Mr. Waffle
Gaffney, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
This is Mr. Waffle on I-85 at Gaffney, SC. It is like a large version of a Waffle House and completely 60's inside. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-08
Pull off Interstate 85 in Gaffney and you might think you've found a giant Waffle House. Take another look and you'll discover Mr. Waffle, a longtime roadside favorite with a vintage look all its own. The bright yellow-and-black sign has been catching the eyes of hungry travelers since the restaurant opened in 1975, and the retro interior makes it feel like you've stepped back a few decades. 02-08
From the classic diner layout to the old-school atmosphere, Mr. Waffle is the kind of place that makes a road trip a little more fun. It's also remained in the same family since opening, something that's becoming harder to find along America's highways.
UPDATE: Mr. Waffle is still serving customers today and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. 08-26
Pete's No. 6
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
Driving through Easley, it's hard not to wonder about the name Pete's No. 6. Was there really a No. 1 through No. 5? As it turns out, there was. But even if you never knew the story behind the name, this was the kind of roadside drive-in that made you want to pull over anyway. The covered curbside awnings, familiar sign, and busy parking lot all suggested this was a place the locals knew well.
Pete's first opened in Easley in 1958 before moving to this Highway 123 location in 1964. While the carhops had disappeared by the time this photo was taken, the classic drive-in layout was still very much intact. You could still pull beneath the awnings, imagine the days when trays were clipped to car windows, and enjoy a meal without ever straying far from the roadside.
Pete's No. 6
Easley, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The name traces back to a family of numbered Pete's restaurants that once dotted the Upstate, started by Greek immigrant Pete Manos decades earlier. Today, Pete's No. 6 is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Easley, a title that's easy to believe once you see how many people still stop by.
UPDATE: After 56 years at the drive-in shown here, Pete's No. 6 moved to a larger location about a half-mile down the road in 2020. The restaurant is still serving customers today, but the classic drive-in awnings are now part of the past. 08-26
Here are some neon photos of the Dairy Queen building found in Salisbury, NC. These shots showing the neon fully working were taken in the fall of 2007. 05-08
Here's one Dairy Queen that's worth waiting until after dark to visit. Dairy Queen in Salisbury doesn't just have a vintage roadside sign, it has a matching rooftop ice cream cone glowing in neon, making this little walk-up stand one of the best nighttime roadside stops in North Carolina. Between the colorful pole sign and the illuminated cone perched on the corner of the building, it's almost impossible to drive down West Innes Street without taking another look.
The stand has been serving ice cream since 1950 and still has the same simple roadside charm that made Dairy Queen famous. There's no large dining room or fancy drive-thru here. Just walk up to the window, place your order, and enjoy your cone or Blizzard at one of the outdoor tables. It's the kind of neighborhood ice cream stand that seems to have changed very little over the years, and that's part of its appeal.
Of course, it's the neon that steals the show. The rooftop cone glows brightly above the striped awning while the tall roadside sign lets everyone know they're getting close. The two signs work together perfectly, creating a classic roadside scene that feels like it came straight out of the 1950s. It's easy to imagine families spotting the glowing cone from down the street and deciding that an ice cream stop suddenly sounded like a pretty good idea.
Little details like this are becoming harder to find. Many older Dairy Queens have traded their vintage signs for modern corporate logos, but Salisbury's location has managed to hold onto the features that gave it so much personality. Sometimes a simple walk-up ice cream stand can be every bit as memorable as a giant roadside attraction.
UPDATE: More than seventy-five years after opening, the Salisbury Dairy Queen is still welcoming customers, and both its vintage neon pole sign and rooftop ice cream cone continue lighting up West Innes Street. 08-26
Bojangles (Rem.)
Charlotte, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
To most travelers, this probably looked like just another Bojangles. But anyone pulling into this Charlotte location was actually visiting the place where it all began. The familiar roadside sign and restaurant on West Boulevard marked the first Bojangles, opening its doors on July 6, 1977, long before the chain spread across the South. 05-08
Back then, the restaurant was a much simpler operation than today's Bojangles. Customers walked up to the counter or used the drive-thru, and before long the smell of fresh biscuits and fried chicken had made this one of Charlotte's favorite roadside stops. It didn't take many years before Bojangles became a familiar sight on highways throughout the Southeast, but this little restaurant was where the first biscuit was rolled and the first order was served.
The vintage sign and original building gave the place plenty of roadside character, making it worth a stop even if you already knew what was on the menu. Sometimes it's fun to visit the place where a well-known chain got its start, especially when it still looked much like it did in the early days.
UPDATE: The original restaurant underwent a major modernization in 2023 and reopened with a completely updated look. The vintage building and roadside sign shown here are gone, but this remains the original Bojangles location. 08-26
Bojangles (Rem.)
