What could be more classic Americana than a drive-thru restaurant? How about one shaped like a donut? Or a drive-in diner where burgers are delivered to your car by servers on roller skates? The first drive-thru is believed to be Red's Giant Hamburg, which opened in Springfield, Missouri, in 1947 along Route 66. The legacy lives on in these charming drive-thru and drive-in restaurants across the US. Check individual websites and state travel advisories for the latest information before planning a visit.
Although the original Red’s closed in the 1980s, it returned in 2019. Well, sort of. Restauranteur David Campbell bought the brand rights from founder Sheldon ‘Red’ Cheney’s widow and set about recreating the old location’s menu and vintage vibe. The new joint pays suitable tribute to the pioneering restaurant, with fun, retro decor and a prominent sign displaying ‘Giant Hamburg’ – a name that came about because they couldn’t squeeze ‘er’ on the end.
For those times when you need a delicious daiquiri to go, this regional chain has you covered. New Orleans Original Daiquiris started in New Orleans in 1983 and now has around 50 locations across the state, including in Lafayette and Baton Rouge. The USP is pretty solid – dishing out frozen daiquiris to takeout and, at many of its locations, handing out the colorful fruity cocktails through a drive-thru window (it’s legal to carry one in your car so long as the cup is sealed).
After a day full of sightseeing, nothing could be sweeter than a pit stop at Snappy Burger, a 1950s-style drive-thru hamburger joint built into shipping containers which also acts as a drive-in move theatre. The concept of driving in and watching a movie will you eat oozes nostalgia and people can't get enough of it. The menu is an assortment of classic American cuisine, but the burgers are true retro perfection, using pure Angus beef.
It’s a McDonald’s, yes, but not as we know it. Customers love the so-called ‘McMansion', housed in an immaculate white mansion in the village of New Hyde Park on Long Island. The building was originally an 18th-century farmhouse, converted into a Georgian-style mansion in the 1860s – and now home to what must surely be the poshest McDonald’s around. It opened in 1991 and has been restored to its former glory with ornate details on the exterior, the original portico and muted decor throughout. And yes, there's a drive-thru, so you can admire the impressive exterior while waiting for your fries.
If two dancing hot dogs can’t get you to take a pitstop, how about two dancing hot dogs wearing hair bows and leotards? If that doesn’t work, how about top-rated beef hot dogs and shakes so thick you’re advised to use a spoon? Superdawg Drive-In has been making them (and serving them to motorists) since opening as a hot dog stand in 1948. The popular spot quickly became a bigger drive-in restaurant with carhops delivering the food, and there’s now a second location in the Chicago suburb of Wheeling.
The Donut Hole isn't the kind of place you just drive by. In fact, this 1968 drive-thru has become so iconic with lovers of all things quirky and kitsch, many people actively seek out the landmark, just east of Los Angeles. There’s a great variety of donut flavors and each is melt-in-the-mouth delicious, plus the coffee is great too.
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Colorful north California mini-chain Amy’s Drive Thru puts a vegetarian twist on classic drive-thru fare. Burgers are made with vegetable patties and topped with plenty of crunchy veg, pickles and cheese. Everything, including the beloved burritos, can be made vegan and/or gluten-free too. The restaurants – with the original location in Rohnert Park, Sonoma County and several others in northern California – are joyful, with bright murals, yellow tables and a blue neon sign outside.
Drive-thru breakfast makes perfect sense, really – it's probably the meal you'll most likely want to grab on the go. That doesn't have to mean greasy sandwiches (unless you want it to). BeanThru, which serves from a cute wooden cabin, is all about the good stuff, specializing in craft coffees and handheld breakfast items like sausage, egg and cheese croissants, burritos and fresh, fruity muffins.
You can order a whole cake and have it delivered through your car window at Portillo’s, which started with a small hot dog stand in Chicago suburb Villa Park in 1963 and now has locations throughout the city, state and elsewhere in the US. The drive-thru and dine-in restaurants specialize in cakes, from chocolate to lemon, and regional favorites like beef hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches and cheese fries.
Grown, which focuses on organic ingredients and healthy creations, is a drive-thru version of a farm-to-fork restaurant – or farm-to-car-window, perhaps. The small chain, with three Miami locations, was launched by Shannon Allen, inspired by nutritious meals she would prepare for husband Ray, a former basketball star. Customers love the fact that it’s a drive-thru offering healthy, flavorsome and thoughtfully prepared dishes like Havana Salad with shredded chicken and grilled, wild-caught salmon.
Few places do Cuban food like Miami, and few in the city are so beloved as legendary drive-thru Sergio’s on Bird Road, established in 1975. It feels like a minor miracle to get such authentic, lovingly cooked and flavorsome food through a small drive-up window, which only adds to the charm. Try the vaca frita (fried shredded beef) or comforting Cuban classics such as sopa de pollo (chicken soup) and roast pork. Sergio’s now has restaurants throughout Florida, several – including Doral – with drive-thru windows.
Serving a healthy spin on fast food, Urban Cookhouse started out in Alabama and now has locations in South Carolina and Tennessee. Most restaurants have a drive-thru window, offering a refreshing change to the typically less healthy options people can pick up without leaving their cars. The menu uses locally sourced ingredients and regulars rave about delicious options like fresh seasonal salads and sliders.
The homemade root beer at Mugs-Up has been brewed to the same recipe since the drive-thru spot opened in 1956. The refreshingly bittersweet drink is served in frosted mugs (or a takeaway cup if you’re getting one to go). Pair it with a burger made with loosely packed ground meat (like a sloppy joe) – customers love the crumbly texture. The carhops who come out and take your order add to the retro fun at this drive-in favorite.
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This unassuming little spot may not look like much, but the delicious dishes served up at Bee Bee’s have made it a favorite with locals and those just motoring through. Expect well-made burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches and classic Southern sides like fried okra. Its mom-and-pop charm, along with the excellent food, keeps people coming back. Don’t miss the baklava, with layers of flaky pastry and honey, and the satisfying sandwiches.
All orders come with a generous side of goodwill at Tacos 4 Life, which has locations in Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. The small chain matches each meal ordered by donating one to a child in need through a charity. The food is no afterthought, though – customers praise the delicious flavors packed into the range of zingy taco fillings. Most locations have drive-thru windows, while others offer pick-up.
Vegan burger joint Santana’s started out with a tiny drive-thru operation and has since moved to a larger location, though there’s still a window for those who prefer to grab their plant-based favorites on the go. Customers praise everything from the convincing meat substitutes to the huge portions of seasoned fries. The menu unashamedly follows the classic drive-thru model, with meat and dairy-free versions of everything from bacon cheeseburgers and hot dogs to chicken strips.
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This rock 'n' roll-inspired business started out as a food truck and there's now a permanent restaurant in Atlanta's East Lake neighborhood, plus a drive-thru in Grant Park. The latter’s tiny building has a colorful mural on the side and passes out burgers through a small window. Regulars recommend the lamb burger, fries and – well – pretty much everything else on the menu.
This mini-chain was founded in Phoenix, Arizona to solve many motorists' dilemma of how to eat healthily on the road. Quirky Salad and Go takes a different approach to drive-thru food with boxes that burst with color and flavor, using ingredients like smoked corn and pico de gallo (fresh tomato salsa). If you're up early, grab a breakfast burrito – the traditional with eggs, potatoes, bacon, cheese and salsa is a hit.
Roller-skating carhops, dressed in pink-and-black uniforms, usually glide the food straight to your table or car window at this retro diner just outside Los Angeles. Customers at Frisco’s Carhops especially love the fact they can enjoy crisp fried chicken and burgers tucked in Parmesan sourdough buns (the house specialty) without having to leave their vehicles. Those who do decide to dine-in can recreate the experience in one of the car-shaped booths.
This family owned drive-in has been operating since 1961 with one simple philosophy – to serve plates with generous portions of hearty, simple food, with two scoops of rice and a side of macaroni salad, at a reasonable price. Today, the site is still a must-visit, having appeared on TV shows such as The Food Network’s Diners, Drive Ins and Dives and Netflix’s Terrace House. Visitors rave about the classic, Hawaii-style plate lunch.
The Coffee Potter opened in 2017 and is already a beloved spot thanks to the warm welcome and quality brews. There are some lovely baked goods for dunking in your vanilla latte or nibbling alongside your nitro cold brew. People can visit the drive-thru window to pick up drinks and perhaps something from the daily selection of cakes and biscuits – they’re consistently delicious. Oh, and they hand out dog treats and ‘puppicinos’ too – a quirky touch regulars love.
It's worth popping by this spot for the sheer novelty of ordering top-notch sushi from a drive-thru window. The rolls turned out at ToGo Sushi, though, are delicious and perfectly prepared regardless of how they’re served. Recommended orders include miso soup and specialty rolls like the happy roll with shrimp, avocado, crab and mango. There are a few counter seats inside too.
This chicken sandwich drive-thru has a flashy neon sign that looks like it jumped straight out of the 1950s, but it only dates back to 2016. That perhaps isn’t surprising, given that Flyrite Chicken's two main locations are in Austin, home of everything wonderfully weird and retro. Customers love the fact the meat is sustainably and ethically sourced, and prepared to perfection.
Nubias is famed for its elaborate and flavor-filled juices and drinks, including a good range of alcohol-free options for drivers. There's also great food on offer, such as nachos, tacos and vibrant pickle salads. Customers describe the dishes as among the best you’ll find anywhere.
The story behind Company 7 BBQ is almost as appealing as the pit-style barbecue meats it delivers in its dining room and via its drive-thru window. It was founded by a family of firefighters who designed and decorated the unit to evoke an old-fashioned firehouse – all wood, brass and memorabilia. The food itself is finger-licking, lip-smacking, melt-in-the-mouth stuff – among the best barbecue in the US.
Pretty much everything at old-school spot Little Top Drive Thru is delicious but, if you only have one thing on the menu, make it the signature chip burger or ‘chipper’. This combo of chipped ham and salad in a bun is a firm favorite, as are the satisfyingly-thick malt shakes. The cheeseburgers and espresso-orange shakes also get the thumbs-up, as does the charming service.
Crown Burgers, with several locations in and around Salt Lake City, serves classic drive-thru fare with a fresh, zingy Greek twist. The owners’ Mediterranean heritage shows in a menu of crowd-pleasing gyros and souvlaki alongside burgers and burritos. But the customer favorite at the drive-thru spot is the signature Crown Burger – a beef burger topped with hot pastrami.
Burgers (and pretty much everything else on the menu) come with a side of goop at family-run Eastside Big Tom, which offers dining in and a separate drive-thru stand. It's nothing to do with Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand – goop is actually the signature house-made sauce. Be sure to take a peep at the garden too. There’s always unusual decor on show, from a Scooby-Doo van to model dinosaurs.
Those who have pulled up to cute, drive-thru coffee shop Lighthouse Espresso love the great brews, which stand out even among all the stiff competition in craft coffee hotspot Missoula. The iced drinks and the huge, freshly made breakfast sandwiches are delicious too, and they offer tasty soups in hearty, comforting flavors like baked potato and pot roast.
Of course you should never drink and drive, but you can buy beer while in your car at this small chain on North Carolina’s Outer Banks barrier islands. Brew Thru is effectively a convenience store for people who love beer and all the snacks to go with it. People can pull up and order six-packs and even kegs, along with a range of sweet and savory accompaniments, which the ‘car tenders’ grab for you. The first location opened in 1977 and there are now five of the drive-thru convenience stores.
Thai cooking this good would be impressive anywhere. When it's a low-key joint with a small drive-up window, it feels all the more special. Atchara ‘Holly’ Willis, from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, runs Sa Bai Modern Thai – which also offers delivery and dine-in – with husband Eric. Fans love the fact you can get gluten-free sauces and the noodle dishes, from pad Thai to slurpable soups, are regularly praised. There’s a second Phoenix location and one in Tempe too.
Mr. Gyros is owned by a Greek family. The authenticity shows in every gyro wrap, filled with tender, well-seasoned meat, and in each serving of house-made hummus or baba ghanoush (eggplant dip). Popular dishes include the Greek salad and honey-sweet baklava, while the Greek fries, smothered in feta cheese, parsley and homemade dressing, are particularly moreish. It’s particularly good for a quick drive-thru spot.
People love the colorful, decidedly retro decor at Westside Drive-In, whose original State Street location has been serving burgers and shakes since 1957 (they’ve since opened a second spot in Boise). The look is all neon, perky pink and turquoise, while the vibe doesn't appear to have changed much since the 1950s. And, because this is Idaho, you can order a dessert inspired by the state’s famous potatoes – a baked spud ice cream, which even has sweet sprinkles cunningly disguised as chives.