Sonic and Stewarts both still have car hops.

Never worked at a place like that, but we occasionally pull into Sonic for a quick lunch. Felt so bad for the car hops last time we were there, just as we were leaving it was starting to sprinkle, but they were still zipping back and forth on their skates to get the food out. Then, about 5 minutes after we pulled out, there was a complete cloud burst. All I could think of, as we inched our way home in weather not fit for man nor beast--was that those poor kids probably still had cars that were waiting for their orders.

When we were dating, DH and I used to go to a little independent place that waited on you in your car (no roller skates, though.) The waitress who always served us looked to be about 75 years old, poor thing. We'd get 2 cheesesteaks, 2 large sodas, and the total was always 2.42--oh, the good old days! Can't get a large soda for that a lot of places now!

I miss those days. My friends and I use to hang out at one in high school. It was called Elam's Root Beer Stand in Decatur,Il. They had their own home made root beer and it was the best I have ever had. It was also well-known for its tenderloin sandwiches and chili dogs, but was torn down in 1989. The end of an era.
Clare

None in our area, but the one that used to have car service so long ago is still a good-going coffee shop==very popular with local people. I remember pulling into the stall and how they used to hook the tray on the open window.

Our town still has an A & W, and we can order from the car, they bring it out.
Hardly any of them left, and this one does a booming business!

I was a carhop for a brief period. I don't think I was very good at it because I didn't last long (LOL). Thank goodness I didn't have to be on roller skates!

No I haven't, but those were the FUN days back in the 50's.

We used to order PINE FLOATS to confuse the car hop :o)

I never worked as a car hop, but I worked in a drive in. They had the BEST pork tenderloin sandwiches. We had to pound them out. They were almost the size of a dinner plate and hung over the bun by inches. We also made our own pizza burgers. A burger made of hamburger and Italian sausage...a piece of mozzarella, battered and coated with a flour mixture, then deep fried and served on a bun. Most people ate them with pizza sauce on them. I ate mine with 1000 island dressing, onions, pickles and tomato. Yum!

Here, we have Sonic Drive-In and they do have car hops on roller skates.

I'm a second generation car hop and my DD is a third generation!
My mother worked at an A&W rootbeer stand in the early 1940's (Detroit, MI).
I worked at an A&W in the early 1960's (Lansing, MI).
My DD worked at A&W in the early 1980's (Brighton, MI)!
Talk about passing the torch!
Kathy G in MI

Dotmom, I was a car hop in Minneapolis, too! I worked at a Bridgeman's in Richfield all through high school. It was a lot of fun but my friends used to show up and give me a hard time. Where is/was the Flat Top?

Ahhhh the memories. In my town we had a place called Picks. The weekend entertainment was "dragging Picks". That's where the guys showed off their wheels and scoped out the girls and where the girls went to see and be seen. A little later the owners opened another drive in across town and we circled through one and then the other. Sometimes went with dates but more often than not a carload of girls would hook up with a carload of boys and socialized on the drive in lot. Sitting on fenders etc. Later on, management installed speakers and wandering on the lot was prohibited. When I moved away 20 years ago, there was still at least one drive in(mabybe 2)left in town other than Sonic & A&W. Picks had been gone a long time but Snapkas was still in business. They had curbside service but never came close to popularity of Picks.

Never worked at one, but went to a Hot Shoppes in Roslyn,VA many times. On a date a Mighty Mo Burger and shake was "fine dining." All the kids from school gathered there. Good ole days!

Glenda, a Pine Float=a glass of water and a toothpick, right?

Sue

Momrox, the Flat Top was on E. lake St. They had the best hamburgers. I worked there when my first son was a baby, then after I quit, my DH worked there as a cook for a second job for a while as did his married brother I now live in No. Mn and don't think there is a Sonic or A&W anywhere near us. I can't imagine car hopping on roller skates! The cars would have be sure to be insured before i waited on them. LOL Dottie

One of my aunts was a teenage unwed mother in the mid-1950s San Antonio, staying in a Salvation Army, and got a job as a carhop. It has always BAFFLED me, that my mother (her sister) said "back then" there was a stigma attached to being a carhop--as though only bad/cheap girls did that kind of work!!

But then, back in Appalachia where they were from, girls couldn't even wear a red skirt!

What memories - ours was called the Top Hat. :)
I worked there one summer - made me realize that I
wanted to get an education. LOL Especially when
I was delivering car trays while a lot of my friends
were at the beach. Not a fun summer - but full
of tremendous lessons.

Ahhh, our family favorite was Hunts Drive-In, and eventually they were so popular that they just enlarged the restaurant and dropped the drive-in. Steak and Shake and A & W were good too.

But Hunts had this pork tenderloin sandwich that was salad plate size, moist and light and tender. So much of it hung out from the bun that we would be full by the time we got to the bun. for a short time they also had the most delicious small hot dogs. MMMMMMM just thinking about it.

Glenda, you are so bad! A pine float. I remember those well....

Trin

I worked at a Stewarts in 1968, I about forgot it til just now. Those were the days!

Ours was a Dog N' Suds, and I work there one summer between my junior and senior year in high school. I was head French Fry chef! Lol, sounds funny now. We referred to it as "Arf and Barf" but don't have a clue as to why we called it that. The food was great and service was good. Last I heard they were still in business which amazes me. The local A&W went out of business years ago, but I can still see that giant barrel with the letters on it. The street where it was located hasn't changed much, but all those old wonderful stores are gone.

Kathyg I'm originally from Grand Rapids, but had relatives in Detroit and used to love summer visits there.

We have a root beer stand in the next town that still
has car hops. I think it's been there for about 45 yrs. The owners live upstairs above it.

we have an a&w around the corner from us and a brand new sonic several mile away...

I was never a carhop, but I do remember "Eddy's Drive In" in St Cloud, where I envied the girls that had those jobs. I remember there was an A&W out on the highway too where they had carhops.

A few years ago we took a trip down south with a couple friends. I knew from all the talk on the KT that we just would not be taking in the culture unless we stopped at a Sonic. So we stopped for lunch and we got a real big laugh out of the obvious fact that, although the carhops all used roller skates, they must not have asked if the girls knew how to skate! LOL I think it was the power behind our prayer that kept that one girl from landing on her fanny! I wasn't sure if she could handle that tray w/o skates! LOL It was a riot - perhaps her first day.

The "Cadet". Still a restaurant, but no longer a drive-in. That place was so packed on the weekends, we would just go ride through, p[ull back out on to the highway, and drive through again. It was practically impossible to find a spot. I have a friend who worked there, but her mom didn't allow her to wait on cars (boys, you know!) so she had to work the switchboard inside. :)

DH and I sometimes drive to MN and go to the A&W there for something to do. About 1 1/2 or 2 hr drive.

I understand that Porky's on University near Snelling was a huge car hop hang out in the 50s and 60s. I moved to the Twin Cities in the 80s so didn't know it then. Actually, I've been meaning to eat at Porky's for twenty years and still haven't made it. . .

Oh yes, Porky's was big and there were a few others. A little trivia: Porky's founder, Raymond Truelson, was also a partner with Warren Nelson in a drive-in restaurant called the Flat Top in the late 1940's. Warren later opened the Sun Drive-in on Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis. (My aunt lived just a couple doors down from the Sun Drive-in so I remember it well.) The Sun Drive-In was a very successful and popular drive-in. It has been many years since the Sun has been in operation, but with the spirit of the Sun's popularity in Northeast Minneapolis, a Central Avenue Porky's is now open. Test, The Central Avenue Porky's is located at the corner of 19th and Central. I think there were a few places called Flat Top but I remember the name.

A Sonic just went up about 5 miles from me. Haven't been there yet. I was debating about trying it last night. Didn't realize until I went to the website last night that it was a drive in.

Dottie, does this bring back any memories?

Cynic, So now Sonic is no longer a "Southern" thing!