenagers, he believes that if they are busy, they will stay out of trouble.

Woody's has been able to survive in a world of fast-food chains because Wouden prides himself in serving fresh-cooked, high-quality food at an affordable price.

“People come from all over the valley for our fries, onion rings and zucchini fries, which are homemade daily," he says. "A favorite among my female customers is an order of zucchini fries and a Diet Coke.”

Wouden works shoulder to shoulder with his employees most days. He says many faithful customers have eaten at Woody's since its opening, including countless numbers of students over the years from nearby Cottonwood High School in Holladay. His customer base has grown mostly by word-of-mouth.

Woody's offers many time-tested favorites such as burgers, shakes and Ironport soda (be sure to ask for a dab of ice cream). Wouden's latest creation is fried pickles.

“You either love them or you hate them,” he says.

No matter what his customers order, Wouden is proud of the fact that they keep coming back because "they enjoy the food.”

Woody's is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Continued from M1

Pomera M. Fronce/Close-Up correspondent

Pieter Wouden personally selects the music for the authentic jukebox at Woody's Drive-In in the Murray-Holladay area. The restaurant serves 300 customers a day.