Do You Remember... Car Hops?
November 17th, 2008 by RodneyWhen I hear the words car hop, the first place that pops into mind is KC Drive Inn. If you're an Oahu baby boomer, I'm sure you've been to KC Drive Inn at least once. Originally located where Kalakaua and Ala Wai boulevard meet up (where the Waikiki Gateway Hotel now stands), KC Drive Inn later moved to the top of Kapahulu avenue.
KC Drive Inn had the most stalls of other car hop drive inns in town. Remember the sign instructing you to turn on your parking lights for service - and not to beep your horn! The old ladies with their all white uniforms used to come out to take your order. Were there some young girls working car hop too? Maybe college students working their way through college.
It was so cozy. Your girl sitting next to you on your front bench seat ("cut seat" for you Maui folks, "broke seat" for you Kauai folks). Eating in your car, listening to your favorite 8-track or cassette tapes or even KPOI or KKUA radio. When your order came, you'd have to roll up your window just a bit so they could hang the tray off your window. The pits was when it began to rain because you couldn't roll your window up! And your food would get all soggy and cold if you didn't bring it in. Remember in those days, cars didn't have drink holders.  Mmmm, I can taste the waffle dogs and ono-ono shakes.
Another drive inn that I've never visited, but my brother told me that they had car hop service was Alex Drive Inn on the corner of Kaimuki Ave. and Kapahulu Ave. Anyone been there?
How about Likelike Drive Inn - before they renovated the building? They had car hop service there too. Just a few stalls on the Rycroft street side. I remember my friend telling me never order saimin at a car hop place. The bowl it too hot to hold! I think he ate it by leaving it on the tray and sticking his head out the window with each bite.
Those days of car hop service in Honolulu are long gone. *sigh*
But several years ago we were able to take our 2 daughters to a car hop joint in Las Vegas. Las Vegas? Yes, at Sonic Burger! But we didn't eat in the car. Actually, we were Sonic virgins and didn't know the drill so we did a drive by, parked on the side and observed first. If you've never been to a Sonic Burger, they have a few options. 
They have a drive through, a seating area in the center patio, and car hop. Each individual stall has it's own menu board and speaker. You order when you're ready and the wait help comes out on, get this, skates! They bring your tray up to your window - just like old times. What a flashback! But we decided to eat in the outdoor patio area (after we figured out there was no indoor place to eat). Must've looked like n00bs walking up to the in/out door to the kitchen and looking in. There is a walk up menu board on the patio where we placed our order, then sat down and waited for the rollerskating wait help to bring us our order.
So the next time you're in Las Vegas and want to "flashback", visit a Sonic Burger.
Do you remember eating at KC Drive Inn, or Alex Drive Inn, or Likelike Drive Inn? What do your remember about car hops? Are there other drive inns that you recall having car hop service? If someone were to open up a retro drive inn and offer car hop service, do you think it'd be successful in Hawaii?
Tags: Alex Drive Inn, car hop service, eateries, flashback, Food, KC Drive Inn, Likelike Drive Inn, Midlife Crisis, retro, Sonic Burger
November 17th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Morning Rod,
This mention of carhop brought back memories of American Graffiti. Wolfman Jack, Hot Rods. Late Night at the Hop.
Hilo didn't have one so didn't get to really experience it. I think I visited on on Oahu and something in the mainland but can't remember which one. But the point of memory is that it was a place to hang out.
We used to go Likelike Dive in late at night. My in-laws knew the Nako family so we used to always bring over papaya from the Big Island for them. I don't recall going to KC, but I may have when I was really young and didn't know Oahu.
Hope somebody brings it back. Brings new meaning to Drive-In
November 17th, 2008 at 6:27 am
We went to KC Drive Inn regularly in the 60's. I think mainly to see a particular car hop named Linda...no, no, not one of the old ladies but she was our age and cute. We became friends with her so KC was always a stop on weekends. Also been to Alex and Likelike car hop, in fact, we spent a lot of time just cruising around going from one drive inn to another...talk about restless and bored teens. Friend had a 55 chevy those days and we made a lot of stops at different drive inns to check out the other cars. Chunky's on Isenberg and Scotty's in Pearl City were regular stops.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Good Morning Rodney!!
I been to the car hop at KC and Alex but not to Likelike drive inn. I don't really remember much at all. I went to Sonics car hop in Colorado and you order from the electronic menu board and they bring out your order on roller skates.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Howzit UR and everybody
KC was a regular stop for us, maybe went to Alex once or twice only. Don't remember Likelike having car hop service.
Eh, M or anybody out dea do you rememeber Capital Drive-In on the corner of Waialae and 6th, can't remember if they car hop service?
See ya all lata, time to go work.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Many Sonic Burgers here...some carhops still skate to your car to take and deliver your orders. I love their #2 Burger with mustard, onion rings and lime ade. They still have 1/2 off drinks during "happy hour", I think. Their root beer floats are decent. The drive-thru can take an extraordinarily long time....it's not McD's when it comes to fast food speed.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:57 am
yup, i remember car hops, on skates too! boy i admired those skating waiters, never seen them miss.
the menu from KC is great! check out the 6-digit phone number.
anyway, when i came west from Massachusetts, i still had never heard of a Sonic (2007). people gave me the eye, like "you nuts o' what? they are everywhere" ... and sure enough i moved into place next door to a Sonic, and down the street from 5 more.
here the Sonic Slaves do not skate. there are curbs and heavy doors, and the stalls are all the way around it, so not too far to walk. but those kids (and they are ALL kids) have to slog out to our car in 120 degrees, and it is just brutal. i have no idea why they are so popular here, people have to open their window (one hundred and TWENTY, folks) and they cant run the motor while they eat, and the poor slaves just make me feel sorry and run for home with my shake.
i hope they make fabulous tips!
but the risk here in summer is buying ANYTHING that you dont look at first: our first summer we would go drive for burgers and get any kine stuff in the bag and no-idea-how-much change. order a burger, get chicken, and a couple of times no fries, one fries, something they prolly found sitting on the counter.
i figure the poor drive through guys were just so brain-injured after a few hours' work, they would slam open that window, pitch your bag at you and slam it shut. By 3 am the temp comes down to 100, and it starts back up by 6:30. after a couple of months SBD (spacey brain deficit) sets in for customers AND workers, in every kind of business. i mean, we must have been out of our minds to even leave the house.
i gave up, never used big bills, and ate what i got. better not get 'ono for anything in particular, big disappointment.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Hema:
if was me, i would tell my kids "nem'mind she is cute. that girl is a cheerful hard worker! go get her, son, and dont let her get away!" lol
November 17th, 2008 at 10:23 am
i loved going to the drive inn!! went to all of the ones you mentioned - kc drive in the most, probably, as my mom and dad used to go there when they were dating so when we moved to hawaii, they made sure to take us there! had to have a waffle hot dog and orange or - was it - coffee freeze!! we also used to go to alex's - i can't remember if they still had car hop service after kc drive inn in waikiki closed - but we only used to go there for ice cream sundaes! not sure why we never ate "real" food over there. likelike drive inn... i think i used to go there after work with my parents because my mom liked their lemon chiffon pie! she'd have that and i'd have "real" food 'cause i was starving!! thought that hook-on tray was the coolest thing, especially if they attached it to my window!!
i also went to sonic while visiting arizona. we ordered so much food (from the car hop on skates!) - we had my nieces and nephew with us - and our order took forever! i remember my niece and nephew ordering all kinds of "off the menu" drinks with different flavorings and stuff. their drinks tasted kind of nasty to me, but they loved them!
November 17th, 2008 at 10:25 am
oh! i just remembered something about alex's drive inn! my uncle used to paint signs for dairyman's / meadow gold and he painted the menu signs for alex's drive inn!!
i always thought that was one of the coolest things about going there! 
November 17th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Rodney - Wat dat, car hop? Is dat wat da cars do when you put hydraulics on top? hop..hop..hop. Nah, just kidding. Again, too young to have gone to those kine places. KC Drive Inn and Likelike Drive Inn was/is just sit down places when I went/go. Would be cool to go to a car hop in Vegas. I think some people might not like the idea of eating in their own car. But if it's a rental, who cares?!
November 17th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
A and W Icecream shops! Oh yes, those were the best days. Car hops. Hang outs. Date me, date me moments. Love it.
November 17th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Heya MLCer's,
Does anyone remember Kapiolani Drive Inn? Not the movie one, but the eating one. I heard they had car service too.
I don't remember Capital drive inn. BMT (before my time).
120°? Where was this, duckinthewind?
@bamboohouse808 - today's style of car hop is 1) Go thru drive thru. 2) Pick up order. 3) Park in parking lot to eat. Easy. And no need leave tip.
November 17th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
UR; wea was Kapiolani Drive Inn? No can think all brain damage from da Beea's
November 17th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
UR: we got to Mesa AZ in early march, driving across the desert from Barstow in pretty cool weather. so when it started to get up to 100 in may, i thought "wow this is hot" (being a woosy from Kauai).
then i realized that some of our neighbors were packing it up and getting out of dodge as fast as they could. sensible (and old like us) people just dont stay here.
it was a real education going through something like 7 weeks over 110. this last summer was not so bad.
November 17th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
You know Rodney, a lot of your blog entries kind of make me wish I was young around the same time as you and your MLC peeps but this one takes the prize. Car hops! Genius! Man, I wish they still had those! Like Ynaku said, it's "American Graffiti" but here in Hawai'i.
Sonic has 'em? Next time I'm going to the Mainland, I'm heading for Sonic. I just love their commercials too. That couple just crack me up!
November 18th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Ohhhh I so wish I was around for car hops here in Hawaii. I think it really was such a cooool thing! I think I was born in the wrong era... love the music... cars...... car hops at the drive-in......heck.. the drive in too (movies). hehe...l do love Sonic tho!! It was mentioned on O&E's blog like 2 weeks ago....and luckily I went back to LV right after that and had to make my Sonic stop, which included my tater tots and slush!!! YUMZ!
November 18th, 2008 at 3:29 am
Ducksinthewind:
Try over 30 years of 100+ and sunny days
But it's DRY heat.
I remember it hit 121 one day back in the early 90's and they had to shutdown the ariport...and I had just fly into Hawaii a few days earlier. This past summer was a MILD one.
November 18th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Morning everybody...just reminder...3 more days to "PARTY!!!!!"
See ya all lata time for go work.....
November 18th, 2008 at 7:59 am
I grew up in New Jersey and I remember my favorite burger place, Stewart's, had car service. They would hook the tray to my dad's window -- always my dad's window.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:57 am
i neva experience car hop service on da BI.
the closest thing we had to car hop service back then was having da nerd guys go get our orders at dairy queen and bringing em back to our car.
i keed! i keed! we neva do da kine stuff.
i remember seeing alex's drive-inn on kapahulu when i first moved to oahu. but i dunno if had car hop service at that time.
i like those sonic commercials.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:35 am
@opso! Long time to see! You going be there on Friday, right?
@Rhea - yeah, why is it always on the driver's door? I guess the driver has to pay that's why. he, he
@NKHEA - 3 more days and counting! Make sure Steve Min and son have a tip jar.
@anklebiters - so hot had to close the airport?!? Never heard of that before. Maybe because of cold, but never heat.
@HNL2LAS - when in LV, we hardly ever make it to Sonic. In-n-Out has priority.
@Andreas - You know, come to think of it - the reason we had car hops back then is because drive inns didn't have drive through windows. The word "fast food" wasn't invented yet. Hey, I think I'm on to something here...
@ducksinthewind - Arizona. Similar to Las Vegas I take it?
@NKHEA - I'm just guessing, but Kapiolani Drive Inn was later replaced by Kapiolani Drive In (movie), then Kapiolani Theater, and now 24 Hour Fitness. Huh?
November 18th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Rodney: You are onto something! Lemme know when you start up your franchise and open your first car-hop joint and I'll bring the whole family.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Largo - sorry for being mia for awhile.....i've been busy taking care some stuff here and on the BI.
as for the party.....yup i'll be there!
but either on time or late. ask Shauna.....she knows about it.
November 18th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
car hops...wow, that does sound good but i dunno about eating in my car...that doesn't sound too good
on a side note, wassup with our raiders?!?!? argh, i wanna pull out my hair! trade jarmarcus russell and get a good NFL type quarterback. make a trade with the redskins and get brennan! no wait, that would be too cruel for colt... *sigh*
November 18th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
@opso - no apology necessary. We just missed ya.
@honda si boy - Yeah, back in the day we'd eat in the car. You girl sitting next to you on the bench seat, shoulder to shoulder, Classics IV 8-track tape playing, car smelling of sprig car freshener.
As for the Raiders - I think they need a new owner. The whole club is in disarray. I still say Timmy Chang will one day play for the Raiders. But for now, the best thing to watch in Oakland is the Raiderettes.
November 18th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
raiderettes =
mmmmm. yup.
November 18th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Rodney:
The tarmac was too hot for take off...something about thermals....
November 18th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
@anklebiters - ahh, thermals... I thought maybe the tarmac was too hot for the tires. Thanks.
November 18th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
years before, my flights from kauai to minneapolis landed me in Phoenix... from the air it looked like we were flying over a cat box! and btw nothing has changed about that. lol
it was only May, and they had to cover the plane while we were on the ground, it was so hot. i can see how over 120 they cant take off. maybe the tar gets sticky, too, huh?
November 18th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
UR; can hardly remember Kapiolani Drive-In. I no can think of anything else around dea...will ask and let you know.
March 9th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
The last owner of Alex Drive-in passed away last week. The obit is in the Advertiser.