History Lost Drive-In Restaurants

For awhile in '63, I was the manager, fry cook and chief dishwasher at the Airline Drive-in in SW Oklahoma City just off SW 29th. Owner's daughter was a car hop, cute but she had bowlegs. Then there was another one named Drusilla who was a Barbie doll look-a-like.

 

I’ll take that as a yes.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Here is a picture of the original stand, too.....

 

Here in the Shenandoah Valley and still going strong

 

In Jackson we had a few a&w's bitd. They all slowly closed shop, though I think there's still one in Chelsea? Some years back a local fella bought one of the run down ones, fixed it up, and does a great business there, very old school, just like the 50s....

Rudy's, stop in if you hit town. We love the place
.

 

My bumper sticker of many years, still displaying it...

 

In metro DC they had Tops

 

Our local “choke n puke” is still going

 

Ha, I make a bunch of their stuff at work....

Back in my 20s I was living with a girlfriend, and I come home one day and there's a hand written note on the counter with a phone number, and written over the top, "big Roy". I flipped on the old lady, " who tf is big Roy!?!?! “.

She says 'it says big BOY jackass. I ordered a sandwich...'

That's the last time I got jealous.... Lol.

 

LOST DRIVE IN RESTAURANTS:


Hello,


We lived on the Westside of Long Beach in the Santa Fe Avenue and PCH major intersection area. It was a few blocks away from the LA River and the Long Beach Freeway #710. If anyone is going from the LA/ South Bay area to Orange County, PCH was the best route. So, a zillion people drove by this drive-in restaurant almost daily. PCH is the busiest street then and now.

Over the years, it had a number of fast food style buildings after the drive-in was gone. but, the location with the wide parking area and a nice pad for the main restaurant building was tempting for other food industry investors.

For some reason, the intersection is very busy back in the 50s, the clientele was packed in the early housing tracts, the businesses nearby were very popular, including one of the biggest specialty welding supply and manufacturing places, called Bill Williams Welding. (They welded several items for our Willys build, including a custom tow bar that attached to the front bumper brackets.)


To spark some memories, across the street was the famous Currie’s Family Restaurant. It was a sit down lunch and dinner restaurant that had the best food anywhere, except for our mom’s home cooking. Even with the close proximity of the drive-in restaurant and the walk-in fine dining Currie’s Restaurant nearby, our family did frequent both places. Even though our dad took a ton of photos of everything, he never took one of the drive-in restaurant or Currie’s.

Our dad bought the first real house on the far reaches of Long Beach. Our backyard was the Terminal Island Freeway and over the railroad berm was Wilmington. After 1955, that old Craftsman house was within a baseball throw of the end of the Lion’s Dragstrip shut off area and sand berm.

But, during the time 1948 to 1953 when we lived in that old house, our dad took us to his favorite places all along the Santa Fe Avenue street. the movie theater, the tasty restaurants and his favorite, the Italian food store and supplies, just down the street. The one thing he did was to take us to the local drive-in restaurant on the busy corner of Santa Fe Avenue and PCH. It was a fun place to go as the food was tremendous and the waitresses were on roller skates with shorts and funny hats.

Jnaki

Being in the back of our dad’s 1953 Buick sedan, we had our own roll down window and window tray. So, my brother and I each had our own trays. No hassle with the two of us sharing one tray. Our dad was thinking ahead. He even took us inside for a quiet sit down dinner in those deep cushioned red booths with buttons and a revolving menu for music on the table.


In my research, no mention of the old drive-in restaurant was found. Perhaps it is lost and gone forever…until someone else had a photo or two in their old files…

In one of our late night discussions, I remember my brother talking about hanging out there, as it was near our old Westside of Long Beach house, about 4 blocks away. But, the idea of hanging out at this drive-in restaurant did not compare to driving about 6 miles inland to the renown "LOST" drive-in restaurant, Grissinger's in Bixby Knolls for all teenagers.

During our teenage years, both of our high school groups and plenty of other older groups hung out and made the Grissinger's Drive-in Restaurant overshadow the one that was on the corner of PCH and Santa Fe Avenue in the Westside of Long Beach. (a few years later, Mickey Thompson's Speed Shop was several blocks down Santa Fe and Joe Mailliard's Shop was also several blocks away on the neighboring street, Cota.)

Any old photos would be appreciated and documented for our files. Thank you..

 

Swainsboro, GA

 

Hello,

The thing that sticks out in my mind was that it was a circular restaurant and the interior seating had windows all around. From where we were sitting inside on those interior dining times, (as per my mom's request) we could see our friend's houses across PCH in the green, Cabrillo Housing area, behind and down the block from the Currie's Family Restaurant.

"The rapid war-related growth in Long Beach resulted in a shortage of affordable housing for enlisted Navy personnel and defense workers. Unfinished low-rent housing projects, including the Cabrillo Housing complex, initially authorized by the 1937 U.S. Housing Act were quickly converted from public housing to defense housing By 1945, the City had eleven military and defense worker housing facilities. Many of the housing facilities were located in western Long Beach."

"The Savannah Naval Housing facility was located immediately north of the Cabrillo Housing complex. At the end of WWII, nearly 13 million veterans returned to the U.S. looking to buy homes and start families. Residential development in Long Beach exploded, resulting in the acquisition of an additional 9.8 square miles of land to the City for subdivisions."

Jnaki

So, from the standpoint of families and abundance of local area residents, the "LOST" drive-in restaurant played a perfect part in being a big part of the Westside of Long Beach neighborhoods. At the time, I could remember the drive-in restaurant, but for the old memory banks, the destruction of the drive-in restaurant goes into the unknown category. Old photos sure would help the documentation of the area.

By the high school days, we were cruising around the rest of Long Beach. Our favorite Westside restaurant was then, the "Golden Star" with the first taste of a real, "char grilled" burger. It is still in business, today.

 

Merle’s Drive-In Restaurant 1951 Corona Del Mar/Newport Beach Location


Hello,

Our dad was adventurous in his family life. With the two boys in tow, he would take our mom to a newly opened restaurant or drive-in as soon as he heard about the completion. We had a drive-in restaurant in our own Westside of Long Beach neighborhood. But, there were several others that popped up in other communities and he was enamored with the idea of people serving others while the family was sitting in a car. What a concept.

As a little kid, our dad took us to a drive-in restaurant across the street from the L.A. Coliseum, one day. My brother and I were arguing about something. It got to a push and shove scene in the back seat. Our mom told us to be quiet and to stop what we were doing. Good luck with that.

So, our dad pulls up into the parking lot and a nice young lady comes up to give us some menus. My dad asked for three and gave one to my brother. Now, I was being accused of being a bad kid and won’t get a cheeseburger and fries with a Coke? I asked my mom and she gave a big shoulder shrug with a look of “I don’t know the answer…”

It was strange, but our dad gave the order for everyone and I heard him say each order. Where was my cheeseburger and fries/Coke order? I did not hear that one… Now, I was distraught and started whimpering quietly in the corner of the back seat. When the food came, everyone got their food on their own trays in each window. Where was mine?

Finally, the nice lady knocked on my own window and asked if I wanted something. I was all smiles and before I could say something, she put the tray and food/drink on my window. The whole family started laughing and smiling to no end. Even my brother poked me and called me a little idiot.

Jnaki

That memory always lingered in my mind, every time we went to a new drive-in restaurant for a family dinner. The result of a scrumptious cheeseburger/fries/Coke should have erased the memory, but it lingered, even into my teenage years.

The memory of the incident happened when our dad purposely drove miles from our house in Long Beach, just to go see and dine at a new drive-in near the ocean in Newport Beach. He had driven by the location on many of his beach oriented, surf fishing trips to Newport and Laguna Beach farther south.

When the new drive in opened in 1951, months later, our family arrived in our family Buick sedan. As a teenager, my own Impala made the trip down the coast many times during Easter Week. It was in 1960, 61, 62 Spring Break with the black 58 impala. Then, in 1963 with a 409 Henry J.

The old Merle’s Drive In Restaurant was situated on the corner of PCH and MacArthur. Although no one would recognize it today, as it was a barren ranch with plenty of rolling hills and views all the way back to the Big Bear Lake mountain range.

In the 50s, driving down the coast line was like driving up or down the Big Sur coast line. The surf and ocean to the West and vast spreads of open land towards the mountains. There were some buildings and homes, but mostly, it was barren. By the time of 1960-63 construction had been started and completed to give the whole Newport coastline from Huntington Beach to Laguna Beach some population.

Good or bad, it was done and the drive-in restaurant was a place to go for a lot of local families. Also, for a ton of teenagers with hot rods and fast cars, for the usual, "who is the fastest" bantering that always would be associated with drive-in restaurants and teenage hangouts.

It was in a great location as MacArthur is a major thoroughfare from the ocean to the far reaches of inland cities. But, the build up near the ocean to PCH was just starting from the early 1951 days until the 1953 Boy Scout Jamboree just behind the whole empty complex. By the time we were driving and exploring the longer road trips, it just seemed like it had been there forever.

Merle’s Drive-in at MacArthur and Coast Highway, May 9th, 1951.
Beckner Collection, Sherman Library.


Merle’s Coffee shop opened in 1951 at the corner of Coast Highway and MacArthur Blvd., a space now occupied by the Corona del Mar Plaza. Merle’s, which billed itself as a drive-in, offered a typical menu of coffee shop staples. It was fun in the beginning and continued until ownership changed hands. Then the downhill trend started.

In the early 1970s, the restaurant changed ownership and Merle’s became The Zoo drive-in. Perhaps the most memorable feature of The Zoo was the gorilla-costumed employee who stood on the corner to attract customers.

Today, there is another restaurant in the original location, but it is not a drive-in restaurant. Yellow rectangle in the upper left of the current photo is the exact location of the old drive-in, at the corner of PCH and MacArthur.

 

In the sixties , Muskogee, Oklahoma , it was the “ Corral Drive In”, on York street. Locally owned and great food. Parked my 430 Lincoln powered 55 Ford there every week end. Being raised on a ranch, 20 miles from town, I usually only got to come to town once or twice a week! When I got to town , I was pumped! I noticed that the city boys seemed bored! But they were there every evening! I had to make up a week in one night! Lol Loved those times!










Bones

 

Simon’s Drive-In Restaurant chain in Los Angeles.

Figueroa and Exposition in Central Los Angeles

"As a little kid, our dad took us to a drive-in restaurant across the street from the L.A. Coliseum, one day. My brother and I were arguing about something. It got to a push and shove scene in the back seat. Our mom told us to be quiet and to stop what we were doing. Good luck with that.

So, our dad pulls up into the parking lot and a nice young lady comes up to give us some menus. My dad asked for three and gave one to my brother. Now, I was being accused of being a bad kid and won’t get a cheeseburger and fries with a Coke? I asked my mom and she gave a big shoulder shrug with a look of “I don’t know the answer…”

It was strange, but our dad gave the order for everyone and I heard him say each order. Where was my cheeseburger and fries/Coke order? I did not hear that one… Now, I was distraught and started whimpering quietly in the corner of the back seat. When the food came, everyone got their food on their own trays in each window. Where was mine?

Finally, the nice lady knocked on my own window and asked if I wanted something. I was all smiles and before I could say something, she put the tray and food/drink on my window. The whole family started laughing and smiling to no end. Even my brother poked me and called me a little idiot.

That memory always lingered in my mind, every time we went to a new drive-in restaurant for a family dinner. The result of a scrumptious cheeseburger/fries/Coke should have erased the memory, but it lingered, even into my teenage years."


Hello,

After writing that story about Lost Drive-In Restaurants, I could not help but to think that one in Los Angeles was too big to not get noticed back then. So, further research proved the exact location on Figueroa and Exposition is where the old drive-in was located. It was located on Exposition Boulevard, just ½ block South was the Exposition Park and the L.A. Coliseum Stadium.

Simon's Drive-In Restaurant was also across the street from the big university location. It was walking distance to the Coliseum and huge park/Natural History Museum.

Jnaki

That whole area was interesting as, later, the L.A. Sports Arena was also just down the street. That was the location of plenty of hot rod/custom car shows from the time it opened for the L.A. Lakers’ first Westcoast basketball games, until it was torn down in 2016.


The photo looked better as a black and white instead of green.

 

One of our other locals.
Bills Park and Eat.
Closed but the building is still here

 

One of the last Dog N Suds Elyria Ohio.

 

About 5 miles away from the old Santa Ana Dragstrip was this fabulous designed drive-in restaurant called Merle’s, located in the Newport Beach/Corona Del Mar area. (a few blocks or two to the ocean or bay)

Hello,

As popular as the front row of the parking lot was for the families sedans, they had a drawback. They were able to see all of the activities inside and the attendants coming and going to the cars, but, it was not the best place for us.

By the time we were driving, we found out from our own Grissinger's Drive-In located in Bixby Knolls, that the front row was for families and car loads of teenage girls. They like being in the front. While the hot rod/drag race guys always parked in the back row. The girls liked the front because all of the guys in the back row could see them and perhaps start a conversation or two. They did not actually care who's car was the coolest, the fastest or the best looking. It was all about the approach of the girls in the front and the guys in the back.

So, Merle's Drive-In in Corona Del Mar had a huge parking lot surrounding the whole property. But, our choice places to park was the exact front row of the back two rows of cars facing the main building. The families and carloads of girls were parked in the front row next to the main building. But, the drive way for cruising through was directly behind that first front row.

The problem with having two rows together was that the property was slightly elevated in the last row to the East or closest to MacArthur Blvd. That meant the first row cars were on the flat surface, while the back row cars were slightly elevated and headed on a downward slope. It was not the most ideal situation for stick shift cars, which were mostly in place.

Jnaki

One Spring Break, our black 58 Impala was in the first row facing the cruising lane. Plenty of hot cars came through any night of the week during that vacation time. We were enjoying the game of guessing what was making the noise coming from each car. We did get some guys looking at us like a "Lets race" look until they parked and looked at the Bruce Slicks sitting under the rear wheel openings, the Racer Brown Cam sticker and the C&O Stick Hydro sticker.

But, all of that did not matter to the car load of teenagers parked behind us. As they were ready to leave, they started the sedan and as they put the car in reverse, the sedan rolled forward. The hill automatically pushed the sedan forward with the slope. The sedan rolled right into my 58 Impala and everyone thought it was a disaster happening. The loud sound and crunching was not on my Impala. But, the license plate/bumper of the other sedan hitting my longish tow bar and ball sticking out of the back of the rear bumper.

We had installed the tow hitch years ago for towing our 1940 Willys Coupe to race at Lion's Dragstrip. I had been taking a lot of flack for having a tow hitch and ball sitting past my rear bumper. But, laughingly, I told them it was a wheelie bar for those powerful takeoffs on Cherry Avenue drag events. Ha! This time, it saved my Impala from any damage and a happy smile from the teenage girl driving the stick shift Chevy that was sitting behind us.

Drive-in antics, some remembered, most just passed over for posterity.
2021
The red rectangle is the exact location of the old Merle’s Drive-In Restaurant from 1951 until turning into the “ZOO.” The downfall had begun and it eventually closed in the more modern times…

Until an old hot rod sits just around the corner of that old memory location, then the information flows like it was just yesterday... “Where were you in 1962?”

 

Ken's Burgers in Bixby Knolls

Hello,

This place in Bixby Knolls was well known during the time we spent there and for the countless other teens over their high school years before us and after us. One day it was gone and an office building was all that was left of this destination for not only teenagers and hot rods, but countless families going to the family restaurant across the parking lot. (both places owned by the same family)

In the many years of cruising by this particular location from the late 50s throughout the 60s, it was a nightly event place that always had some hot rod teenagers in their cars. The place was Ken’s Burgers. It looked like an early McDonald’s as it was white/red with a couple of arches in the design.

The only Ken’s Burgers photo in existence from the Historic Society of Long Beach, located in Bixby Knolls. This was the only remaining photo of Ken’s Burgers that was on an extensive search. For all of the years of teenagers and families driving by the hamburger place and the adjoining family restaurant, one would think there would be plenty of photos.

Across the Long Beach Blvd location, were the western portion homes of Bixby Knolls. Within the blocks behind the restaurant and burger place, there were more Bixby Knolls homes of our friends and the other famous drive-in restaurant.

We only had a movie camera and the 35mm cameras were not coming for several years. The countless hours spent, the multitude of families and the popularity of the "family restaurant" were plenty of opportunities. The family restaurant and its huge Grizzly and Polar bear displays were famous in their own right. So, where are all of the photos?

The family restaurant had a semi dress code that did not apply to Levis and white t shirts, not even a nice Pendleton over the T-Shirt. We had to wear dress pants and a button down shirt, if we were to have a family dinner with our friend’s families or a special occasion gathering. But, as we were having a “fine dinner” the parking lot was almost full with hot rods and cruising sedans.

Jnaki

Why was this “lost” drive in so important? Every Friday/Saturday night it was hot rod heaven. The burgers were inexpensive and good. The fries were the best, but not in the same category as the big name drive in around the next big street corner, Grissinger’s drive-in that is now George’s 50s diner.

The hamburger side of the parking lot was big and the back wall was the backdrop for hot rods and teens to gather in one place. If anyone was driving by, in one easy swoop, anyone in the hot rod could see who was in the parking lot doing their teenage thing.

It was the place to go when the parking lot was full at the other big name drive-in restaurant. Sometimes, this place was packed when the other place was not. But, where are those photos? That is a mystery for sure.

The Grissinger’s Drive-In around the main street corner was the famous one with the limited parking spots in the back row for the hot rod guys. The alley that ran behind the “back row” was instrumental in showing the latest muffler system, hot header rumble and generally, a moving car show looking for a prime back row spot. This back row had angled parking spaces as most would come in the main driveway and immediately pull into the spaces.

Grissingers:
Atlantic Avenue and San Antonio Drive, Bixby Knolls

But, for the teenagers, it was harder than that. If the coveted angled parking spot was where you wanted to park, you had to stop and back up to get into the diagonal spot. Now, your hot rod was facing the flow of cruisers and car loads of girls driving by just inches away from your front bumper. Or, on a chance that the empty back row spot would stay open, drive around the block to come in from the alley behind and pull right into the diagonal parking spot for the evening.

What drew teenagers and hot rods to this drive-in on Friday/Saturday nights? The hamburgers were ok for most teenagers, but the specialty of the house and our favorite was the gravy covered thick French fries/cherry coke combo, sitting on our window trays. That is a staple of our teenage years and with fast metabolism we all had, we did not go rolling down the street after several orders.

58 Impala, 56 Chevy hardtop, 59 Ford sedan 1959

But, as famous as Grissinger's Drive-In was, the other named place, Ken's Burgers had a larger parking lot that was visible to all that drove by on their cruising itinerary for any evening. One side was for the hot rods and teenagers, while the other side was for the family cars/station wagons supporting the family restaurant.

Today, there is just another multi-story office building and no indication that it was once a good old place for teenagers to hang out, tell stories and enjoy what our meager pocket change would buy.

 

This lack of drive-in restaurants has always made me wonder if I could actually get a mug of root beer through my chopped window with a tray hanging on it. By the time I chopped a car, the drive-ins were gone.

 

This has been a great thread. Funny how hot rods and customs have always gone hand in hand with drive-in restaurants and little greasy spoons. The places were incredible built on large pieces of land with cool architecture, gobs of neon and most had food that was actually pretty good! Sadly the Mom 'n' Pop little hamburger stands are disappearing every day. Even worse now with the virus thing that's floating around.
One of my all time favorite pics was posted by @chopolds quite some time ago. I wrote him and asked about the photo and he explained that it was taken in the late 80s when him and a few friends were on the road to a car show in Indiana. Memories..........



Here in Denver the old time drive-ins are almost all gone. We have a few originals left, but we do have a few "modern" nostalgic style diners that are still plugging along as well. We try to go to them as often as we can to help them keep the doors open.
All that being said, yesterday I stumbled upon an incredible video that was shot with an old movie camera IN COLOR from around 1952 or 1953. It was video of a drive-in restaurant in the Long Beach, California area called "Beany's". They even had a drive-thru window as well as walk up window service! The beginning of the video is a little shaky, but stick with it, it is great! The cars, the restaurant and the atmosphere of the place looked super. Talk about a trip back in time. Enjoy! E

 

The Frosty Mug. Located in Cordova Al. On the hwy between Birmingham and Jasper.
Still going strong.
Great burger.

 

Closed for several years and rumored to re-open, Blue Star in Newport News.

 

“Beanies” was in the Long Beach Circle, as one can see in the above color movie was next to competing eating establishments, so I did this screenshot locking in on the background which had 2 kool places in the background. One being “Harvey Ortner & Partners” Clock Drive-In which was a small chain-Restaurant group. The other is “The Circle Drive-In Theater”. This is something to definitely appreciate.

 

A repost of mine, from a different thread. Probably more appropriate here. Sioux Falls SD in the mid 60's.

 

Capital Plaza Hot Shoppes, Landover Hills/ Bladensburg, Maryland. Sorry, no pictures, but I ate too many Hot Fudge Cakes and wasted lots of gas cruising around there.....Don.

 

Wasn't Mr. Ortner the original owner of Harvey's Broiler in Downey?

Mick

 

Yes,
At 1st a partner in several CLOCK BROILER locations, then ventured off on his own changing the name of his Lynwood CLOCK Location to HARVEY’S, then building HARVEY’S BROILER DOWNEY on Firestone Bl. & Old River School Rd. Which he kept in that name for 10yrs. Changing its name to JOHNIE’S when it was leased to another tenant who also had the Johnie’s Coffee Shop on Wilshire & Fairfax. It stayed that name until closure on 12/31/01 when it was abruptly closed. Landmarked in 02, then illegally demolished in 07 (15) years????Damn!!!!
We as a (HAMB) team ramped up and made a rebuild as a “Bob’s Big Boy Broiler” happen and it’s been open longer than the original HARVEY’S Broiler was open . We’re working on completion of 13yrs this Oct.
stop on in for some chow when in town.

 

I’ve been to the Downey location a number of times but never in a authentic period correct car.

when i was a kid my family would drive to the various Bob’s big boy locations... dad favored the drive in car service. especially in Pasadena and Toluca Lake and even Eagle rock back in the 50s and 60s.

a genuine bobs big boy burger with the red relish... still one of my favorites!

anyone remember the henry’s at garey and foothill (66) in pomona?

and that beany’s video is great!

 

Southwest corner of the intersection of 101 South at Ximeno Avenue, leading to Belmont Shore.

Hello,

The early 1950s in So Cal was interesting to say the least. Family values were prominent and there were plenty of places a family could go for lunch or dinner on the way to some local attractions, like the beach or the nearby drive-in theater across the street.

Our dad took us down the hill to the Traffic Circle plenty of times and we did stop at Beany’s. Who could not resist to stop at a place that had been in our hearts since the creation of the old Beany and Cecil TV kids show when TV first started playing.

Beany had the classic propellor cap and Cecil, was the Seasick Sea Serpent friend. Their adventures in puppet land made all of us kids glue ourselves to the tiny screen to watch this show.

So, going to the drive-in theaters with the family was a standard. Going across the street for the “better” food was also in the cards, when we went to the Circle Drive-in theater.


Jnaki

Later on as teenagers, we did not go to Beany’s as much or even the Clock Restaurant across the Coast Highway. The attractions for us teenage hot rod cruiser kids were just down the PCH less than a 1/2 mile at Hody’s Drive-In Restaurant and going North a few miles to Oscar’s Drive-In Restaurant.
Hody's Drive-In Restaurant at the corner of Anaheim St. and PCH. It is the only place Anaheim St. and PCH meet. Normally, from the Western location of Lomita, CA, Anaheim St. ran parallel to PCH all the way to meet PCH at Hody's corner.

Those two nearby cruising drive-ins had more appeal as teens, than a reminder of the little kid, Beany and his TV friends. For us, the better food and clientele at those two local drive-in restaurants was a lot more suited for our hot rod cruising needs.