AUSTIN -- Loyal patrons just had to line up one last time. Players, an iconic UT campus-area burger joint, is shutting its doors.
"It's bittersweet," said co-owner Carlos Oliveira. "You put a lot of time and effort into this place, you know. A lot of six-day weeks, seven-day weeks."
In fact, the owners planned to make Sunday their last day, but loyal customers had other ideas.
"Thursday set our best day ever in 33-and-a-half years. Then Friday broke Thursday's record. And Saturday broke Friday's record," said Oliveira.
So they decided to make sure everyone got their last burger and fries, and added one more day.
"We'll be open all day Monday until midnight, or until the line stops," said Oliveira.
Oliveira didn't want to close the restaurant, but UT bought the land in 2012 and gave them a 10-year lease. The lease came with a clause that it could be terminated with six months notice.
"When they're ready to start their building," Oliveira said. "Then they would give us six months notice, which they did in May."
Now they're flipping their last burgers and making their last memories.
"We're really just so grateful for all the customers that have been coming here for the last 33-and-a-half years. We couldn't have done it without them," said Oliveira.
Oliveira said his focus now will be on his other business. He runs the snack bars for the city's public golf courses.
