"drive in" news and stories

I far prefer to stop at a Starbucks than a fast food restaurant when I am on a long drive because, most of the time, I will pack my own snacks are simply want to get a drink. I'd rather have the extra caffeine of a coffee versus a soda and prefer the far-better taste of freshly prepared coffee than the "coffee" that comes out of a dispenser at the gas station convenience store. Starbucks also generally tend to have well-maintained bathrooms, which I appreciate.  But unless I really need to stretch my legs, I will find myself pulling up to the drive-thru window at many highway-side Starbucks. Driving thru takes about the same amount of time as going inside the store, with the added benefit that you do not have to get up. This is especially useful when it is cold outside and you don't want to put on several layers to walk a few hundred feet to the door.

Along Route 66 lies a quite piece of American history: the first drive-thru restaurant. Red's Giant Hamburg is located in Springfield, Missouri and has been there since 1947. Sheldon “Red” Chaney decided that it would be easier for the customers to place their orders through a window to the kitchen, rather than repeating them to waitresses. Just like that, the car hop service was replaced with the first drive-thru window.  Legend has it that the name of the restaurant was originally meant to be "Red's Giant Hamburger", but due to some poor planning, the sign was not large enough and the "er" had to be dropped.

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