{"id":2332,"date":"2020-09-19T22:02:43","date_gmt":"2020-09-19T22:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mapsmemoriesandmotherhood.com\/home\/?p=2332"},"modified":"2020-09-21T11:38:33","modified_gmt":"2020-09-21T11:38:33","slug":"visiting-drive-in-restaurants-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mapsmemoriesandmotherhood.com\/home\/travel-with-kids\/visiting-drive-in-restaurants-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Kids and carhops: Tips for visiting drive-in restaurants with kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since all of our vacation plans have been thrown out the window due to COVID-19, it has inspired us to roam close to home for the last several months. What we\u2019ve discovered are tons of new things to do and explore<\/a>, including visiting the many drive-in restaurants or carhops around Indiana. They\u2019re social-distance friendly since you can stay in your car the entire time (many also have outdoor seating) and there is limited contact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These blasts from the past make for fun weekend road trips (they are destinations in and of themselves) and can satisfy the need for fair-type food since there are no fairs or carnivals this summer (corn dogs, anyone?).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My sons and I have been checking out drive-in restaurants all over Indiana<\/a>  — from cities to rural locations – during the COVID-19 months. I have no desire to eat in a restaurant right now, so it has been fun to experience something nostalgic that their grandparents and great-grandparents did for fun decades ago, and imagine for a minute that we\u2019ve gone back in time. It might be a leap to go from sitting in a black Honda mini-van listening to 80\u2019s hits on the radio to a turquoise Ford Fairlane convertible and Chubby Checker, but we try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Steer In in Indianapolis is a well-known restaurant with carhop and indoor eating.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Drive-in or carhop restaurants came into popularity in the 1920s when more and more cars were on the road and convenience became more important. Plus, since cars were somewhat novelty items, people wanted to stay in their cars to eat instead of getting out and going into restaurants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I always imagine the carhop in Grease where women in roller skates would take your order from your car window. Some drive-up restaurants had intercoms so that you could call in your food. They\u2019d bring your food on a tray that hooked on to your car window and then take away trash or any re-usable items like soda glasses or ice cream sundae bowls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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