Everyone Has a Spot

Very few restaurants out there feel like home. You know the kind. You walk in, the hostess greets you invites you to “sit anywhere”, and you start chatting to friends sitting across from you. There’s vintage memorabilia on the walls and you gaze at it while you eat. A TV plays at low volume. There’s a letter board with interesting facts about Tennessee and what attractions are near Savannah. That’s what happens when you step into The Spot. 

7 years ago, Greg and Dana Benson opened The Spot. After running gas stations in Colorado and moving to Savannah to be closer to Greg’s family, Dana revealed that “one day he just decided he wanted a burger joint and he opened one. I thought he was crazy." Owning a burger joint is a dream come true for Greg.  

Dana worried about their reception. She thought “you're never gonna make it, we’re not from here”, however that was not the case, “Shoot—It almost kills me how busy we are” she explained. And busy they are. People started coming in for lunch around noon and the dining room was full by one. 

Coming in at lunchtime isn’t the only way Savannah shows their love for The Spot. Various members of the community donated all the memorabilia that hangs in the restaurant. “The community has brought all the stuff that hangs in here” Dana pointed out. All the memorabilia of a by-gone era, a gigantic Coca-Cola puzzle that’s been glued together and hung on the wall, old advertisements for ice cream and more.  

Fried Pickle cheeseburger with baked beans

A bacon cheeseburger is a go-to favorite or double bacon cheeseburger if they’re going all out. The Spot doesn’t have any specialty burgers (or patty melts). Customization is the Spot’s game. With three different sauces, 7 kinds of cheeses, and everything from avocado to sauerkraut, the sky’s the limit with what you can do. The Spot also offers turkey and veggie burgers for the health-conscious. A popular combination is a turkey burger with avocado and chipotle sauce. 

Patty melt with chipotle sauce and bacon with sweet potato fries

The Spot doesn’t have any specialty burgers (or patty melts). Customization is the Spot’s game. With three different sauces, 7 kinds of cheeses, and everything from avocado to sauerkraut, the sky’s the limit with what you can do. The Spot also offers turkey and veggie burgers for the health-conscious. A popular combination is a turkey burger with avocado and chipotle sauce. 

Their sides are incredible! They have fantastic sweet potato fries and baked beans, in addition to the traditional french fries, onion rings, and tater tots. All of it fried fresh, of course. 

The customization isn’t what really makes the Spot as good as it is. “I believe it’s because we cook like we would at home. Everything is made when you order it. Everything is made-to-order” Dana answered. The kitchen is visible from the dining room, provided you sit in the right ‘spot.’ It feels like home.  

Burgers aren’t the only thing that makes The Spot a community favorite: their salad bar is the best in town. “A lot of our vegetables for the salad bar come from local farmers. All of our tomatoes come from the man right behind us. The cucumbers I get from a gentleman that comes in here. He has his own farm and then I get cucumbers and squash and anything he can bring me for the salad bar during the summer." 

Dana Benson and her sister

The Spot truly is a family affair. Greg handles ordering and running the business while also coming out to chat with diners and making everyone feel at home. Dana makes sure that everyone gets hot, fresh food. All of their children work there, as well as Dana’s sister. “We have maybe four employees that work for us and they’ve worked for us since we opened,” Dana shared, “I don’t go through employees at all” and they’re proud of that. One of those employees, Daniel ‘Biscuit’ Brasher, has been with the Bensons since the Spot opened and has since taken over the kitchen. They aren’t employees; they’re family. 

The Spot is open Tuesday through Thursday 10 am - 8 pm and Friday 10 am to 9 pm. On Saturday, they’re open from 11 am to 8 pm. They’re closed Sunday and Monday. Their phone number is (731) 925-8300 and they’re on Facebook as The Spot. Their address is 1412 Wayne Road, Savannah, 38372.