A&W Root Beer (Closed)
Southgate, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The familiar "pilgrim hat" roof made this A&W Root Beer stand easy to spot from Eureka Road in Southgate. For decades, it carried on the classic drive-in tradition with carhop service, curbside speakers, and frosty mugs of A&W Root Beer delivered right to your car. 11-09

Built using A&W's distinctive mid-century drive-in design, the restaurant looked much like hundreds of A&W locations that once dotted the country. Customers could pull into a parking space, place an order from the speaker, and have burgers, chili coney dogs, and fresh draft root beer served on a tray attached to their rolled-down window. It's a style of dining that's become increasingly rare.

Like many longtime A&W drive-ins, this one became a favorite gathering spot for local families, especially during the warmer months. The iconic roofline was just as recognizable as the orange-and-brown A&W branding that made the chain one of America's best-known roadside restaurants.

Unfortunately, the Southgate location closed in late 2025 after many years in business. The restaurant has since been converted into a new independent eatery, and the familiar A&W signs have been removed.

UPDATE: The Southgate A&W permanently closed in late 2025. The building remains, but it now operates as a different restaurant, and the classic A&W signage has been removed. 06-26

B-K Root Beer (Demolished)
Logansport, IN
Photo and info courtesy Richard Weiss

When I photographed this B-K Root Beer stand, it was closed for the season, but the old roadside sign with its remaining neon still caught my attention. Sitting on East Market Street almost directly across from Mr. Happy Burger, it was one of those places that made Logansport a fun town to explore. After this visit, I started noticing B-K Root Beer stands in several other Indiana communities. 10-10

This B-K was part of the Indiana-based chain that became known for its homemade root beer and Spanish hot dogs topped with a sweet, tangy meat sauce. Like many of the old root beer stands, it was a simple place where people stopped for burgers, coneys, fries, and an icy mug of root beer on a warm summer day.

The restaurant remained a local favorite for decades before finally closing in 2018 after roughly 70 years in business. Sadly, the small drive-in building didn't last long after that and was demolished later the same year. The partial neon sign that stood out when I visited disappeared along with it.

Fortunately, there are still a handful of B-K Root Beer stands scattered around Indiana, so it's still possible to experience a piece of this Hoosier tradition.

UPDATE: This B-K Root Beer location permanently closed in 2018 and was demolished later that year. The building and partial neon sign are both gone. 06-26

Burkie's Drive-in (Demolished)
Muncie, IN
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Back in 2010, Burkie's Drive-In looked like the kind of neighborhood drive-in that seemed destined to be around forever. The mid-century building, classic neon sign, and old-fashioned carhop service made it a favorite stop in Muncie for generations. 11-10

Burkie's opened in 1954 and eventually became the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Delaware County. It was especially popular with local students and cruisers who came for burgers, giant breaded pork tenderloins, hand-cut fries, and the restaurant's famous Burkie Burger. If you wanted the full experience, a carhop would bring your order right to your window.

The vintage neon sign was one of the restaurant's best-known features and had even been carefully restored shortly before the drive-in closed. Unfortunately, the good news didn't last long. Burkie's served its final customers in 2018, ending more than six decades of business.

For a few years the building remained standing, giving hope that it might find a new life. Instead, it was demolished in 2025, taking one of Muncie's best-known roadside landmarks with it.

UPDATE: Burkie's Drive-In closed in 2018, and the building was demolished in 2025. The restaurant and its restored neon sign are both gone. 06-26

Winstead's Drive-in
Kansas City, MO
Photo courtesy Rod Holcomb

Just off Kansas City's Country Club Plaza sits one of the city's best-known burger joints. Winstead's Drive-In has been serving customers since 1940, and while the carhops are gone today, the restaurant remains an icon thanks to its distinctive architecture, glowing neon, and legendary steakburgers. 12-10

The building is hard to miss. Its curved Streamline Moderne design, glass-block tower, and neon-lit spire have made it one of Kansas City's most recognizable restaurants for decades. It looks just as much like a roadside attraction as it does a place to grab a bite to eat.

Winstead's is famous for its thin, crispy-edged steakburgers, hand-dipped milkshakes, and oversized Skyscraper shakes and sodas that have become part of the restaurant's identity. Over the years, the burgers have earned plenty of national attention, including being called "The Midwest's Burger King" by The Wall Street Journal in 1998 and receiving AOL City Guide's "Best Hamburger" in Kansas City in 2005.

Although the chain has shrunk considerably over the years, the original Plaza location continues to serve customers more than 85 years after it opened. It's one of those places where the building is just as memorable as the food, especially after dark when the neon comes to life.

UPDATE: The original Winstead's on the Country Club Plaza remains open. While traditional drive-in service is no longer offered, the historic building, classic neon, and famous steakburgers continue to make it a Kansas City landmark. 06-26

A&W Root Beer (Closed)
Union City, OH
Photo and info courtesy Alan Culley

The A&W mascot is at the A&W Drive-In in Union City, OH. When this photo was taken, the A&W Root Beer drive-in was closed for the season and had a "For Sale by Owner" sign out front. Thankfully, the building didn't disappear. Instead, it found a new life while holding onto much of the character that made it a local favorite. 06-11

Originally opened in 1959, this A&W served generations of customers from its location just across the Ohio-Indiana state line. Like many classic A&W drive-ins, it became known for frosty mugs of root beer, burgers, coney dogs, and old-fashioned curbside dining. One of its most popular menu items was the Alley Oop sandwich, a local favorite that's been around for decades.

In 2022, the restaurant left the A&W franchise and reopened as an independent business called Bear's Rootbeer. Although the familiar A&W signs and mascot are gone, the new owners have continued making fresh root beer on-site and wisely kept the Alley Oop on the menu. Even some of the vintage touches inside, including the old booth telephones, remain.

It's always nice to see a classic drive-in building find a second chapter instead of facing the wrecking ball. While it may no longer be an A&W, it still serves the kind of food and atmosphere that made places like this popular in the first place.

UPDATE: This former A&W became Bear's Rootbeer which is also now permanently closed. The historic drive-in building survives, but the original A&W signage and mascot have been removed. 06-26