Zip’s Café in Magee recently won the distinction of producing Mississippi’s Best Burger for 2022, a Facebook campaign sponsored by the Mississippi Beef Council and the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association.
The winner was announced February 13 at the Dixie National Rodeo.
The contest began in the fall of 2021 with a deadline of casting ballots by November 15. Once votes were tallied, the top five were selected, including Magee’s Zip’s. Other nominees included Debbie’s, Columbia; The Ville, Coffeeville; Reagan’s Corner, Kokomo; and, R House, Columbia. According to the Council’s Facebook page, the award is voted on by the public followed by a panel of judges visiting each location to sample the burgers. In addition to the award, Zip’s also receives a $1,000 advertising package.
Zip’s Café has been family owned and operated since 1963 when Zeak “Zip” Windham opened the original restaurant in town near Central Ace Hardware and the Magee After Hours Clinic. That building burned, and Windham moved to the current location in 1978.
Windham’s two children, Donna Dunn and David Windham, basically grew up in the restaurant business from the day Zip’s opened. Donna, however, wanted to be a teacher like her mother Louise so David took over the business when his father retired. And David, like his father, was a fixture at Zip’s, always behind the counter, answering the phone, taking orders, delivering orders, cashing out customers, always with a smile.
Donna retired from teaching in 2010 after 31 ½ years as a first grade teacher at Magee Elementary School. She remained at home with her son Michael until 2013 when she was needed at Zip’s. “When David got sick I started helping him some, because it was hard. At first it was the week he had chemo I would work, then the next week he would work,” Dunn explained. But it became more and more difficult for David to work with the progression of the illness. “I was really the only one who didn’t have a fulltime job so I was the one to come and help and I loved it. I love being around people. And Michael loves that too.”
In 2015, Christopher and Morgan Dunn purchased Zip’s. “It’s a family restaurant and we wanted that to continue. We saw the opportunity and we didn’t want it to go out of the family so we bought it from Teresa (David’s widow).” Donna added, “Christopher and Morgan wanted to make sure that it stayed in the family. That was very important to them.” Christopher Dunn is the son of Donna and David Dunn.
Zip’s Café remains a family affair. However, when Covid struck in March 2020, Donna, Michael and Louise, all went home. Until that time Louise had been working mornings and Donna would take over when her mother left. While Louise misses the environment and is still in good health, at 94 she remains at home.
Donna continues to work at the restaurant but has also had to cut back as Michael can only manage a few hours at a time before tiring. “In the last couple of years Michael has always had a sitter that sat with him during the day. That’s how I was able to work, even when I was at school. She got sick right before the pandemic so we haven’t had a sitter since then. Pretty much he’s been stuck to my hip. Wherever I go he goes. He’s enjoyed it.” And he loves the restaurant. Everyone who enters is a friend and always greets Michael with a smile. He loves the customers so much he prefers the front dining room to the back one. He wants to see everyone.
After nearly six decades of great food, one thing Donna cannot address is a favorite Zip’s meal. She likes it all, especially the plate lunches. “I’m not really a fish person but I love our fried fish because it’s not fishy,” she added. Donna and Michael eat at least one meal a day at the café, sometimes two. Pre Covid days, Michael ate all three meals every day at Zip’s. He especially loves the vegetable beef soup and Zip sauce.
Morgan is proud to have been named the Mississippi Best Burger 2022 and points out it is the second time for Zip’s to win the honor. “We’re so excited about it. We’ve been nominated just about every year, but this is our second time to get it.” The restaurant won the first year of voting in 2015.
Donna also attributes the success of the restaurant to its employees and customer base. “We’ve been blessed because of very very loyal customers and very very loyal workers that have worked and worked and worked to help keep us going. Every day I come up here I feel blessed.”
