This spring, as Vice President of Food & Beverage Terry Riddle strolled across the iconic Town Square of Silver Dollar City, he waved to a young Citizen manning the lemonade stand. In an instant, he was transported back to his own City start at age 14—peddling popcorn and hauling ice to concession carts between shifts.
But true to his character, Terry quickly shifts any talk of legacy to his team. He credits them with helping transform Silver Dollar City into a national trendsetter in theme park cuisine. Their creativity and collaboration paved the way for food to become a signature part of the guest experience. From daring new flavors to reinventing beloved classics, Terry treated every dish as an opportunity to stand out.
“Jack Herschend told me all those years ago that Silver Dollar City’s food had to be different,” Terry recalls. “We couldn’t just serve hamburgers and pizza—we had to build a brand around our food.”
On Terry’s watch, they did just that.
That journey toward culinary distinction began more than 45 years ago on a snowy January day. The food director at the time had forged a friendship with a counterpart at Knott’s Berry Farm in California. The two decided it would be beneficial to gather with other theme park food professionals to share ideas.
“They met up with someone from Universal Studios and another from Opryland,” Terry remembers. “They got together at a resort on Indian Point, not far from Silver Dollar City. Then, a storm moved in and they got snowed in. So, they spent the evening playing cards and dreaming up visions of the best theme park food. By the end of that night, they decided it should become an annual tradition.”
From that humble gathering of four, a powerful network emerged. Today, the Theme Park Food Conference meets annually and includes more than 150 members representing over 50 parks across the country.
“There was no internet back then,” Terry says. “If we wanted to see what other parks were doing, we had to travel. Otherwise, we’d comb through cookbooks and food magazines, clipping out pictures that looked delicious. We’d pin them to a board and try to make recipes that tasted as good as they looked.”
From the beginning, Silver Dollar City distinguished itself with an “in-your-face” culinary experience—cooking food right in front of guests, creating not just meals, but moments.
“We had an edge,” Terry says. “People saw us make the food. Even Disney folks would visit and get frustrated because they weren’t allowed to cook outside in Orlando. But here, it was part of the show.”
Terry’s signature dishes, like the famous Tater Twists and the park’s giant skillets, helped build Silver Dollar City’s reputation for its unforgettable flavors. Over the course of his 50-year career, his influence reached beyond just the kitchen. As a former youth coach, he brought a spirit of mentorship to the park, helping shape generations of employees into capable leaders.
"I’ve always asked the team, ‘What can we do next?’" Terry says. "We can’t get comfortable. We have to push ourselves to keep thinking creatively." He credits the growth of his team to their shared pursuit of excellence, highlighting the importance of empowering people and simply loving them. "We’ve been blessed to have folks come up through our ranks who get the importance of that!"
For Terry, leading with love and pushing for perfection are essential. "It’s what we should be doing every day. You don’t drop balls here. We push to be faster, friendlier—to be better."
The accolades Terry received throughout his career reflect the success of his and his team’s vision. In 2019, Silver Dollar City was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Missouri Restaurant Association. Additionally, Terry earned recognition through Herschend’s "On Target" award and an IAAPA award for his contributions to the theme park food industry. These awards, he says, reflect the hard work of his entire team.
In Terry’s kitchen, though, the story is always still cooking. With his dedication to team-driven accomplishments, the legacy of Silver Dollar City's culinary revolution continues to unfold, serving up new chapters of success with each passing season. Terry will be honored for his 50 years at Silver Dollar City’s Service Pin ceremony this summer with a Dogwood Tree planted in his name behind the park’s iconic Wilderness Church.
“Five decades sure flew by,” he says with a pause. “Fifty years. Wow. Isn’t that something?”
As Public Relations Manager for the Silver Dollar City Company, she is eager to tap into her journalism background to hunt down “heart tugs” to write about—those stories that celebrate…
