It's Tuesday night. Mom had a bad day teaching school. She came home and went to bed. Dad's just walked in hungry and realizes that the kitchen is idle. What happens next?
We wake mom up, load everyone into the Plymouth, and head for the A&W drive-in!
In the mid 1960's it seemed that every town with at least 5000 residents had an A&W drive-in. The chain was an intriguing anomaly: the only thing they all had in common was the fact that they sold the most delicious root beer on the planet. Their food menus were strictly up to each franchise!
I guess that wasn't so strange. Franchise restaurants weren't the commonplace sight back then that they are now. The business was still busy reinventing itself.
It's hard to imagine, but McDonald's was a rare sight in small town America back then. So were all of the other chains we see in nearly every town today.
But you were always close to an A&W. And while the food might vary in quality, you knew you had something heavenly to wash it down with.
As A&W's ownership passed from one corporate giant to another, its identity changed. Many drive-ins either closed or dropped their affiliation during this metamorphosis. In 1978, a common menu was adopted for its franchisees. Also, A&W became officially known as a "restaurant," not a drive-in. Carhop service was quite rare by this time.
If you are fortunate enough to have a local A&W, you probably visit it regularly to savor the taste of that unique mead brewed with a secret recipe. But it's highly unlikely you get it carried to your car. However, if you remember JFK, I'll bet you have fond memories of a local A&W drive-in.
Comments (4)
Oh A&W! I may be a bit younger but my family ALWAYS stopped at A&W on I-94 on our way to and from Wisconsin (from home in Chicago).
My wife and I also stopped there on the way back from our honeymoon in Lake Geneva in '91!
Nothing like that root beer!
Posted by Scott Childers | January 6, 2007 12:04 AM
Posted on January 6, 2007 00:04
Unfortunately, I don't remember this franchise in our Maryland suburb? If we wanted carryout, we would go to the Hott Shoppes with the carhop service. You could get a Mighty Moe sandwich (precurser to the Big Mac). We did have McDonalds and Burger Chef, but no A & W? It has just been a few years ago that I started seeing A & Ws. I have yet been to one, but hope to some day! A & W has the best Root Beersb I understand the rootbeer floats are top rated!
Posted by Rivers End | May 27, 2009 4:25 PM
Posted on May 27, 2009 16:25
I remember th A&W drive in in my home town, Sioux Falls SD. There was the Papa Burger, Mama Burger, Teen Burger & Baby Burger. They served up to drinks in a frosty glass mug - no paper cup. They had two sizes, baby mugs & regular sized mugs. I still have a baby mug from way back when. They began to get other drinks, grape & orange. These were in the paper cup.
As of this writing (June 9, 2009), there is an ad on the radio announcing the 90th anniversary of the A&W restaurant in Webster, SD. They do still exist!
Posted by Lynn | June 9, 2009 5:14 PM
Posted on June 9, 2009 17:14
I am now 49-yr.s old. My father was in the U.S. Army during the 1960's.
We lived in Ft. Leonard Wood,MO from 64'-67'. Then to Salina,KS from 67'-68' and then back to Ft. Wood,68'-69'.
We always went to A&W restaurants in both states.I remember the Root Beer very well! Something to always look forward to.
I had forgotten the names of their various burgers. "Thanks" to those of you who've mentioned the Burgers' names.
Us kids always enjoyed their food and root beer! I love nostalgia and always flashback to the 1960's.Remembering how things used to be all those years ago.
"Thanks for everything" and God Bless-Tim
Posted by Tim | June 28, 2009 11:54 PM
Posted on June 28, 2009 23:54