These northeast Wisconsin drive-ins deliver on classics, including carhops
If “drive-in” is included in the name of a Wisconsin restaurant, it’s most likely worth a stop.
That goes double when the mood strikes for a burger fresh off a griddle that’s been seasoned through multiple decades. With most drive-ins limited to our warm season, go ahead and indulge with a mug of root beer (especially if it’s made on site) and ice cream.
If the food isn’t reason enough to extend a summer excursion a few extra miles, don’t discount the scoop of nostalgia these places serve free of charge. Neon signs of 1950s design. Music of the same era playing. Tiny buildings with just enough room for a flattop griddle, deep fryers and ice cream machines. It’s all here like a museum. But tastier.
The cherry on top of a classic drive-in experience is placing your order with a carhop.
Five northeastern Wisconsin drive-ins still have carhops traveling the extra mile to deliver food that takes us on a trip back in time.
Gilles Frozen Custard & Drive-In
Where: 819 S. Main St., Fond Du Lac.
Pull in: Opened in 1949 by Tom Gilles (whose brother started Gilles Frozen Custard on Blue Mound Road in Milwaukee), Gilles is a Fond du Lac institution. Look for the anthropomorphic frozen custard cone sign in front of the white roofed carport trimmed in blue. Follow the one-way traffic flow around the building to find a spot under the carport or under blue skies elsewhere in the parking lot. Seating is also available under the shade of towering trees in a park-like setting next to the parking lot.
Menu: Fresh beef patties make for tasty burgers. Though fresh ground beef in a zippy tomato sauce with chunks of onion and celery is better. That’s the Gillieburger. Pro tip: Gillieburger gets better as a topping on the mac ‘n’ cheese.
A multitude of other sandwich and sides including fish, chicken and cheese curds fill out the menu’s savory side.
Frozen custard fills out the menu’s sweet side, with turtle sundae and peanut butter crumble sundaes among customer favorites.
Order up: Turn on your lights to let carhops know you’re ready order. Carhops also make regular rounds throughout the picnic table area. Gilles takes cash and credit cards.
Hours: Summer hours 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Contact: gillesfrozencustardfdl.com; facebook. com/gillesfrozencustard; 920-922-4900.
Ardy & Ed’s Drive-In
Where: 2413 S. Main St., Oshkosh.
Pull in: Opened in 1948, Ardy & Ed’s takes the classic drive-in experience one step, or skate, further than most. Vintage 1950s-era neon signs atop the small orange building adorned in menu boards promising oldfashioned fountain favorites, tempting snacks, great sandwiches (including “Ho-Made BBQ”) and homemade root beer. Yeah, Ardy & Ed’s checks all the boxes. Then a carhop skates up to take your order.
Menu: Root beer isn’t the only housemade specialty. There’s coleslaw, and the aforementioned barbecue sandwich is filled with a sloppy Joe mixture that’s been served here for more than 60 years.
Chicken, shrimp and perch are available in all their deep-fried glory for the burger-weary. Sides include battered onion rings, fries and cheese curds.
Wisconsin’s Cedar Crest provides the ice cream in the fountain favorites and other sweet treats.
Order up: A few outdoor tables are available if you don’t want to eat in the car. Regardless of where you’re dining, orders arrive bagged and ready to go. Pay with cash or credit card.
Hours: Summer hours 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday; 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Monday.
Contact: ardyandeds.com; 920-231-5455.
Chester’s Drive-In
Where: 1504 Eastern Ave., Plymouth.
Pull in: A compact building and carport are surrounded by just enough blacktop for a few extra parking spots. If arriving at prime dining hours, be prepared to bust out your parallel parking skills to pull into one of the spots surrounding the carport. There’s a small seating area with tables in the back corner and in front near the sidewalk.
Menu: Burgers served on buttered buns, glass mugs filled with root beer and soft-serve ice cream make for a classic stop.
But Chester’s menu extends well past classic. There are sandwich options like pork tenderette, double brat and even a veggie burger. Mini tacos, cauliflower and mini corn dogs extend the deep-fried sides section beyond fries, onion rings and cheese curds. Chester’s root beer is also available in a butterscotch version.
Soft-serve ice cream gets loaded into cones, transformed into sundaes and blended into shakes, malts and flurries. The cotton candy flurry gets topped with a piece of cotton candy and micro-marshmallows.
Order up: Place order with carhop or call ahead. Orders can be dine-in or to go. Pay with cash or check.
Hours: April through October 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Contact: facebook.com/ChestersDriveIn; 920-8927722.
Leon’s Frozen Custard
Where: 121 W. Murdock Ave., Oshkosh.
Pull in: Established in 1947 by the same family that started Leon’s Frozen Custard at 4141 S. 27th St., in Milwaukee. The era’s nostalgia shines in the glow of the Oshkosh Leon’s neon light’s pink lettering set against a turquoise backdrop.
Menu: Yes, Leon’s serves sandwiches including its take on the sloppy Joe, called a Joos Burger, but there are no deep-fried foods.
Frozen custard is king here. A flavor of the day leads the way with options like cookie dough, dreamsicle and caramel river. Otherwise top your custard of choice with fixings or choose one of Leon’s specialty sundaes.
Order up: Place your order with a carhop. Cash and credit cards.
Hours: Open seasonally, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Contact: facebook.com/Leons-Frozen-Custard96297931878; 920-231-7755.
Charlie’s Drive-In
Where: 806 W. Main St., Hortonville.
Pull in: Founded in 1965, Charlie’s plays pop hits of the ’50s throughout the carport. Picnic tables are also located under the carport.
Menu: Burgers using meat from a local market and served on fresh kaiser buns dominate the menu’s sandwich section. Good luck not dribbling some topping or juice on your shirt or car interior. Charlie’s also serves hot dogs, brats, barbecue, fish and chicken. Fish, shrimp and chicken strip baskets come with fries, rye bread and homemade coleslaw.
Deep-fried sides include fries, onion rings and cheese curds.
Frosted glass mugs are an option for sodas including Charlie’s root beer. Cones, malts and sundaes round out the menu.
Order up: Place orders with carhops or call ahead for to-go ordersm which are picked up at the window. Cash only, with ATM on site.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Contact: charliesdrivein.com; facebook.com/Charlies-Drive-In-188758777825858; 920-779-6753. Contact Daniel Higgins dphiggin@gannett.com. Follow @HigginsEats on Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook.