Originally a chain of steakhouses throughout Austin, San Antonio and Houston, Night Hawk Frozen Foods has been charbroiling meats and packaging frozen meals from its Buda facility for 60 years.

Led today by Leanne and Scott Logan, the company is dedicated to maintaining its quality and offering the familiar flavors and products its consumers know and love.

The history

The Night Hawk name comes from the Night Hawk Steakhouse diners that originated in Austin in 1932. Former Austin mayor Harry Akin opened the first restaurant in Central Austin and named it Night Hawk because it stayed open late.

The business grew into a chain with seven locations in Texas and, in 1964, introduced a line of frozen dinner versions of restaurant favorites like the Steak ‘n Taters in grocery stores. Leanne Logan’s family bought Night Hawk Frozen Foods in the 1980s and built the company’s plant at 100 Nighthawk Circle in Buda in 1993.
Night Hawk Frozen Foods began as a steakhouse restaurant in Austin in 1932. (Courtesy Night Hawk Frozen Foods)
Night Hawk Frozen Foods began as a steakhouse restaurant in Austin in 1932. (Courtesy Night Hawk Frozen Foods)
The last Night Hawk restaurant, Night Hawk Frisco Shop, closed in 2018, but with the frozen dinners being sold in a little over 7,000 stores in 33 states, the Logans take pride in keeping a Central Texas brand alive.


“We enter new markets, and we'll hear from consumers who used to live in Texas and eat and buy the Chop’t Steak at the Night Hawk restaurant,” Scott Logan said. “They'll be like, ‘I haven't seen your product in 25 years, but it tastes like the Chop’t Streak I had when I went to the restaurant.’ So they reconnect with the brand at that point.”

What they offer

Night Hawk Frozen Foods produces charbroiled classics like Steak ‘n Taters, Salisbury Steak 'n Mashed Potatoes and Beef Patty 'n Gravy. In 2005, they began doing private label work for other brands including H-E-B and Luby’s. In 2020, they created the Fiesta Favorites line of enchilada meals.

Leanne Logan said the charbroiled meals are Night Hawk’s “bread and butter.”


“I think it's the familiarity, I think it's convenience,” she said. “We're so consistent with our quality. You know when [you] buy a Night Hawk what you're getting. It's not going to change.”

Staying local

When the Night Hawk Frozen Foods plant was built, Scott Logan said, “It was [them] and a bunch of cows.” They said they have enjoyed being part of Buda’s growth in business and people.
Night Hawk Frozen Foods works with the Hays County Food Bank for its Turkeys Tackling Hunger event every year. (Courtesy Night Hawk Frozen Foods)
Night Hawk Frozen Foods works with the Hays County Food Bank for its Turkeys Tackling Hunger event every year. (Courtesy Night Hawk Frozen Foods)
“We've got folks that are truly invested in Night Hawk, and it just shows, and it's been showing for 60 years,” Leanne Logan said.

The Logans estimate that the Night Hawk team produced around 12 million meals at its 30,000-square-foot facility last year. Scott Logan said they plan to move operations to a new location near the cement plant on Jack C. Hays Trail this year or next year. He said they would eventually like to turn the original location into something for the community.


“Giving back to the community is just something that we both feel is important to be a good community partner,” Leanne Logan said. “We’re just fortunate to be in Buda, and we want to be able to give back as much as we can.”