What Drive-In Restaurants Used To Look Like In Their Heyday

America's very first drive-in, Pig Stand, opened in 1921 and was located on the highway connecting Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. This is the menu from 1938, after the brand took off and was franchised across the country.

The 1930s were a time of luxury transportation. With new innovations, like built-in heaters and radios, the idea of eating in your vehicle began to appeal to car owners more and more.

People loved getting food delivered right to their windows. It was a brand-new concept in an age where quicker was better and convenience was key.

Back in the '30s, you could buy dinner with a few coins. At a California restaurant called Carpenter's, nothing was more than a dime and a nickel.

You'd be served no matter what you pulled up in. Here, Old Hollywood actor Monte Blue is handed his food while driving a mini race car.

Themed drive-ins were a big hit with consumers. Fun fact: This seafood restaurant was covered in 50,000 abalone shells. Genius!

At this joint, drivers could stop by for a quick cup of joe and a bite at a coffee pot-shaped drive-in near Los Angeles.

If you needed more proof themed drive-ins were the hottest thing of the '30s, here's The Twin Barrels in Los Angeles. The spot was known for (what else?) root beer.

While this restaurant, dubbed The Toed Inn, didn't sell anything frog-related, we bet many visited it just to see the, ehem, unique exterior.

After prohibition ended in 1933, people found just about any and every reason to toast. Some drive-ins served alcohol—but hopefully not to the driver!

Wait staff—often on roller skates—were dubbed carhops. Waiters and waitresses first started going by this name in 1921, when automobiles were becoming more common.

After WWII ended in 1945, the American hospitality business boomed. With rationing no longer needed, people were willing to spend more and try new foods.

Circular drive-ins allowed staff to get from the kitchen to the cars easier, and therefore became very popular.

A major perk of opening a drive-in? No capacity limits. This allowed for more customers, and, as a result, a bigger profit.

Frisch's Big Boy drive-in in Ohio clearly appreciated the appeal of A/C. Drivers could eat either in the cool restaurant or their cars.

In the '40s, there were drive-in churches, movies, and even grocery stores. Because who needs a shopping cart when you've got your trunk?

To keep up with demand of drive-ins during the '50s, some locations developed a new system: Sending meals—and bills—to cars by conveyor belt.

Here's what the other side of the system looked like. An employee loads the conveyor belts with meals for hungry customers. Pretty cool!

If the water at restaurants tasted a bit off in the '50s, that's because it probably was. The Clean Water Act wasn't passed until 1972, and the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974. Many customers ordered Coca-Cola or a milkshake instead.