Tom Winter wants to feed Montanans the right way, the local way.   

The Polson resident started Gary’s Local Burgers less than two years ago in Missoula and opened their fourth location in Whitefish a few weeks ago.  

Growing up in Kansas, Winter’s grandma made exceptional burgers, he said.  

“I always took them for granted. But after I made some for some friends, on a lark a buddy and I decided to start a food trailer in our yard in downtown Missoula.”  

“Some of the best moments in my life are sharing food with people,” explained Winter, who dropped out of college and went to culinary school. “For a meal to matter, it doesn’t need to be expensive.” 

So, Gary’s Local Burgers began to make memories, and also, as an experiment with a point to prove.  

“Can you serve local food to locals, at an affordable price point, in Montana in 2026?” Winter asked.  

“It’s hard to afford to eat. It’s hard to afford rent. So, the idea behind the business is, can you make money, doing the right thing? Can you sell food that is quality, while supporting the people and farmers who make the food, while supporting the workers?” 

It’s a good thing Gary, a very friendly adopted stray, who’s “either the world’s largest corgi, or a normal dog that’s long and fat,” was there for support, because the first day of the business was a disaster.  

The grill didn’t come in on time, so the yard truck ended up only selling milkshakes for two weeks. 

But Missoulians turned out. Gary’s sold out of ice cream every day.  

Milkshakes aside, the real goal was burgers, specifically, locally sourced burgers, with a price of $6.95, everyday people could afford.  

Winter found the source he needed by taking a glance across town to Missoula’s south hills.  

“You could see the cows through a little gap in the streets,” he said.  

The only problem with the business quickly taking off was that they ran through the neighbor’s herd in just a couple of months. 

The challenge of finding local beef only grew from there.  

REFERENCING Upton Sinclair’s 1910 novel, “The Jungle,” Winter explained that Gary’s Burgers has a multifaceted mission.  

“We’re aware that beef is bad for climate change,” Winter said. “This is why we buy our beef from Montana, to do what we can.” 

But with shrinking herds and recent tariffs, beef prices have hit an all-time high.  

“We’re having a hell of a time getting beef from the Flathead,” Winter said. “If we can’t get it from the Flathead, it’s from Hardin.”  

The commodification of Montana’s landscape extends to its meat, and the already timber-dominant Flathead Valley is losing ranching land to other uses, he said.  

Flathead County is only about 5% farmland, according to a 2021 agricultural summary produced by Montana State University Extension.

An added challenge is that even if there are cattle nearby, it could still have to be transported several hundred miles to be processed, Winter said.  

Gary’s does still manage to get some beef from a much-appreciated Kalispell based business, the Rancher’s Daughter.  

As for Gary’s other food sources, what isn’t from here, is from the nearest quality neighbor. That includes birthday cake-flavored cookies from Missoula.  

Gary’s chips are from Arco, Idaho’s Atomic Potato Chip Company, and their Mexican Coca-Cola is from Mexico, of course.  

“We’re making the best of it,” Winter said.  

The margins are low, but the experiment is working, nonetheless. Employees are earning a respectable wage and locals are enjoying the food.  

Whitefish manager Naïm Forbes was about the fourth employee hired while he was finishing up his degree in Missoula.  

“Gary’s, they’re very generous,” Forbes said. “Not just in the way they pay us, but in the freedom to implement our ideas, and give feedback. So, when they offered me the manager position, I took it and moved here.  

“I love the business model,” he said. “And it’s a simple operation. We have one recipe. It’s a small team, we’re efficient.”  

The Whitefish food truck is located by 346 Central Avenue, in an alleyway on East Fourth Street between Central and Baker avenues. While not fixed in a permanent location, the truck is planned to stay in one spot.  

In Whitefish, Gary’s is open 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, but the hope is to expand hours and days going into warmer months.  

Gary’s has a Kalispell truck as well, located at Sweet Peaks on Main Street, which is open seven days a week, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and until 9:30 p.m. on weekends.

    Gary's Local Burgers are made with Montana beef and can be purchased for $6.95 in the alleyway between Baker and Central Avenues. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)