Ever been to a real A&W Restaurant?

[Cheyenne]

Wisconsin still has A&W rootbeer stands. I went to them as a child, but can't remember now the last time I stopped at one. We also had a Dog n Suds when I was a kid but that is long gone. Our last drive in theatre disappeared this past year, too. At least in my area of the state, I know there are still some left on other places.

 

[Madame Pandora]

There was a drive-in movie theater down the street from my mother's house when I was very young. It went out of business when I was about 12.

Nowadays if there is a drive-in, it is only open on weekends and shows retro instead of new films. Usually they are used for swap meets and things during the day.

In Ft. Lauderdale, FL, where I lived before here, there is a HUGE place called (I think) "the Swap Shop" where they hold a swap meet all day and then show drive-in movies at night. Only one I know of.

MP

 

[Chuckus]

In Ft. Lauderdale, FL, where I lived before here, there is a HUGE place called (I think) "the Swap Shop" where they hold a swap meet all day and then show drive-in movies at night. Only one I know of.

MP

I know exactly where that is at, been there before, about 2 or 3 years ago in FT Lauderdale.

We have 1 drive in left in the area.........and it is still fun to go and watch a movie and take a blanket and home made popcorn and have the speaker hanging in the window.

 

[Madame Pandora]

We have 1 drive in left in the area.........and it is still fun to go and watch a movie and take a blanket and home made popcorn and have the speaker hanging in the window.

Just don't forget those mosquito coils!!!

MP

 

[Chuckus]

LOL MP. Too funny. Can't forget that........oh and how about a cooler full of drinks?

 

[OUTSIDER]

Did they have them in the in the cooler states, the one's with winters like the UK.

 

[Chuckus]

Did they have them in the in the cooler states, the one's with winters like the UK.

Oh sure OUTSIDER, used to have drive in movie theaters in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Michigan.........don't know about them anymore but once upon a time ago they had them.

 

[Purple Haze]

We have an A&W two blocks from here. (I'm close to Minnesota) It was built a couple of years ago, retro style, the root beer is the same as it used to be. Can't beat it.

The old A&W closed down years ago, I have vivid memories of the tray on the window, the big mug, the baby mug, and listening to "The Shadow" on the radio on a hot summer night in the station wagon.

Oh yeah, the drive-in theaters were great too. I don't know of any that still exist. Why they went away I'll never know.

 

[OUTSIDER]

It seem's a shame that a bit of real Americana is being lost, drive in's "are" an US only thing

 

[Countess DeWinter]

I'm pretty fortunate, apparently, to live in a part of the country where something can be valuable, even when it's old. We pile into the minivan and go to the drive-in every summer. It's getting old, but it's the same one I snuck into as a horny teenager.
And I ate at A&W just last night. It's been there forever. Still serves pretty damn good food, very Americana. And you can sit in your car in the drive up (it has an inside restaurant also) and make out if you want...*sigh*

 

[Weird Harold]

sorry to go a little off the subject but as your nearly all Americans on this thread and board for that matter can you tell me how rare are drive in cinema's in the US these day's.
I've always wanted to go to one but we've never had them here in the UK.

When I first came to Las Vegas in 1970, there were five Drive-in Movies in the area. Now there is only one (The one with six screens.)

It doesn't have the speakers for the windows anymore. Now, each screen has it's own FM stereo radio station for the sound track. They are very low power transmitters, and apparently somewhat directional as well, because the signal doesn't go much beyond the perimeter fence.

As of a few years ago, there was a drive-in right next to Interstate 5 near Chehalis, Washington. (The R-Rated film they were showing almost made me run off the freeway. <G>)

One reason that there are so few Drive-ins left, is Daylight Savings Time. When it doesn't get dark until 8:00 PM, a double bill lasts until 2:00 AM or so. That cuts most of the younger crowd out of the potential audience. One of the biggest attractions of Drive-ins was being able to take the whole family without having to worry about a crying baby disturbing others. Now, with the late show times it just isn't any fun to take young kids who are starting to get cranky before the movie even starts.

 

[teresafannin]

I lived the first 12 years of my life in South Dakota & the only place my home town had was an A & W drive-in & a Zesto Ice Cream Shop. All of that is gone now. I don't think there are any A & W's or drive in movie theaters left in the DFW area. I used to live at the Drive in movies when I was a kid. We used to go to Dollar Carload night, set up lawn chairs & have a blast.

 

[Naked Hunny]

Did they have them in the in the cooler states, the one's with winters like the UK.

Oh sure OUTSIDER, used to have drive in movie theaters in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Michigan.........don't know about them anymore but once upon a time ago they had them.

There were two drive in movie theatre still standing near me until a few years ago. THey knocked down the Sinking Spring Drive In about 3 years ago and put in a minimall and a roller hockey rink. The Deer Lake Drive In is still standing but hasnt shown movies for about 8 yrs. It is for sale if anyone is interested!!

 

[Grrrn38]

Been reading for months, never moved to join "officially" til now.

In NJ, Webers has great home-brewed root-beer drive up stands (only a few left). They close for the winter, and paint them every spring. The bright orange paint and the hokey paddlewheel signs are the true harbingers of spring here.

Last year, I took a friend down there after some grueling summer cleaning, and a couple was celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first date there - their kids had arranged it. Free root beers for all!

 

[OUTSIDER]

you know if I ever won the lottery I might just set up a drive in here in London and I bet it would make a bomb... you never know.

 

[Juliangel]

I don't suppose anyone knows if the Varsity in Atlanta is still open??

Here I am Chuckus.....

LOL are you kidding. I do not think they will ever close it, it is an institution in Atlanta. They would close the capitol down and kick the Braves out first

I love getting cheese dogs, onion rings an a frosted orange to drink from there.

They even have their own website http://www.thevarsity.com/

As for A&W we have on at Northlake Mall and I love their chili dogs.

 

[Andra_Jenny]

Oh man,
Yes A&W was a fantastic childhood memory. They still have one in Leavenworth, KS and others in the Midwest. There is a good one in Beijing too! I think they all moved from the US to China and other spots to avoid the minimum wage laws