El's Drive-in
Morehead, NC
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

This is the El's Drive-In in Morehead City, NC. The laughing gulls like to hang out on the sign until they see that someone is willing to toss them a french fry or other tidbit. Many thanks to Tony Craig for info. 02-07

There isn't a drive-thru lane and there's no dining room waiting inside. Everyone eats in their car while the carhops weave through the parking lot carrying trays loaded with burgers, fries, and the restaurant's famous shrimp burgers, a Crystal Coast favorite topped with crisp slaw. It's a simple formula that's been bringing locals and vacationers back for generations.

One of the more unusual sights comes courtesy of the railroad tracks running right alongside the restaurant. Every so often a freight train rolls past just beyond the parking lot, adding another bit of character to a place that already feels like a step back in time.

El's Drive-in
Morehead, NC
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The original kitchen served customers for more than sixty years before finally being replaced in 2024. Rather than starting over with a modern design, the family built a new restaurant that closely resembles the old one, preserving the look and feel that so many people remembered. Thankfully, the gravel parking lot, curbside service, and relaxed roadside atmosphere all made the transition.

If you're making your way along the Crystal Coast, El's is the kind of place that's worth slowing down for. It's not fancy, and it doesn't try to be. Sometimes a good meal delivered to your car is all you need.

UPDATE: El's reopened in early 2025 following its careful rebuild and continues serving customers the same way it has for generations, one car window at a time. 08-26

Hilltop Drive-in
Boone, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Just outside Boone, this little roadside restaurant looked like the kind of place where a burger and milkshake were never a bad idea. Hilltop Drive-In welcomed travelers along U.S. 421 for decades, and the cursive sign above the entrance gave the building just enough neon-era charm to make you think about pulling over. 02-08

Since opening in the late 1950s, the Hilltop became a favorite stop for motorists crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains. Burgers, fries, soft-serve ice cream, and thick milkshakes kept generations of locals, college students, and vacationers coming back whenever they were headed into or out of Boone.

Hilltop Drive-in (Gone)
Boone, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Like many old drive-ins, the Hilltop eventually changed with the times. It spent a few years serving seafood before the classic roadside restaurant finally closed. Thankfully, the little building didn't disappear. Today it has found a new life as a Mexican restaurant, although the familiar Hilltop sign that once greeted travelers has been replaced.

If you happened to drive this stretch of highway years ago, chances are you remember the old sign before you remember the menu. Sometimes that's exactly what makes a roadside stop memorable.

UPDATE: The original Hilltop Drive-In is gone, but the vintage building remains standing under new ownership as Taqueria La Monarca. 08-26

Pete's No. 6 (Gone)
Easley, SC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

In the town of Easley I found Pete's Number 6. This place was extremely popular. I have no idea if there is a Number one through 5. The drive-in awnings are still intact, though no car hops. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 03-08

Pete's first opened in 1958 before moving to this Highway 123 location in 1964. Over the years it became one of those dependable roadside restaurants where locals gathered for breakfast, families stopped after church, and travelers pulled off the highway for a hearty meal. The menu was known for big burgers, country cooking, and portions generous enough to satisfy just about anyone passing through.

The restaurant's unusual name has sparked plenty of curiosity over the years. It traces its roots to a family of Greek-owned "Pete's" restaurants that once operated throughout the Upstate, making No. 6 one of the last reminders of a once-familiar regional tradition. Whether you knew the history or not, the name alone was enough to make you slow down and wonder what the story was.

Pete's No. 6
Easley, SC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

After more than half a century at the drive-in, the family decided it was time for a larger home. In 2020, Pete's No. 6 moved just down the highway into a newer restaurant, leaving behind the vintage building that had welcomed motorists for generations. The old drive-in awnings and familiar roadside look disappeared along with the move, but the restaurant itself carried on.

UPDATE: Pete's No. 6 continues serving customers from its newer Easley location, while the original drive-in building has found a new purpose. 08-26

Dick's Drive-in Sign Close-up
Eden, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Those long metal awnings are a sure sign you've found a real drive-in. Dick's Drive In has been a favorite stop in Eden for generations, where you can still pull into a parking stall and have your meal brought right to your car. It's the kind of place that's becoming harder to find with every passing year. 04-08

While plenty of old drive-ins have replaced carhops with drive-thru windows, Dick's has stayed true to its roots. You can still eat beneath the canopy or head inside for a burger, barbecue sandwich, chili dog, or one of the restaurant's other longtime favorites. It's easy to see why so many locals have made this a regular stop over the years.

Dick's Drive-in view
Eden, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The restaurant sits in Eden's historic Leaksville section, but it feels like it could just as easily belong in the 1960s. The roadside sign, the covered parking stalls, and the steady parade of customers all help keep the drive-in tradition alive. Even better, Dick's still does things the old-fashioned way by accepting cash or checks instead of credit cards.

If you're traveling through north-central North Carolina, this is the kind of roadside stop that's worth a little extra time. Sometimes the best memories come from places that haven't changed all that much.

UPDATE: Dick's Drive In continues serving customers today, with its classic carhop service and vintage drive-in layout still going strong. 08-26