Why Old-School Drive-In Restaurants Have Nearly Died Out

Before there were drive-thrus, there were drive-ins. These restaurants had servers called carhops who would take orders from customers waiting in their cars, and were once a standard stop for meals on the go. At the peak of the trend, there were more than 4,000 drive-ins in America. These days, only around 250 old-fashioned drive-ins remain. Speaker-powered drive-thrus are simply more efficient, but drive-ins (the original car-centric fast-food joints) are still an important part of American history. 

Texan entrepreneur Jesse G. Kirby is credited with inventing the drive-in restaurant. In 1921, Kerby opened the first drive-in Pig Stand in Dallas, Texas. By 1924, the restaurant had several locations in Texas and a smattering in other nearby states. One ad claimed that the Dallas locations alone served 50,000 sandwiches per week. 

Its success served as a testament to its efficiency, and drive-ins took off. As copycats started popping up across America, restaurant owners competed to make quick-serve restaurants even quicker. Carhops strapped on roller skates to maximize speed while architects pioneered circular drive-ins that were designed to fit as many customers as possible. 

In 1949, In-N-Out founder Harry Snyder invented drive-thru dining. He'd already opened the first In-N-Out location a year earlier, which featured a pull-up window where customers could place orders. The system was clunky, though. Snyder drew inspiration from a new, World War II-era invention, the intercoms on military ships, to create a two-way speaker for his restaurant. His system was smarter, faster, and more efficient, and set the standard for what would come.

Harry Snyder's two-way speakers didn't catch on right away. At first, the speakers confused customers. Even still, other restaurants soon saw the system's merit. Jack in the Box installed a speaker system in 1951 and Wendy's improved on the system when it introduced pickup windows in 1969.

The drive-thru system didn't really take over until McDonald's opened its first drive-thru in 1975. At the time, most McDonald's restaurants were walk-up or dine-in only. A Sierra Vista, Arizona location was struggling to attract soldiers from the nearby Fort Huachuca Army Base. When soldiers were off base, they couldn't leave their vehicles while in uniform. To accommodate them, the franchise owner installed a drive-in window. The system was such a success that the company began implementing it nationwide and soon classic drive-ins simply couldn't compete.

Fast food brands are still working to improve the drive-thru experience today. McDonald's Corporate Headquarters features two fully-customizable test restaurants where employees prototype equipment and simulate real-life customer experiences. This test lab includes a mock drive-thru where employees push each other around in carts to test new menu boards and layouts.

Some data suggests that customers are using drive-thrus less as they turn to mobile orders, but they're still a big part of American food culture. Time will tell if fully-automated drive-thrus will take over for good, but in the meantime you can check to see if there's an old-fashioned drive-in near you. It'll give you a taste of American history.