April 15, 2013
Fast Food Memories

It must surely be spring in these parts even though the weather has us a bit confused.  The calendar indicates that it's time once again to look forward to an occasional visit to the local drive in restaurant - yes the Hub Drive-In in Slayton is open for business!

Seeing the lights on and cars pulled up in the parking lot the other night got me to thinknig about some of the fast food establishments of my yesterday, and one in particular came to mind immediately.  As a youngster one of my favorite outings, rare as it might have been, was a trip to our town's A & W drive in restaurant. 

I don't know if it was the chu-klink sounds of the waitresses as they walked from car to car delivering food and making change with their nifty change belts, or maybe the tray that they placed on the car door window laden with frosty glass mugs of sweet, tangy root beer that was so fascinating.  

Perhaps it was the delicious burgers on the menu:  the baby, mama and papa burgers.  Or maybe it was the statues of said family that graced the front of the restaurant.  I don't know, but what I do know is that trips to the A & W were pleasing to every single one of my senses.

Fast food dining was not a huge part of my childhood but traveling sure was.  When we took to the road my family usually munched on homemade sandwiches that mom packed for us. 

But while roadside picnics were always tasty and delightful, we kids couldn't help but gaze longingly at the burger joints and  drive in restaurants that just seemed to elude us along the roadway.  We always wondered why Dad seemed to turn a deaf ear to our pleas of "Dairy Queen, Dairy Queen!".

We did on occasion pull into a DQ and were allowed to choose an ice cream delight though. And nothing tasted better than a Dilly Bar or an big ice cream cone. I now understand the economics of Dad's inability to heed to our begging most of the time.  On those trips there was money enough for gasoline and lodging expenses, but spending it on extra frivolities such as burgers and fries would have put us seriously in a financial hole.

As I reflect on that now I realize that none of us would change a thing about those experiences  We may have been deprived of a few greasy burgers along the way but the enrichment of time spent with family and so many places we visited far outweighs the fast food deprivation.

Times have changed indeed.  This summer why not grab your kids, jump in your vehicle and head to the local drive-in restaurant.  The beauty of car dining is you don't even have to dress up!  Think about the memories that you are making with your own children while you're at it. And by the way, don't forget to tip your car-hop!