12 Drive-In Restaurants In North Carolina That Still Serve Up Old-School Carhop Flavor
North Carolina’s drive-ins offer more than just food; they serve nostalgia, charm, and meals delivered right to your car.
From sizzling burgers and crispy fries to hand-spun milkshakes, these spots bring back the magic of classic carhop service with flavors locals can’t get enough of.
Each restaurant combines friendly service, iconic dishes, and a fun atmosphere that makes dining from your car feel like a special treat every time you visit.
1. Cardinal Drive-In (Brevard)
Tucked away in the mountains, Cardinal Drive-In has been flipping burgers since 1966. The cherry-red awning welcomes hungry travelers with the promise of hand-pattied burgers and homemade onion rings.
Locals swear their milkshakes are thick enough to stand a spoon in. The Cardinal specializes in Southern hospitality, with carhops who remember regular customers’ orders before they even place them.
2. Kermit’s Hot Dog House (Winston-Salem)
Since 1966, this Winston-Salem institution has been serving up foot-long hot dogs loaded with their secret chili recipe.
Pull up under the weathered metal canopy, flash your headlights, and within minutes a friendly face appears at your window.
Family-owned for three generations, Kermit’s still uses the original recipes.
The vintage neon sign has become an unofficial landmark, guiding hungry locals to what many claim are the best hot dogs in the Piedmont.
3. Merritt’s Burger House (Wilmington)
The smell of sizzling beef has wafted from Merritt’s grills since 1958. Their signature Superburger comes wrapped in wax paper, dripping with a special sauce that’s remained unchanged for over six decades.
Beach-goers make this a mandatory pit stop before hitting the sand.
On summer evenings, the parking lot transforms into an impromptu car show as classic vehicle enthusiasts gather, creating a scene straight from American Graffiti with better burgers.
4. What-A-Burger #1 (Kannapolis)
Not to be confused with the Texas chain, Carolina’s original What-A-Burger opened in 1950 with a simple goal: serve the biggest, juiciest burgers around. They succeeded spectacularly.
Racing fans know this spot well; it’s been feeding NASCAR teams for generations. The burgers come stacked impossibly high with fresh toppings.
Their chocolate-dipped soft serve cones create lines of cars stretching around the building on hot summer nights.
5. Mayberry Drive-In (Mount Airy)
Andy Griffith’s hometown keeps his legacy alive at this charming spot where waitresses still wear poodle skirts and roller skates.
Founded in 1963, the Mayberry serves up nostalgia alongside their famous pimento cheeseburgers.
The jukebox plays nothing recorded after 1965. Regulars come for the Thursday night classic car meetups, when the parking lot resembles a living automotive museum.
Their cherry limeade recipe remains a closely guarded secret passed down through generations.
6. Barbecue Center (Lexington)
Smoke signals have been rising from this BBQ temple since 1955. The Barbecue Center elevates car dining with trays of chopped pork perfumed with hickory smoke and their tangy vinegar-based sauce.
Fourth-generation pit masters tend the fires 24/7. Their banana splits are legendary monsters requiring two hands to hold, with regulars driving hours just for this dessert.
The carhops here have an uncanny ability to deliver food without a single spill, even during sudden summer downpours.
7. Lexington Barbecue / “The Honeymonk” (Lexington)
Locals call it “The Honeymonk,” a nickname as rich as their oak-smoked pork shoulders.
Operating since 1962, this BBQ legend offers the quintessential North Carolina experience, enjoying perfect barbecue in your car while country music plays from outdoor speakers.
Their hushpuppies arrive golden and crispy, never greasy. The menu hasn’t changed in 60 years because perfection needs no improvement.
During the Barbecue Festival, they serve upwards of 10,000 sandwiches in a single day.
8. City Drive-In (Spruce Pine)
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, City Drive-In has been a beacon for hungry travelers since 1959. Their burgers come wrapped in checkered paper, served by carhops who’ve worked there for decades.
Mountain apple cider milkshakes are the must-try specialty, made with fruit from neighboring orchards.
The view from the parking spaces is worth the trip alone, rolling mountains create a backdrop that no fancy restaurant could match.
Many customers arrive on motorcycles after cruising the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway.
9. Dick’s Drive-In (Eden)
Frozen in time since 1963, Dick’s chrome exterior gleams like a vintage Airstream trailer.
Their claim to fame? The “Superburger”, a quarter-pound patty topped with Dick’s secret sauce that locals have tried unsuccessfully to replicate for decades.
The original neon sign still buzzes and glows every evening. Carhops wear the same uniform design they did when the restaurant opened.
During summer, they serve homemade peach ice cream that uses fruit from a nearby orchard, available only until the season’s peaches run out.
10. Circle Drive-In (Eden)
Yes, Eden boasts two classic drive-ins! The Circle has been feeding hungry locals since 1954, distinguished by its round building and rotating neon sign that’s visible from blocks away.
Famous for their fried chicken baskets served with honey, the recipe remains unchanged from opening day. Fridays bring out an impromptu cruise-in, with muscle cars and hot rods filling the lot.
Regulars know to order the off-menu “kitchen sink” milkshake that combines every flavor they have on hand.
11. Tommy’s Drive-In (Dallas)
Small-town charm defines Tommy’s, where the same family has been flipping burgers since 1960. Their chili dogs come smothered in a secret-recipe meat sauce that’s been tempting locals for generations.
The building’s baby-blue paint job makes it impossible to miss. Tommy’s still makes their own root beer, served in frosty mugs brought right to your car window.
During Christmas, they transform into a light display with thousands of bulbs synchronized to holiday music played through your car radio.
12. Ammons’ Drive Inn & Dairy Bar (Waynesville)
Perched at the gateway to the Smokies since 1946, Ammons’ serves mountain hospitality with a side of hand-cut fries.
Their black cherry milkshakes use locally sourced fruit that makes them worth the drive from anywhere in the state.
The building’s stone exterior and wooden beams give it a distinctly Appalachian feel. Carhops still use the original metal trays that hook onto partially lowered windows.
Hikers from the nearby Appalachian Trail make this a legendary resupply spot, often ordering triple burgers to refuel after days on the trail.