Little did we know, our story began back in June of 1978, when Lorrie's parents, Doug and Lois Ward, moved from Mason City to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to purchase the Ellis A&W Drive Inn.

Growing up, Lorrie spent countless hours working at the drive-in, meeting customers and building lifelong memories. That's also where Al enters the story. While in high school, Al began working at the A&W, and before long, he and Lorrie became close and started dating. Eventually, they married and raised two children of their own.

Lorrie continued working at A&W full-time, while Al helped whenever extra hands were needed. Over the years, their two children also worked side-by-side with them at the restaurant. It truly became the definition of a family business.

Fast forward to 2008 — the family was preparing for a huge celebration to honor Doug and Lois' 30 years of owning the A&W. Plans were underway for a car cruise, live band, and even an Elvis impersonator. But just two days before the celebration, disaster struck when the restaurant flooded during the historic Cedar Rapids flood.

Not only did Doug and Lois lose their business, but they also lost their home and church.

A few years later, the church began searching for ways to raise money to help pay off the recovery loan needed after the flood. With the help of Al and Lorrie, they created "Flash Back on Ellis," a car show featuring old drive-in favorites served fresh off the grill.

After years of hauling a grill and fryer from home to the church for the event, Al and Lorrie had an idea — why not take the food on the road?

In 2017, Boulevard Grill was born.

What started as a side hustle quickly became a major part of their lives. Through Boulevard Grill, Al and Lorrie continue serving the A&W favorites people know and love, including homemade onion rings and coney dogs topped with Lorrie's secret chili sauce recipe.

Boulevard Grill continues to stay true to its roots as a family-run business. Just like the days at the Ellis A&W Drive Inn, family remains at the heart of everything we do.

Alongside Al and Lorrie, their daughter Heather helps keep things running smoothly, while granddaughter Aurora is already becoming part of the next generation carrying on the tradition. Their niece, Jody, is also a tremendous part of the team, with the occasional helping hand from Lorrie's sister, or nephews whenever needed.

For us, Boulevard Grill is more than a food truck — it's family history, hard work, and generations of memories being shared with the community one meal at a time.