We at “The Mountaineer” were talking about our favorite food drive in restaurants. It all came because one of us had been searching the net and found the top twenty-five fast food restaurants in the United States.
We were wondering if there could be a story there.
The amazing thing about the top twenty-five fast food restaurants in the United States, not a one of them is located in Havre, Montana. There are a couple in Great Falls, a couple in Missoula, one in Kalispell and maybe three in Billings.
So we are not well represented in the popular fast food restaurants.
And to answer one question, no, McDonalds, Subway, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken and even Wendy’s do not exist in that list at all!
I can remember so well when fast food came to Havre. The Morris family had a large restaurant on First Street called the Morris Café. It was in the block where the town square is today. Bob Morris heard about fast food and decided to open a drive in where people could stay in their cars and eat their food and be waited on by girls who would bring a tray of food to hang on the car. That first food restaurant was called Bob’s Drive Inn. It was in the same building that houses Archie’s Body Shop these days.
Not to be out done, Clyde Thomas soon opened just down the street from Bob’s Drive Inn, Clyde’s In and Out and signs went up all over Montana that Clyde’s In and Out and the Shanty Motel and Restaurant were all,” Recommended by Clyde R. Thomas.”
I don’t ever remember eating at Bob’s Drive Inn but the unique part of Clyde’s In and Out was that you drove up to a speaker and gave your order, then drove up in a procession of cars to the restaurant where a nice lady took your money and gave you your food. I remember they had the most wonderful hamburgers and French fries ever! And you ordered many things by the basket. You could get a basket of chicken or a basket of shrimp and fries. Things like that. Needless to say Clyde’s In and Out was very popular because you never had to leave your car.
This was a time of more or less living in your car. Motels were being built where you could drive right up to the door of your unit and three or four steps would bring you in the front door of where you were going to spend the night.
It was a brave new world out there after World War II was over and it was right here in Havre as well.
Think of it. Now Bob’s Drive Inn and Clyde’s In and Out were here!
Would television be far behind?
Why, already Paul and Vivian Nalivka at the Model Grocery were making a strange new food called pizza!
