DRIVE IN TIME!

 I just saw an ad on Facebook that the Tibbs Drive In was opening this weekend. They list what they have at their concession stand on their website and it made me a bit nostalgic. I’ve written before about the entire drive-in experience, that it is like a community unto itself. It remains that way where drive-ins still exist. But while reading that concession stand list it made me think back to the treats they had there as well as some amazing looking concession stands.

When I was small (and yes there was a time) I can remember being fascinated by the concession stand. To begin with before you even got there you could smell the aroma of popcorn wafting across that sea of cars. It only got stronger the closer you got and anyone who was strong enough to resist the temptation of that popped delight more power to you. You even had choices to make when it came to popcorn too. There was the box, the one that most children ended up with. For adults you had to choose which size cup you wanted. If you were on a date odds are you opted for the larger one and shared it. All of this ran through your mind on the way to the stand.

Way back when drive-ins took huge pride in their concession stands, at least those I went to. They weren’t small buildings but fairly large, some with lines to go through on either end. The fronts had a stainless steel front to them and a chrome looking rail on which to place your tray. Yes there were trays to load goodies on as well as boxes to stuff along the way.

The warm food was always first with a warner with sliding glass doors that held in the heat and the products wrapped in foil wrappers. There were hot dogs, corn dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, pizza burgers and more all warm and inviting. One sandwich that seemed to pop up at every concession stand was Castleberry’s Pit Cooked BBQ. I can still remember watching this ad.

And the popcorn you’d been smelling was always there right before those warmers, lights glowing to keep the freshly popped corn warm. Either at the end of that or behind the counter you could hear that popcorn popping fresh and the smell kept you going.

Next was always the soft drinks. Different drive-ins handled these differently. The one I recall had a tray with holes in it filled with pre-filled cups ready to be picked up and labeled as to what they were. As people took these the worker behind the counter would fill more. As a child I was amazed to watch as he poured different drinks from the same hose with a sprayer on it like in our kitchen. Of course grown up I see these in bars now, each on having a different button to make a different flavor come out. But back then I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Next up was the random items that didn’t quite fit into any specific category. There were pickles wrapped in plastic. There were drizzle guards to put over your windshield if it rained. And the ever popular Pic mosquito coils could be bought to fend off those pesky rascals.

Not quite done we next came to yet another container that looked like the warmers but this time containing all kinds of frozen treats. There were Eskimo bars and popsicles and frozen candy bars. I remember small paper containers of ice cream that came with those terrible wooden spoons that gave you the chills when placed on your tongue. 

Last but not least was the rack of candy. Here again there was a vast multitude of choices to make. Would you go with a bar type candy or a box of something? Boston baked beans, Lemonheads, Sweet Tarts, Snickers, Three Musketeers, red licorice or some other sweet concoction sure to disappear quickly once back at the car.

And at the end was always an uninterested employee ringing up your purchase ready to get you gone and move on to the next person. After paying you’d walk to the condiments bar. Unlike today with packets to pick up and pocket these places had squeeze bottles of ketchup and mustard, maybe a container of relish, and salt and pepper shakers. And people didn’t steal these items back then, instead leaving them for the next person. Then it was back to the car to eat while watching the clowns jump and the clock countdown the minutes until the next movie began.

And yes we also took food with us to the drive-in but we always bought something there as well. We knew that this was good for the business of the place and besides, popcorn brought from home could never ever match that freshly popped at the drive-in. I can also remember how great the pizza burgers were at my local drive-in. They’re not that easy to find these days (thank you Bummies for having them!).

These are all fond memories for me. They’re ones that a large number of children will never experience. Most drive-ins are now closed, the land sold to developers to create yet another strip mall. But a few locations remain open. Near me I have the option of driving 30-40 minutes to two different ones, the Van-Del or the Huntington Drive-In. I know some have done a great deal for movie fans by having one night where they book nothing but classic movies. Sure you could watch them at home streaming or on disc but that doesn’t include the drive-in experience. Some have done a great deal by having dusk till dawn special nights with a lineup of horror films. They all provide a less expensive night out for families than a regular theater does.

I hope drive-ins never disappear. I hope they continue to exist somewhere. And most importantly I hope that somewhere, some young child is waiting to get into the drive-in, cars lined up at the ticket booth, inhaling and smelling the aroma of that freshly popped corn just waiting at the concession stand. Me? I think I’ll look into creating some form of pizza burger at home and popping in a classic drive-in movie for now.

Support a drive-in near you and remember to always replace your speakers before leaving.