Drive In Shorts
Description: Zesto was started by entrepreneur and inventor L.A.M. Phelan as a national franchise. Phelan was head of the Taylor Freezer Corporation, which in 1945 had developed the "Zest-O-Mat" frozen custard machine, and franchise agreements granted exclusive use of the Zest-O-Mat machines in a given territory under the Zesto name. The first known Zesto Drive-In was opened in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1949 with dozens more opening throughout the 1950s, mostly in the U.S. South and Midwest. Taylor Freezer Corp, reportedly growing frustrated with managing a retail business and dealing with franchisees, abandoned the Zesto concept in 1955 and left the remaining franchisees to fend for themselves.
Description: Mel's Diner in Phoenix, Arizona was the setting in the TV show, Alice, that aired on CBS from August 31, 1976 to March 19, 1985. The series is based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The diner exterior footage was all shot at the actual Mel's Diner on Grand Avenue in Phoenix, while the interior was all shot on sets in Burbank. This version of the Mel's Diner is clean and new, but I've also got a version that includes a realistic vintage treatment to give it true retro look like you picked it up back in 1976.
Description: The 'Humphrey Burger' was the signature hamburger at the Los Angeles area drive-in chain, McDonnell's. The burger and its tubby mascot were so heavily promoted 9and popular), that many Angelenos took to simply referring to McDonnell's as Humphrey Burger. As for the tagline, I'm sure at the time it spoke highly of their quality, but nowadays it sounds like they were just mailing it in.
Description: Arnold's Restaurant is the name of a popular Milwaukee "greasy spoon"- a local hangout for most of the characters in Happy Days, especially Fonzie, Richie, Potsie, Ralph and their friends and schoolmates. Arnold's would later become the regular hangout for Chachi, Joanie and Jenny Piccalo and their friends and classmates. Arnold's originally had in-car service where customers could pull into a parking space and dine in the comfort of their own cars while waited on by a carhop. The restaurant also had a walk-up window with a photo booth nearby. The dining room inside Arnold's was replete with tables and booths, a pinball machine, a jukebox, a dance floor, and even a small stage with piano for live performances.
