Budges Drive-In Ice Cream in Lafayette is a true local legend, drawing massive lines with good reason. Their soft serve ice cream is nothing short of amazing, and the fresh, cooked-to-order hamburgers are a perfect savory counterpart; the barbecue burger, in particular, is an absolute must-try. My wife raves about their frozen treats, expertly blending soft serve with cookie dough and M&M's. It's clear this place is a gem when both loyal locals and curious tourists consistently flock here. The building itself, an iconic fixture in Lafayette since the 1960s, holds a rich history as one of the area's first drive-ins, adding an extra layer of nostalgia to every delicious bite. Despite the consistently long wait of about 15 minutes, the efficient service, rated 8/10, keeps things moving, ensuring you get your treats swiftly. Parking is surprisingly easy, a huge plus for a popular spot. While the energetic atmosphere (9/10) is undeniable, it's worth noting that Budges doesn't cater specifically to young children, lacking highchairs and perhaps better suited for older kids or adults looking for a classic drive-in experience. I will be back! read more

The food is inexpensive and delicious. The staff is friendly and so good about answering questions. This is my go-to spot when people want ice cream since I'm a sucker for soft-serve. I bring all my out of town visitors here and everyone loves it. Such a great spot and when the weather is good, you can enjoy your food or ice cream at a picnic table, in your car, or sitting nearby. Don't forget to ask for their frequent buyer card and get little stamps for opportunities at free items! read more

Fantastic 84yr gem of the lafayette area. Lines are long for a reason. Fantastic service, delicious made fresh treats and eats.

The vibes are 10/10 especially on a hot day! Servings are ginormous and they've got a lot of different toppings and flavors. The ice cream itself isn't THAT fantastic and it melts as soon as you get it, but the experience is still fun and worth it! read more

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Great burger & shakes! Been here a couple of times at the suggestion of a client. The burger I got was huge, hot & messy! The shakes that I've gotten (a strawberry & a black berry) were very good & large for their price! It's not the easiest place to find, but definitely worth the effort. read more

the fries are absolutely delicious, very cheap, service can sometimes be a bit slow but diffidently worth it, good thing to know is grill turns off at 7 read more

The fries and drink were great. Service was very good, they served the items individually. There's no accessible inside area, so the ambience was like if you were outside. read more

Service with a smile, always a crowd/line and it's all for the ice cream, fries and burgers!!! I had the tatter tots and a bacon cheeseburger! There is always great ambiance because the whole community seems to be there, with great Anticipation, at any given time!!!! read more

Food is great! Just be sure to show up before the kitchen closes. I've been in line before for 30 minutes and missed the window by a few moments. It's the worst! They have delicious soft serve and it's always a joy coming here. The employees attitude is part of the ambiance. read more

I always love Budges! Best blue goo Ice cream! I will say be patient as lines can be long and staff are just working as fast as they can. They also have food you can order in addition to their awesome ice cream. Personally I love ordering a chocolate Coke with my ice cream. There is covered outdoor seating and then a small area for parking. Bring the kids and the whole family for some great ice cream. read more

This place is absolutely amazing! I can see why is has lasted since 1942. The prices are really good for what you get. The largest cone size, the skyscraper is HUGE! They don't have a ton of flavors but that is ok. What they do offer is pure deliciousness The shakes and malts are all a hit. There was a slight size difference on our visits but nothing to complain about. Highly recommended. If I had anything negative to say it would be to find an alternative for the styrofoam cups. read more

Budges Drive In - a storefront window with a sign that reads since 1974 - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

They take and make orders 1 At a time. They have quite the menu. I tried the smores parfait, it was fine. It's all outdoors with a walk up window. They have a covered area with picnic tables to sit at. Next time I will try the twist soft serve. The flavor burst machine was broken this day, they are waiting on a part. I don't even know what is so didn't affect me. read more

Budges Drive In - Menu - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

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Super busy and on the bad side of town. They do have the best ice cream!!!!! Peanut butter milkshakes rock here.

Opened in 1942, Budges is a Lafayette-area classic. Featuring burgers, dogs, soft-serve ice cream, shakes, malts, and sundaes, Budges is a local favorite. The burgers feature 1/3 lb patties, and they use Nathan's all beef hot dogs. My usual go-to is the cheeseburger and chili dog. They never fail to satisfy. When in Lafayette between May and October, Budges should be on everyone's dining list. read more

Budges Drive In - Cheeseburger and fries - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

First time customer, everything was great! Two of us dined; got one burger, one loaded tots, one milkshake, and one malt. There is no inside seating, but the name implies that. Will definitely stop by again when in town. read more

I was driving around Lafayette near St. Elizabeth hospital when I look over and see this lil gem of an ice cream stand right out of the 50s. I flipped a u-turn and grabbed a chocolate milkshake at the walk-up. Boom, transport me back to my 8-year old self. Hand dipped chocolatey awesomeness and everyone was so friendly! I'll be back. read more

Best ice cream in town. Fast and Friendly Service. Lots of flavors to choose from and prices can't be beat. Thanks! read more

Budges Drive In - The special Blueberry Cheesecake Flurry! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Cute little shop off the side of the road. Cheaply priced sweets, foods, and drinks. There was a long line after we showed up (around 6pm). It's pretty popular among locals of Lafayette. Seems to be the hangout spot for a lot of firefighters and cops in the area. I ordered the flavorburst ice cream with strawberry flavoring and there are a bunch of different options for the flavors. Pretty standard ice cream but it was still good! My boyfriend got the coney dog and the dog was well cooked and they even toasted the bun. The coney sauce wasn't as good as Dog n Suds but still solid. Nice place overall. read more

Budges Drive In - Strawberry flavorburst ice cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

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An excellent place for ice cream treats. Since 1942 this business has provided some delicious food and dessert. We loved our stop here today. I had a banana split with all the good toppings, cherries, and soft serve. My wife had a nice sized cone. They give you a fair amount of ice cream for a great price. This is a great family place. Nice covered picnic tables. A clean business with some friendly staff. I will go here more often. Food on the menu also. I can see why they have been in business for so long. A parking lot makes for an easy visit. read more

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I LOVED this place. I'm sad I'm just discovering it my senior year at Purdue. I'm vegetarian so I got the grilled cheese then picked one of the sides. I went with cheese fries. The fries were seasoned then cheese was out and they were delicious! The grilled cheese was no joke the best one I've ever had. THEN I wanted an ice cream. I saw they had a marshmallow shake!! I'd never seen that anywhere else so I got it. You can also add any mix ins so I got Oreos added to mine. It was great, but super duper sweet so I could have shared the shake with someone. read more

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Stopped by this little walk up joint because the ice cream looked amazing and it was. Started off with a coney dog and rings. Coney was grilled to perfection, bun was toasted and coney sauce with a tang. Onion rings were beer battered, but a bit greasy... but expected with most fried food. Then a banana split for dessert. Three piles of soft serve with hot fudge, strawberry , and pineapple toppings with a banana and covered in whip cream with nuts. It didn't last long as it was delicious. read more

Budges Drive In - Banana Split - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

We waited in line for 25 min. Only to get to the front of the line at 659. They then all scrambled around and we stood there till 706 before anyone took our order. We wanted 4 chilli dogs and ice cream. We were told no food grill is off at 7! We had waited all that time and were not served food! How about make 2 lines one for food orders and one w ice cream Only. How about we don't have 6 employees all running around and have ones that make food and ones that serve food. They should NOT be taking money then go make food! YUCK! This was my first time here and I won't be back! read more

Fast, Friendly service! A cute little burger place to eat outside if the weather is nice. read more

Budges Drive In - Grilled cheese, mushrooms, Coke Zero - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

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While the ice cream is typical of a drive-in, the malts are the way to go at Budges. Also, your wallet will be grateful, as the prices are cheaper than a nearby Dairy Queen. read more

Budges Drive In - Small Banana Flavorburst + Twinkles - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Great food and the staff were so sweet. Don't think I have ever seen my daughter eat a burger as fast as she did that day lol.

awesome taste and prices! Highly recommend the flintstone (secret menu), great for a treat!

Talk about heck yes. Established in 1942 in Lafayette and it's clear why they're still around. It's a classic diner/walk-up and order design. So if it's hot outside, be prepared to eat outside in the sweltering heat. But you will be happy you decided to dine here if you like burgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, and ice cream in one convenient place. Quit badgering with each other on where to eat and get to Budges, dang it. read more

Budges Drive In - Badges. Yummo. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Wide variety of desserts using soft serve ice cream. Flavorburst is available here as well with rotating flavors. The ice cream is good and decently priced. I've never tried the food, but hear it is pretty good as well. read more

Visited here mid afternoon today, a Wednesday. It wasn't too busy but there was a steady stream of customers. There is plenty of parking and it is easy to get in and out of. Ordered a Nestle Crunch flurry and a Diet Coke w/ cherry. The service was friendly and quick and my order was just what I needed on a 90 degree day. read more

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Flash back to the good ole days of ice cream shops. This place reminds me of my hometown shop. High quality, high volume ice cream treats, friendly service and always busy. Easy to find and easy to park! read more

Best ice cream in town! The style of the drive in is super fun and the variety on the menu is great. I got the traditional chocolate vanilla twist and it was so good. It seems to be very popular around 4pm, most likely when school gets out. Lines can sometimes be long but it's definitely worth the wait! read more

The name is misspelled on this entry, it's Budgee's. And it's awesome! I love this place. I was eating here 10 years ago. Good onion rings, decent burgers. CHEAP. the all time best product here is the the Flavor Burst. They have tons of flavor options, and it's delicious any way you get it. Standard Strawberry Flavor Burst with a cone is my standy by. (The "Sky" size is like 2 bucks and almost too much to consume at once!) they also have the ice cream that gets scooped out of a bucket, delish. you can get it dipped in chocolate, sprinkles, nuts etc. The twinkle toe dip is sprinkles and nuts. worth a try. They have great shakes and sundaes as well. CASH ONLY! This is right by St Elizabeth Central hospital and there's always someone there, even on a rainy, cold day in may. =] read more

Budges Drive In - Strawberry flavor burst! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Stopped in for ice cream with our pup. Not only did we get ice cream but a gentleman working there came out and gave our pup his own treat to enjoy. Staff was super friendly. read more

Probably one of my new favorite places in Lafayette for soft serve ice cream!! I got just a vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles and it was so satisfying! Can't believe I just learned about this place after living in West Lafayette for so long. read more

Budges Drive In - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

My fav place for all my ice cream needs they have been around for a long time I have been coming here for 20 some years and I love it every time read more

Good Ice cream but customer service leaves a lot to be desired. If you're willing to wait 10-15 for the employees to write down simple orders then you're in the right place. read more

An old classic! My fiancé insisted I try this place. We parked and walked on a beautiful day. Tasty burgers, sort of steak-n-shake style. Nothing fancy, but really good. Definitely a Lafayette classic! Tasty chocolate milk shake. Old drive in feel and good quality food. Give it a try! read more

Our family's Goto place when the weather heats up. Two and only two reasons for coming here! 1) " The Milkshakes " 2) "The Interesting People" from the local neighborhood:) read more

Killer cappuccino malt! Cool little place with an old school feel! Even though drive-in is in the name it's a walk up but they have outdoor seating also so it's all good. The price is also nice. read more

Budges Drive In - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

This place is my childhood. I don't currently live in Lafayette, so every single weekend that I come back to visit my family, I stop by for my chocolate malt. I have been going here since I was a baby, and 23 years later I still love it with all my heart. This place is the best ice cream Lafayette has to offer. Go. If you like yourself at all, stop by and give yourself some of this greatness. read more