Drive-in movies were not just about what was on the screen. In the 1950s, many theaters made the snack bar part of the fun. Owners tried foods that went far beyond popcorn and candy. Some choices now feel normal. Others sound like they came straight from a roadside time capsule. These nine items show how bold drive-in menus could get.
Chilly Dilly Pickles
The Chilly Dilly was a dill pickle with its own place in drive-in advertising. Coca-Cola says animated snack-bar films urged moviegoers to buy Chilly Dilly pickles along with hot dogs, hamburgers, and popcorn. A pickle in a cartoon ad may sound odd now, but it fit the playful style of drive-in intermission films.
Chinese Egg Rolls
Chinese egg rolls were a real hit at some drive-ins. A 1954 Boxoffice item said the Hempstead Drive-In Theatre on Long Island sold precooked egg rolls. Staff only had to heat them on a grill or in a fryer. That made them fast enough for an intermission rush.
Whole Pizza Pies
Pizza was still new to many American diners. Research on theater concessions found that drive-ins sold it by the slice and as a whole pie. By 1955, pizza had become a top-selling drive-in food. Some theaters also pushed whole pies as take-home food if families did not finish them during the movie.
Fried Chicken Dinners
A drive-in could double as dinner out. The Tropicaire Drive-In in Coral Gables, Florida, offered a fried chicken combo with French fries and condiments. Historical research says complete meals had become common at drive-ins by 1953. That made the snack bar useful for families who wanted dinner with the movie.
French-Fried Shrimp
Shrimp made the menu too. The Tropicaire sold a fried shrimp combo, and theater trade reports were talking about French-fried shrimp as part of expanding drive-in menus by 1954. The same research found clear regional tastes, with shrimp and clams especially popular at New England drive-ins.
Candy Floss
Cotton candy sometimes appeared under the older name candy floss. Research based on 1950s theater trade publications lists candy floss among the more unusual foods entering drive-in snack bars. It joined foods such as pizza and egg rolls as owners tested items beyond the usual popcorn and candy.
Toddy Chocolate Malt
Toddy Chocolate Malt was one of the drinks promoted in drive-in intermission ads. A surviving drive-in film catalog lists a 43-second Toddy Chocolate Malt commercial starring a cartoon cowboy called Rodeo Joe. It is a good example of how snack-bar food and drinks became part of the entertainment between films.
Doughnuts by the Dozen
Drive-ins sometimes sold food for breakfast too. Historical research says the Trail Drive-In Theatre in Houston sold doughnuts by the dozen, and many customers bought them after the show for the next morning. By 1955, more than 1,200 drive-ins were offering doughnuts.
The 24-Ounce Supersize Drink
Drive-ins also tested bigger drinks. A 24-ounce, 30-cent size was tried at drive-ins in 1954. One theater circuit said the largest size made up 25 to 30 percent of its drink sales by October. The giant cup was an early version of a concession idea that later became familiar.
More Than Popcorn and Candy
What makes these menus fun to look back on is the range. A drive-in could sell a pickle, a chicken dinner, and a dozen doughnuts in the same night. The movie was the main event, but the snack bar gave the evening a character all its own.