>>>>>>>>Waco’s longest continuously owned barbeque restaurant was started in 1978 by Dan Henderson and partners F.E. “Buck” Massey and Elsie Dieterman. It was located at 1521 Wooded Acres Drive. Uncle Dan’s Barbeque really started to flourish in 1980 when Dan married Clara McNulty, a Baylor graduate and experienced restaurateur.
>>>>1988 was a turning point in Dan and Clara’s life when they decided to purchase Mr. Massey and Ms. Dieterman’s shares of Uncle Dan’s. The succeeding years brought many new items to the Uncle Dan’s lineup, including the now “famous” Texas Tater, Smoked Turkey Breast, daily fresh vegetables and fresh fruit salad. The late 1980’s also brought off-premise catering and delivery to the Uncle Dan’s service line-up.
>>>>In 1990, Uncle Dan’s expanded to 231 North Hewitt Drive in order to more conveniently serve the populations of the Hewitt, Robinson and Lorena areas. Hewitt’s drive-through window has been and still is a big crowd-pleaser among Uncle Dan’s patrons.
>>>>In 1996, Dan and Clara bought the old Kelly’s Night Club building at 1001 Lake Air Drive. After completely remodeling the building and adding another drive-through window, Uncle Dan’s made the move to its new permanent location in May of 1998.
>>>>During 2006, Uncle’s place at 1001 Lake Air Drive received a much needed update! The outside of the building has had new awnings, new paint, added windows, new “barn red” metal roofing, and a new parking lot repair and refinish. Inside, ceiling fans have been added throughout the restaurant. New table coverings and new décor are convincing evidence that Uncle Dan’s is going to continue to serve the Central Texas area for many years to come. The parking lost at Uncle’s location in Hewitt received repairs and refinishing and new striping. New landscaping and a new sign have been added, also.
>>>>Dan and Clara Henderson have three children; Heather Henry, Hillary Henderson and Dan Henderson Jr., one grandson, Jackson Henry, and a 2006 Valentine’s Day granddaughter, Margaret Grace Henry. Dan Jr. is actively involved in the business at this time.
In 2008, Dan Jr., graduated from the Conrad Hilton School of Hotel and Restaurant Mgmt. (at the University of Houston), completed advanced service training in a select Honors Program called Par Excellence.
>>>>Uncle Dan’s is proud to be a business in the Waco area and is looking forward to many more years of serving Waco and the surrounding areas.