I took this photo recently, at the Sonic Drive In restaurant in Franklin Park Illinois.
Up until recently, the nearest Sonic location was in downstate Marion Illinois. This was frustrating for many people in the greater Chicagoland area, as many commercials for Sonic were being aired on local cable television.
The situation has changed in recent times, as the Sonic chain has opened many new locations in the greater Chicagoland area in the past year or so.
The Franklin Park location just west of the intersection of Grand Avenue and Manheim Road, was the site of a medium sized outdoor strip mall that had closed and was eventually demolished. Strat's Drive In wich was on the property along the west side of Manheim Road, was also part of the demolition after it too had closed.
(Strat's was expensive anyway.)
The car side order speaker ,menu and roller skating wait staff, is a throw back to the 1950's and 1960's era roadside drive in restaurants.
The greater Chicagoland area used to have several of these independently owned roadside drive in restaurants, many with car hop service. West suburban Berwyn once had several. Unfortunately, most if not nearly all of these had vanished by 1975.
Sonic is definately leading a Drive In restaurant revival.
2 comments:
I grew up just a few blocks from the "Pup N' Pop" on Ogden Avenue in Berwyn. Great memories!
I vaguely remember the old Pup N Pop. Where was the old place in Berwyn located at?
I believe that they had moved to Bridgeview in later years, but did not last long at their West 83rd Street and South Harlem Avenue location. Today it is a large Marathon convenience gasoline station.
I could still somewhat recall the old Big Boy in Berwyn on Ogden Avenue, wich I believed had burned to the ground in 1972. The old Big Top Drive In at Ogden and Harlem Avenues, had became a KFC around 1973 I believe. It still is today.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
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