A hugely popular neighborhood restaurant in Richardson has given itself a makeover: After 12 years, Haystack Burgers & Barley has reimagined its flagship location at 100 Central Expwy. #17 into a new concept called Little Stack, a more concise, more budget-friendly version of itself.

Co-owner Jenny Galvan, who runs the restaurant with her husband, Kevin Galvan, a fourth-generation restaurateur, says their goal was to provide an affordable meal and give diners more options.

"We want people to be able to go in and have lunch for under $12, but still get Haystack quality,” she says.

The couple opened the original Haystack in April 2013 in their West Richardson neighborhood, just before the arrival of Alamo Drafthouse. Their Tex-Mex-inspired burgers and craft beer made the restaurant a pioneer in the then-quiet Richardson Heights Village.

"Now there's 14 different restaurants we're splitting the dollar with," Kevin says.

They went on to expand to five locations, then post-pandemic, consolidated to three: Lakewood, Hillcrest Village, and Frisco.

But inflation has proven to be the greater challenge.

"We never ever thought we'd be charging what we charge for burgers," Jenny says. A full meal at Haystack can hit $20 per person.

Rather than close, the Galvans saw Little Stack as an opportunity to reimagine Haystack’s role in the community as a quick, affordable lunch destination that still delivers on freshness.

“We still don’t have a freezer or microwave, we're still making everything fresh in house,” Kevin says.

The new menu features three burgers, made with three-ounce patties, about half the size of what they serve at Haystack. There's a basic cheeseburger; a bacon cheeseburger with Haystack onions; and a "Jefe" style with American cheese, pickles, and mustard. Prices range from $7.89 to $9.39 for the bacon cheeseburger.

While the menu is smaller, it gives the option to get a smaller portion. Diners who crave a bigger burger can upgrade to a double or triple patty (or even drive to the Hillcrest Village location which serves the original menu and is just four miles away).

The menu also includes grilled cheese, chicken fingers, a fried chicken sandwich, hot dog, and the Haystack salad, with romaine and iceberg lettuce. Starters include nachos, fried jalapenos, and fried mozzarella, with a veggie burger using Haystack’s recipe coming soon.

Signature Baking Company still supplies the buns, while russet potatoes replace the Kennebec for fries. For dessert, there’s chocolate and vanilla milkshakes, and the signature Haymaker whisky slushie returns alongside $2 and $4 beers.

The other three locations in the chain are still operating in the original Haystack Burger format; the only location that's changed is Richardson.

"Richardson is the OG," Jenny says. "It really is so special to us, and so we want to be around for a long, long time in this neighborhood. We felt like this was the best way for us to create a new experience that enables us to be around for the future."