In my last post I presented the glorious history of the American diner to you. The drive-in was a new development that started to replace a lot of diners throughout the 1950s and 1960s. However, they also disappeared in great number due to the rise of the drive-through.
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Today, there are still far more drive-ins left than diners. This reflects the growing demand of quick meals. A drive-in enables you to not even leave your car for dining. They started to become popular in the 1930s when so-called “carhops” delivered the food to people parking in their car. Those carhops usually were nice looking girls in fancy uniforms. Some of them even rode roller-skates. So Hooters weren’t the first.
Throughout the 1950s drive-in dominated the roadside. They often showed flamboyant and spectacular architecture. Because of this, drive-ins have always been a pleasant alternative to the monotony of the road. Gradually, the carhops were replaced by electronic ordering devices. Some were simple intercom systems, others featured buttons to choose the desired meal.
Originally the drive-ins offered quick meals but no fast food. People still had to wait for a while until there meals were prepared. In the late 1950s fast-food drive-ins became prevalent. These were called drive-through to illustrate the even faster delivery of the meals. Consequently, drive-throughs started to replace more and more drive-ins. However, there are still a few of them to be found. Go find them and share your findings here!
