Carhops are coming back.
Serving up portions of much-needed nostalgia, Colton Weiss, Mel’s Drive In owner, is giving Americans something they’re craving.
The popularity of carhop dining evolved in America in tandem with the popularity of the automobile itself, predating the fast-food drive-through and reaching a peak in the years following World War II. The elder Weiss had seen the roller-skating, poodle-skirt-clad waitresses delivering trays of burgers and shakes to diners seated in their Buick Roadmasters and Chevy Aerosedans at eateries across Los Angeles.
So he took a chance and introduced the concept to Northern California, importing the kitschy carside service to his very first Mel’s Drive In location, at 140 South Van Ness Avenue, and securing Mel’s Drive In a place in car culture history.