The Rebel Dip

Nearly a month ago, we were heading to Wolf River for an overnight canoe trip Memorial Day weekend and stopped at the Rebel Dip.

Only in the South would the name Rebel Dip be so fitting for a drive up burger joint. To place an order you walk up to the window, or drive up to a side window.  The menu consists of what you would expect by the looks of the establishment: burgers, chicken tender, french fries, onion rings, shakes, ice cream, anything that can be battered and put in a deep fryer.

I got a hamburger and tater tots, Ben got a cheeseburger and french fries, and we split a banana shake. One of our friends was a bit advantageous that day and created his own double decker burger. It was fairly standard drive-in food, but good. The only stand out item was the shake which was thick, delicious and had a pleasant banana flavor.

While we were sitting in the shade, enjoying our lunch, a man sauntered up from the house next door and plunked himself down at the table. The friendly stranger, Joe (pictured above), is the owner of the Rebel Dip, and proceeded to make easy conversation about the start of his restaurant and how it got it’s name.

Back in 1962 Joe was a local school teacher and needed to make ends meet, which lead to the birth of the Kewl Dip (I’m pretty sure that’s how he spelled it). He operated the restaurant for awhile under this name, until one day he received a letter from a lawyer representing a man from a nearby town who already had a restaurant with a similar name (Cool Dip, I think). Instead of fighting for the rights to Kewl Dip, he wisely decided to bypass the legal system and simply change the name. On the last test of the year, as the last question, he asked his students for their input on what the new name should be and they voted for Rebel Dip.

It took ten years for the restaurant to generate enough money for him to quit teaching, but during that time he worked both jobs. The restaurant is now 48-year-old and his family helps him run the Rebel Dip.

If you find yourself outside of Gulfport, MS in need of some good eats, take a trip to the Rebel Dip and maybe you will run into Joe.

Rebel Dip
12387 Highway 49
Gulfport, MS 39503
Phone 228-832-4165