If I was anywhere near the area I'd go and show my support, but alas, I'm not.

My high school chum Pam Pettigrew posted this to our classmates:

I just wanted to share with you that this week the Airport Inn is celebrating it's 50 year anniversary. Mom and Dad opened the place in October of 1963.

If you are anywhere near, the big celebration will be on Saturday, October 19, after a week of specials. (Today is "Tom Tuesday" with Finger Steaks on Special.) On Saturday we are celebrating 50 years of the Airport Inn, 40 years of Martha (yep, they hired Martha in 1973) and Mom's 83rd birthday. Parker is coming for the weekend too.

We went Tuesday. good time was had. Usual great food, even better the normal price and drawings to enter in. Highly recommend joining the 50th celebration.

My parents were good friends with the Pettigrews -- they used to live in Forsyth prior to opening the Airport Inn. I was 6 years old at the time they moved to Miles City and I can still remember my dad talking about how some people thought they were crazy to get into the tough restaurant business.

I have many fond memories of going there as a kid...occasionally Mom or Dad would say "We're going to the pizza parlor tonight!" and we knew it meant a trip to Miles City. I never even knew it was called the "Airport Inn" until I was a teenager. The best part for us kids, of course, was the game room with the bowling machine.

Once, a group of families launched boats in Forsyth and we boated the Yellowstone all the way to MC, had a picnic lunch on the way and topped it off with dinner at the Airport. Good times indeed.

My wife and I still enjoy going there today for a fun night out every couple of weeks. The only sad thing, of course, is that the original restaurant no longer exists....man that was a cool building. (Anyone have pictures to post?)

How many people know it was opened as "The Beer Jug" before Pettigrews bought it?

that was weird. NEVER MIND.

[This message has been edited by Bridgier (10/17/2013)]

I always have, and always will love the place. What's most amazing to me, is that the core menu items have NEVER changed over the decades. The pizza tastes exactly like it did when I was in my early teens. The finger steaks are still exactly what I remember from being a kid. It's a testament to the Pettigrews that they have delivered consistently great food, without bowing to whatever the latest trend may be, for decades. Kudos to a family of Miles City icons. You're all very fine people, and I am very happy to call you my friends. Congrats on the longevity. Cheers to many more decades!

God bless the Pettigrew family for giving us 50 years of Airport Inn awesomeness. And my hat is off to Martha Crandall for her dedication to her job. I shudder to think of the Airport Inn without Martha.

How many pizzas do you think the Airport Inn has served in 50 years? How many finger steaks? How many ground rounds? Man, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

Pictures: When you think of how many birthday and other parties took place at the Airport Inn over the years you'd think there would be some photos out there of the "old" Airport Inn building. They need to be dug out of old shoeboxes and scanned.

Changes: Can you believe the Airport Inn now accepts credit cards? I used to have to hire an armored car service to transport my cash when I visited Miles City so I could pay my Airport Inn tabs.

Airport Inn Restaurant, Miles City by dave_mcmt, on Flickr

What's most amazing to me, is that the core menu items have NEVER changed over the decades.

Yeah, that IS amazing especially these days. I almost always have the shrimp dinner (which is exactly the same as always with fries, two onion rings, a celery stick and a carrot stick) but one small thing has changed...it used to be called the "shrimp boat" in the old-building days. I suppose they finally got tired of explaining that there was no actual boat involved.

Finger steaks are my go-to when I'm in town. But I'm glad for one change they've made-sweet potato fries! A hundred times better than their regular fries. Congrats, Airport Inn!

The fries have always been my favorite,especially when they get a little limp. I'm not kidding.

And the pizza...after having pizza from about every chain, every type of frozen pizza, all of the cutesy "specialty pizza, the Airport Inn's is still my favorite.

The Swan Bar in Swan Lake serves "Miles City Style" finger steaks but they aren't quite right. Maybe it's the oil in the deep fryer.
I'm guessing they change it too frequently. They also don't have that sauce you get at the Inn.

My favorite pizza to order with friends when I was in high school was their shrimp pizza! I have never had a shrimp pizza anywhere else and don't know if it is still on the menu. It was so good.

My favorite food there is finger steaks and sweet potato fries. Yum!

Everything was great there but I especially appreciated the occasional Saturday night "Sam Special" Pizza at the drive up window. Thanks again, buddy. Good memories there.

Nancy, they still have the shrimp pizza. My mother and brother always ate the shrimp and bacon pizza. Have never found one like it anywhere else. If you ask for a shrimp pizza in Billings people look at you like you're crazy.

Shrimp and Bacon! That is quite the original item. I didn't know it was still on there. Last time I went I had finger steaks for the 1st time as always had pizza. They were very tasty!

Good view.

Any pictures from the celebration party?

shrimp & black olive pizza still the best!