Believe it or not, more than 250 old-fashioned drive-in restaurants are still operating across the United States. While the drive-thru took over in the 1970s, it never replaced the original experience of eating in your car with food delivered to your window.
At a drive-in, you park, place your order, and wait while a carhop or server brings your food out to you. Some spots move quickly, others encourage you to linger. Either way, it’s a style of dining that hasn’t changed much in decades.
Originally published on January 17, 2021.
What Is a Drive-In Restaurant?
A drive-in restaurant is a dining spot where customers park their cars and have food brought directly to their vehicle. Service may be handled by a carhop or through curb service, and the meal is meant to be enjoyed without leaving your car.
What Counts as a Drive-In Restaurant for This Directory?
This directory focuses on classic drive-in restaurants that still offer in-car dining in the traditional sense.
- Included: Independent drive-ins, root beer stands, and long-running regional spots with carhop or curb service
- Not included: Drive-thru–only restaurants or large national chains like Sonic Drive-In
- Exception: Select regional chains are included if they still operate like traditional drive-ins
- Note: Many drive-ins are seasonal and may close during colder months
Drive-In Restaurant History
Drive-in restaurants peaked in the 1950s and 1960s as car culture reshaped everyday life in America. A car wasn’t just transportation anymore, it was part of your identity, and restaurants adapted to meet customers where they were.
The popular image of roller-skating carhops only tells part of the story. Early drive-ins often relied on male servers known as “tray boys.” After World War II, as many men entered military service, women became the more visible face of drive-in service, helping define the image people still associate with the format today.
The model worked, but it wasn’t perfect. Crowds lingered, parking lots turned into social hubs, and efficiency suffered.
Changes to the System
Chains like McDonald’s simplified the process. By removing carhop service and focusing on speed and consistency, they eliminated many of the operational headaches that came with traditional drive-ins.
The rise of the drive-thru finished the job. Faster service, less labor, and predictable turnover made it the dominant format.
For most people, the golden age of drive-ins lives on through pop culture with shows like Happy Days and fictional spots like Arnold’s Drive-In. That image stuck, even as the real thing faded.
Drive-In Restaurants by State
Looking for a drive-in restaurant near you? Use the state index below to jump directly to listings across the United States.
A–F
Alabama ·
Alaska ·
Arizona ·
Arkansas ·
California ·
Colorado ·
Florida
G–M
Georgia ·
Idaho ·
Illinois ·
Indiana ·
Iowa ·
Kansas ·
Kentucky ·
Louisiana ·
Maine ·
Michigan ·
Minnesota ·
Mississippi ·
Missouri ·
Montana
N–O
Nebraska ·
New Jersey ·
New Mexico ·
New York ·
North Carolina ·
North Dakota ·
Ohio ·
Oklahoma ·
Oregon
P–W
Pennsylvania ·
Rhode Island ·
South Carolina ·
South Dakota ·
Tennessee ·
Texas ·
Utah ·
Vermont ·
Virginia ·
Washington ·
West Virginia ·
Wisconsin ·
Wyoming ·
Alabama Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Cardinal Drive-in | 15240 Court Street | Moulton |
Alaska Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| C&J’s Drive-in since 1983 | 2233 S Cushman Street | Fairbanks |
Arizona Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Avi’s Screamers Drive-In | 1151 W Wickenburg Way | Wickenburg |
Arkansas Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Dog’ N Suds | 319 E Kingshighway | Paragould |
| Ed Walker’s Drive-In since 1943 | 1500 Towson Avenue | Fort Smith |
| Jerry’s Drive-In | 1200 S Constitution Avenue | Ashdown |
California Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Big A Root Beer Drive-in | 810 E Main Street | Grass Valley |
| Dude’s Drive-In since 1965 | 1644 Hartnell Avenue | Redding |
| Falafel’s Drive-In since 1966 | 2301 Stevens Creek Boulevard | San Jose |
| Frisco’s Car Hop Drive-Thru since 1982 | 16460 Whittier Boulevard | Whittier |
Colorado Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in | 802 Mountain Avenue | Berthoud |
| BJ’s Burgers and Fries | 1510 S Main Street | Lamar |
Florida Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Burger Inn since 1952 | 1819 N Harbor City Boulevard | Melbourne |
| Dino’s Drive-in since 1968 | 2929 Havendale Blvd NW | Winter Haven |
| John’s Drive-in since 1986 | 17 N Charleston Avenue | Fort Meade |
| Mike’s Drive-in since 1969 | 1055 US Highway 17 S | Bartow |
| Moonlight Drive-in since 1964 | 1515 S Washington Avenue | Titusville |
| Tally-Ho Drive-in since 1949 | 1449 Harrison Avenue | Panama City |
Georgia Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Griffith’s Drive-in since 1975 | 1015 Memorial Drive | Griffin |
| Jerry’s Drive-in | 676 Highway 114 | Summerville |
| Piggie Park since 1950 | 1420 US-19 | Thomaston |
| The Varsity since 1928 | 61 North Avenue | Atlanta |
Idaho Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Frostop Drive-in since 1965 | 26 US-20 | Ashton |
| Rupe’s Drive-In since 1962 | 302 NE Main Street | Blackfoot |
| Scotty’s Drive-in since 1964 | 560 Northgate Mile | Idaho Falls |
| Westside Drive-In since 1957 | 1113 Park Center Blvd | Boise |
| Westside Drive-In since 1957 | 1929 W. State Street | Boise |
Illinois Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Ace Drive-in since 1949 | 1207 Plainfield Road | Joliet |
| Charlie’s Drive-in since 1950 | 762 Wood River Avenue | Wood River |
| Cozy Dog Drive-in since 1950 | 2935 S 6th Street | Springfield |
| Cranwill’s Drive-in since 1969 | 1713 S 2nd Street #5409 | Pekin |
| Dewey’s Drive-in | 620 E Richardson Street | Farmer City |
| Dog’ n Suds since 1964 | 454 Center Street | Grayslake |
| Dog’ n Suds since 1967 | 517 Washington Street | Ingleside |
| Dog’ n Suds since 1963 | 11015 U.S. 12 | Richmond |
| Jaenicke’s Root Beer Stand since 1950 | 390 E River Street | Kankakee |
| Jay’s Drive-in | 107 W. Washington Street | Oregon |
| King Louie’s Drive-In since 1984 | 315 S 6th Street | Wood River |
| Lou’s Drive-in since 1952 | 4229 N Knoxville Avenue | Peoria |
| Mike’s Grill since 1958 | 2006 Georgetown Road | Tilton |
| Polk-A-Dot Drive In since 1956 | 222 N Front Street | Braidwood |
| Riggen’s Frostop since 1961 | 314 N Pennsylvania Street | Chrisman |
| The Rootbeer Stand | 225 N Columbia Avenue | Oglesby |
| Superdawg Drive-in since 1948 | 6363 N Milwaukee Avenue | Chicago |
| Superdawg Drive-in | 333 S Milwaukee Ave | Wheeling |
| Yesterday’s Drive-in since 1957 | 709 Oak Street | Carmi |
Indiana Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in | 1501 N Lincoln Street | Greensburg |
| B&K Drive-in | 1201 E 9th Street | Rochester |
| Barker’s B&K Root Beer | 1100 E Markland Avenue | Kokomo |
| BK Root Beer | 412 N Park Avenue | Alexandria |
| BK Root Beer | 928 E Main Street | Gas City |
| BK Root Beer since 1949 | 1218 S Jefferson Street | Huntington |
| BK Root Beer | 1208 S Heaton Street | Knox |
| BK Root Beer | 1020 N Logan Street | Mishawaka |
| BK Root Beer | 1625 S. Wabash Street | Wabash |
| Blue Top Drive-In since 1964 | 8801 Indianapolis Boulevard | Highland |
| BB&K West | 1101 W Market Street | Logansport |
| Bummies Drive-in | 1263 S Main Street | Bluffton |
| Carlson’s Drive-in since 1947 | 118 W Coolspring Avenue | Michigan City |
| Dog’ n Suds since 1956 | 601 Sagamore Parkway South | Lafayette |
| Dog’ n Suds since 2005 | 401 Sagamore Parkway West | West Lafayette |
| Don’s Drive-in | 506 N 7th Street | Kentland |
| Don Hall’s Hollywood Drive-in | 4416 Lima Road | Fort Wayne |
| Gene’s Rootbeer and Hot Dogs since 1964 | 640 S Scatterfield Road | Anderson |
| Graham’s B&K Root Beer | 511 Northwestern Avenue | Monticello |
| Kunkel’s Drive-in | 2402 Park Road | Connersville |
| Mason’s Root Beer Drive-in | 1201 National Hwy E | Washington |
| Mr. Weenie Drive-In | 600 N Broadway | Peru |
| The Patio Drive-in since 1954 | 234 US-421 | Francesville |
| The Port Drive-in since 1953 | 419 N Calumet Road | Chesterton |
| Rupert’s B&K Root Beer since 1976 | 2105 N Davis Road | Kokomo |
| Simonton Lake Drive-in since 1964 | 3724 Cassopolis Street | Elkhart |
| The Suds since 1957 | 350 Market Plaza | Greenwood |
| Thompson B-K Root Beer | 1401 Factory Avenue | Marion |
| What’s The Rub | 117 Apple Street | Greenfield |
Iowa Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in | 109 E 2nd Ave | Indianola |
| Barrel Drive In since 1966 | 204 IA-150 | West Union |
Kansas Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-In | 300 S Fossil Street | Russell |
| Bobo’s Drive-in since 1948 | 2300 SW 10th Avenue | Topeka |
| Vista Drive-in since 1964 | 1911 Tuttle Creek Boulevard | Manhattan |
Kentucky Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Bob’s Drive-in since 1949 | 2429 Bridge Street | Paducah |
| Dizzy Whizz Drive-in since 1947 | 217 St Catherine Street | Louisville |
| Harned’s Drive-In since 1955 | 4421 Clarks River Road | Paducah |
| Parker’s Drive-In & 50’s Diner | 2921 Lone Oak Road | Paducah |
Louisiana Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| LaPlace Frostop since 1958 | 411 E Airline Highway | LaPlace |
| Yummy Sushi | 416 Homer Road | Minden |
Maine Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Cameron’s Lobster House | 18 Bath Road | Brunswick |
| Fat Boy Drive-In since 1955 | 111 Bath Road | Brunswick |
| Val’s Drive-in since 1959 | 925 Sabattus Street | Lewiston |
Michigan Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in since 1956 | 4100 12 Mile Road | Berkley |
| A&W Drive-in | 8220 Dexter Chelsea Road | Dexter |
| A&W Drive-in | 470 South Street | Ortonville |
| Arnie’s Drive In | 28102 M-152 | Dowagiac |
| Baraga Drive-In | 1156 S Superior Avenue | Baraga |
| Big R’s Hogs & Dogs | 1876 W Ludington Drive | Farwell |
| Bill’s Hot Dog Stand | 1292 E Michigan Avenue | Ypsilanti |
| Chick Inn Drive-in | 501 Holmes Road | Ypsilanti |
| Clyde’s Drive-in | 906 US Highway 2 W | Saint Ignace |
| Clyde’s Drive-in | 1425 Riverside Drive | Sault Saint Marie |
| Clyde’s Drive-in since 1949 | 201 Chippewa Avenue | Manistique |
| Corky’s Drive In | 1299 Lincoln Road | Allegan |
| Daly Drive-in since 1959 | 31500 Plymouth Road | Livonia |
| Dog’ n Suds | 4454 Dowling Street | Montague |
| Don’s Drive-In since 1958 | 2030 US 31 N | Traverse City |
| Eddie’s Drive-in since 1987 | 36111 Jefferson Avenue | Harrison Township |
| Happy Dayz Drive-In | 326 N Mable Street | Pinconning |
| Jon’s Drive-In since 1957 | 1030 S Mission Street | Mt Pleasant |
| Monroe’s Original Hot Dog since the 1930s | 1111 W Front Street | Monroe |
| Nip-N-Sip since 1950 | 2603 N East Street | Lansing |
| Red’s Root Beer | 813 S Kalamazoo Street | Paw Paw |
| Rudy’s Drive-In since 1967 | 4061 Page Avenue | Michigan Center |
| Short’s Root Beer Stand | 378 W. Chicago Drive | Coldwater |
| The Root Beer Stand | 4400 S. Westnedge Avenue | Kalamazoo |
| The Root Beer Stand | 3100 Portage Street | Kalamazoo |
| Vince’s West Elm Drive-in since 1955 | 1305 W Elm Avenue | Monroe |
Minnesota Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Dari-ette Drive-In since 1951 | 1440 Minnehaha Ave E | St. Paul |
| The Drive-In since 1956 | 572 Bench Street | Taylor Falls |
| JJ’s Tasty Drive-in | 804 S Kniss Avenue | Luverne |
| Lakeview Drive Inn since 1938 | 610 Sarnia St E | Winona |
| Minnetonka Drive In since 1961 | 4658 Shoreline Drive | Spring Park |
| Peppermint Twist since 1982 | 115 Babcock Boulevard | Delano |
| Wagner’s Drive-In since 1962 | 7000 W Broadway Avenue | Brooklyn Park |
Mississippi Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Bumpers Drive-in | 30 locations | across Mississippi |
| Johnnie’s Drive-in since 1945 | 908 E Main Street | Tupelo |
Missouri Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Chuck-A-Burger Drive-in since 1957 | 9025 Saint Charles Rock Road | St. Louis |
| HiBoy Burgers since 1957 | 3424 Blue Ridge Cut Off | Independence |
| Hicks Hometown Drive-In | 1311 Washington Street | Chillicothe |
| Mugs Up Drive-in since 1955 | 603 Orange Street | Columbia |
| Mugs Up Drive-in since 1956 | 700 East 23rd Street | Independence |
Montana Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Ford’s Drive-in since 1954 | 1301 Central Ave W | Great Falls |
| Mark’s In and Out Beefburgers since 1954 | 801 W Park Street | Livingston |
| R-B Drive-in since 1928 | 932 Helena Avenue | Helena |
Nebraska Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Mac’s Drive-In since 1943 | 809 W B Street | McCook |
New Jersey Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Stewart’s Drive-in | 13 locations across New Jersey | Burlington, Dover, Franklin Park, Hamilton Square, Hazlet, Howell, Lebanon, Matawan, Point Pleasant Beach, Rahway, Somerset, Tuckerton, Wall |
| Webers Drive-in since 1951 | 6019 Lexington Avenue | Pennsauken |
| Webers Drive-in since 1959 | 105 S White Horse Pike | Stratford |
New Mexico Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in | 908 W Aztec Boulevard | Aztec |
| Dog House Drive-in since 1967 | 1216 Central Ave NW | Albuquerque |
| Mac’s Steak in the Rough since 1949 | 4515 Menaul Boulevard NE | Albuquerque |
| Twin Cronnie Drive-in since 1952 | 709 Commerce Way | Clovis |
New York Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Mac’s Drive-In since 1961 | 1166 Waterloo Geneva Road | Waterloo |
North Carolina Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Drive-in | 910 Ayersville Road | Madison |
| Ammons’ Drive Inn & Dairy Bar | 1451 Dellwood Road | Waynesville |
| Bar-B-Q King since 1959 | 2900 Wilkinson Boulevard | Charlotte |
| Cardinal Drive-In since 1976 | 344 S Broad Street | Brevard |
| Circle Drive-In | 111 Boone Road | Eden |
| City Drive-In since 1950 | 670 Oak Avenue | Spruce Pine |
| Dick’s Drive-in since 1963 | 1004 West Washington Street | Eden |
| Dixie Drive-In | 1930 E 5th Street | Lumberton |
| El’s Drive-in since 1959 | 3706 Arendell Street | Morehead City |
| Mayberry Drive-In Food | 675 W Pine Street | Mt Airy |
| Skid’s Drive-in since 1949 | 1610 N Church Street | Burlington |
| South 21 Drive-in since 1955 | 3101 E Independence Boulevard | Charlotte |
North Dakota Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| The Keg’s Drive-in since 1946 | 901 N 5TH Street | Grand Forks |
| Scotty’s Drive-in since 1964 | 210 N 21st Street | Bismarck |
Ohio Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in | 924 E 5th Street | Delphos |
| A&W Drive-in | 1124 W Main Street | Kent |
| A&W Drive-in | 769 East Main Street | Ravenna |
| A&W Drive-in | 35 W Avenue | Tallmadge |
| A&W Drive-in | 800 E Elm Street | Union City |
| BK Root Beer | 2184 Manchester Road | Akron |
| BK Root Beer | 737 Monroe Falls Avenue | Cuyahoga Falls |
| BK Rootbeer | 1407 South Street | Piqua |
| BK Rootbeer | 301 Riverside Drive | Sidney |
| BK Root Beer | 2780 Stone Circle Drive | Troy |
| Dilly’s Drive-In | 1921 Triplett Boulevard | Akron |
| Dilly’s Drive-In | 4280 State Road | Peninsula |
| Dinner Bell Drive-in | 6340 Lake Avenue | Elyria |
| Dog’ n Suds since 1958 | 2050 North Ridge Road | Elyria |
| The Jug since 1932 | 3610 Central Avenue | Middletown |
| Fundays, The Root Beer Stand since 1957 | 1345 4th St NW | New Philadelphia |
| Miller’s Root Beer and BBQ Stand | 830 Lima Avenue | Findlay |
| The Root Beer Stand | 421 W River Street | Antwerp |
| The Rootbeer Stande | 1727 Woodman Drive | Dayton |
| Skyway Drive-In since 1952 | 951 East Turkeyfoot Lake Road | Akron |
| SkyWay Drive-in Restaurant | 2781 W Market Street | Fairlawn |
| SkyWay Drive-in Restaurant | 951 East Turkeyfoot Lake Road | Green |
| Stewart’s Drive-in since 1925 | 1036 N. Main Street | Marion |
| Swensons Drive-in since 1934 |
Oklahoma Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Burger Supreme Drive-Inn | 1208 E Carl Albert Parkway | McAlester |
| Classic 50’S Drive-in | 1521 W Lindsey Street | Norman |
| Coweta Drive-In | 13565 OK-51 | Coweta |
| Wayne’s Drive Inn since 1950 | 7 SW Sheridan Road | Lawton |
| Wayne’s Drive Inn since 2007 | 6810 NW Cache Road | Lawton |
Oregon Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W All American Drive-In | 1690 US-101 | Florence |
| Dandy’s Drive-in since 1968 | 1334 NE 3rd Street | Bend |
| Mike’s Drive-In since 1971 | 905 7th Street | Oregon City |
| Pete’s Drive-in | 1270 W Harvard Avenue | Roseburg |
| RJ’s Restaurant | 920 W Tyler Street | Burns |
| Scottie’s Drive-in | 1702 Pacific Avenue | Forest Grove |
Pennsylvania Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Collinsville Drive-In | 2730 Delta Road | Brogue |
| Crabbs Tropical Treat | 2279 Carlisle Pike | Hanover |
| The Fence Drive-In | 1605 State Route 405 | Milton |
| Jerry’s Curb Service since 1947 | 1521 Riverside Drive | Beaver |
| Kripsy Kream Drive-In | 3680 Benjamin Franklin Hwy | Belsano |
| Red Rabbit Drive-in | 60 Benvenue Road | Duncannon |
| Vinny’s Drive Inn | 1225 Connellsville Street | Uniontown |
Rhode Island Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Evelyn’s Drive-In since 1969 | 2335 Main Road | Tiverton |
South Carolina Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| The Beacon Drive-in since 1946 | 255 John B White Sr Boulevard | Spartanburg |
| Cannon’s Drive-in since 1971 | 409 Trade Street | Greer |
| Clock Drive-In since 1954 | 1844 Wade Hampton Blvd | Greenville |
| The Drive-in since 1957 | 135 E Palmetto Street | Florence |
| Sno-Cap Drive-in since 1964 | 618 West Avenue | North Augusta |
South Dakota Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Circle E Drive-In since 1954 | 212 Kennedy Avenue | Murdo |
Tennessee Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in | 3989 Highway 411 | Madisonville |
| Bumpers Drive-in since 1983 | 303 East Broad Street | Smithville |
| Carl’s Drive In since 1960 | 1254 E Lee Highway | Loudon |
| Debbie’s Drive Inn | 157 W Broadway Street | Newport |
| The Hop 50’s Drive-In | 1540 E Broadway Avenue | Maryville |
| Jiffy Burger | 1001 Hillsboro Boulevard | Manchester |
| KN Root Beer | 241 N Lindell Street | Martin |
| Snow White Drive-In since 1952 | 1714 W Main Street | Lebanon |
Texas Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Bells Better Burgers since 1963 | 2610 Peachtree Road | Balch Springs |
| Buddy’s Drive In since 1969 | 106 E Broadway Street | Andrews |
| Cupp’s Drive Inn since 1947 | 1424 Speight Avenue | Waco |
| Keller’s Drive-in since 1950 | 6537 Northwest Highway | Dallas |
| KN Root Beer | 3900 Olsen Boulevard | Amarillo |
| KN Root Beer since 1960 | 514 E Broadway Street | Cuero |
| KN Root Beer | 1108 Cypress Street | Graham |
| Ray’s Drive Inn since 1956 | 822 SW 19th Street | San Antonio |
| Snapka’s Drive-Inn since 1948 | 4434 Weber Road | Corpus Christi |
| Snapka’s Drive-Inn since 1948 | 4760 Leopard Street | Corpus Christi |
| Storm’s Drive-in | 700 N Water Street | Burnet |
| Storm’s Drive-In | 201 N Key Avenue | Lampasas |
| Storm’s Hamburgers | 923 E Main Street | Hamilton |
| The Wagon Wheel Drive-In since 1949 | 2010 Scurry Street | Big Spring |
| Watson’s Drive-In since 1956 | 631 W Main Street | Denison |
Utah Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Kirt’s Drive-In | 1974 N 400 E Street | North Ogden |
| Peach City since 1937 | 306 N Main Street | Brigham City |
Vermont Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in | 1557 RTE U.S. 7 | Middlebury |
Virginia Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| B&P Drive-in | 905 Floyd Pike | Hillsville |
| Chef’s Drive-in | 1101 Main Street | Altavista |
| Doumar’s Cones & Barbecue since 1934 | 1919 Monticello Avenue | Norfolk |
| Dude’s Drive-in | 1505 Roanoke Street | Christiansburg |
| Wrights Dairy-Rite since 1952 | 346 Greenville Avenue | Staunton |
Washington Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Boomer’s Drive-In | 310 N Samish Way | Bellingham |
| Burgermaster since 1952 | 9820 Aurora Avenue N | Issaquah |
| Burgermaster | 18626 Bothell-Everett Highway | Bothell |
| Burgermaster | 10606 NE Northup Way | Bellevue |
| Burgermaster | 2030 Freeway Drive Mount | Mount Vernon |
| Triple XXX Root Beer | 98 NE Gilman Boulevard | Issaquah |
West Virginia Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Frostop Drive-Inn since 1959 | 1449 Hal Greer Blvd | Huntington |
| Jim’s Drive-In | 479 Washington Street | Lewisburg |
| Midway West Drive-in since 1939 | 445 6th Ave W | Huntington |
| Morrison’s Drive Inn since 1947 | 126 Stollings Avenue | Logan |
| Sterling Drive-In since 1945 | 788 Stewart Street | Welch |
| Stewart’s Drive-in | 2445 Fifth Avenue | Huntington |
| Stewart’s Drive-in | 1025 Oak Street | Kenova |
Wisconsin Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| A&W Drive-in | 3801 E Calumet Street | Appleton |
| A&W Drive-in since 1931 | 269 Winnebago Drive | Fond du Lac |
| A&W Drive-in | 7885 U.S. Highway 2 | Iron River |
| A&W Drive-in | 2187 W 9th Avenue | Oshkosh |
| A&W Drive-in since 1931 | 701 Belknap Street | Superior |
| Annie’s Burger Town | 645 N Lincoln Street | Elkhorn |
| Ardy’s & Ed’s Drive-in since 1948 | 2413 S Main Street | Oshkosh |
| Big Star Drive-in since 1954 | 1500 Washington Road | Kenosha |
| Charlie’s Drive-in since 1965 | 806 W Main Street | Hortonville |
| Chester’s Drive-In | 1504 Eastern Avenue | Plymouth |
| Dog’ n Suds | 1228 North 4th Street | Tomahawk |
| Gilles Frozen Custard since 1949 | 819 S Main Street | Fond du Lac |
| Gus’s Drive-in | 3131 Main Street | East Troy |
| Kiltie Drive-in | N48W36154 Wisconsin Avenue | Oconomowoc |
| Milty Wilty Drive-In since 1947 | W7411 WI-73 | Wautoma |
| Mullin’s Drive-in since 1934 | 102 Spring Street | Fox Lake |
| R&R Drive-In | 607 W Lincoln Street | Augusta |
| Rudy’s Drive-In Restaurant since 1933 | 1004 La Crosse Street | La Crosse |
| The Spot Drive-In since 1945 | 2117 75th Street | Kenosha |
| Wayne’s Drive-In | 1331 Covered Bridge Road | Cedarburg |
Wyoming Drive-In Restaurants
| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Red Baron Drive-In since 1968 | 838 Washington Street | Afton |
Drive-In Restaurant FAQ
What is a drive-in restaurant?
A drive-in restaurant is a place where customers park their cars and have food brought out to them, typically by a carhop or via curb service. The meal is meant to be eaten in or beside the car.
What’s the difference between a drive-in and a drive-thru?
At a drive-in, you park and stay in place while food is delivered to your car. A drive-thru requires you to remain in your vehicle and move through a service lane to pick up food.
Do drive-in restaurants still use carhops?
Some do. Others offer curb service where staff walk orders out to parked cars. Both are considered true drive-in service.
Are drive-in restaurants seasonal?
Many drive-ins operate seasonally, especially in colder climates, and may close during the winter months.
Why isn’t Sonic included in this directory?
Sonic has thousands of locations nationwide, making it easier to find nearby locations directly on their website. This directory focuses on independent and classic drive-in restaurants.
Are there still drive-in restaurants near me?
Yes. There are hundreds of drive-in restaurants still operating across the United States. Use the state-by-state directory below to find locations near you.
Special Thanks
This page could not have been created or regularly updated without the help of drive-in historian David Hosticka.
2 Comments
I wanted to share an active drive-in in Iowa. In the town of West Union is a drive-in called “The Barrel” with great brosted chicken along with other drive-in favorites. Not a lot of internet connections out in the country so most small business’s use facebook to connect with customers and advertise.
Ken, thanks so much for the info. I’ve added them.