Drive-in theaters used to be the norm. They were everywhere! Now, though…there are only about 320 left in the United States. I was lucky enough to grow up less than 10 miles from one of the rare holdouts, and I miss going to the drive-in.
I spent most of my summers going to the drive-in because it was cheap entertainment. The cost of admission was only $7.00, and that’s the price for two movies! The concession counter had reasonable prices for great food – our drive-in even had great pizza!
I miss those days, staying up late at the drive-in. I would always stay up to watch the second movie, even though it rarely ended before 2:00 am. Of course, in the summertime, I could get away with that – I didn’t have school in the morning.
My brother and I still talk about when someone wished him a happy birthday over the speakers. My mom pulled a fast one when she went to get snacks. That’s a memory I’m sure we will never forget.
Reminiscing about this makes me wonder why so many drive-in theaters have closed over the years. I can only think of the reasons I’ve already mentioned: cheap tickets and late-night showings. Is it because the low admission prices hurt the box office returns? If so, that might be one reason. I remember our theater raising their prices from $7.00 per carload to $7.00 per person, which was still fine to me – it’s still cheaper than the average matinee.
What about the late-night showings? Could it be that attendance went downhill because many people couldn’t stand being out that late? The first drive-in opened in 1933, so I can’t imagine this is a new issue.
Another theory I have is that there are distractions while the movie is playing. That would certainly keep me from attending, but I don’t recall having trouble with that.
You can read about how much I dislike distractions during movies here.
The remaining drive-in theaters have made such great technological advances, though, that distractions shouldn’t be an issue. For example, the drive-in near my hometown uses a dedicated radio station for sound, rather than stereos clipped to your window. Because of that, you can have your windows closed during the movie, which significantly reduces noise pollution for you and the other guests. Unless the theater turns into an impromptu drag race…you’re safe.
If these are the reasons why there are so few drive-in theaters anymore, then that puzzles me. I read that there were about 4,000 of them in the 1950s when drive-in theaters were in their prime. Let’s put it this way: The US currently has more RadioShack locations than drive-in theaters. Since Captain Marvel used RadioShack as a visual representation of the fact that Vers landed in the 90s, that’s saying something.
I don’t hear about many traditional movie theaters closing their doors for good. If business isn’t good for one theater, another chain is always happy to take over. For example, Hallett Cinemas used to run my hometown theater, which is now a Cinemark. Both are independent companies, not quite as well-known as Regal or AMC.
I remember a violent windstorm about twelve years ago that destroyed “my” drive-in theater. The 100-mph winds devastated most of the town, and the projector screen blew away. Donations quickly came pouring in, and both the theater and the screen came back, and better than ever.
Going to the drive-in is an experience I’ll always treasure. I’ve only been there a handful of times in recent years – I still haven’t taken my wife with me yet. That needs to change (even though she says she always falls asleep during the second movie). I also want to take my future children there someday. There is even a playground at the bottom of the screen to keep them entertained before the projector starts.
I wish drive-ins would make a comeback. I consider going to the drive-in to be as fun as an amusement park, but way cheaper. Times change, but I miss how things used to be. C’est la vie.
