Swensons Drive Ins
Address: 40 South Hawkins Avenue, Akron OH (plus multiple locations)
Phone: 330-864-8416
Website: www.swensonsdriveins.com
As spring moves into full swing, the increasingly warm temperatures lead to thoughts of halcyon days spent at swimming pools, picnics and cookouts with friends, baseball games, time at the beach and trips to the ice cream stand. All these visions, fond memories and future plans, link to childhood, when you derived great pleasure from the simple things, the inexpensive or free things. For generations, Swensons has been the source of not only award-winning burgers, but also a time capsule.
The menu is simple. The prices are low. The food is a step above what you'd normally expect at a place that serves everything in wax paper or plastic foam. Your car is the dining room. Energetic young carhops run to and from cars, taking orders and delivering food (patrons simply turn on their headlights for service). Swensons cheeseburgers are renowned for the buttery, slightly crisp buns (Swensons makes their own), small beef patties and gooey melted cheese. These burgers are a far cry from the behemoths of today, and it's actually refreshing. Order your burger plain, with LTO or the signature Galley Boy: a double cheeseburger with a mayo-based, onion studded sauce and a tangy barbecue sauce. The latter will set you back $2.65. Complete the experience with piping hot, crisp onion rings, fries or tater tots, and a California: grape soda and ginger ale, served with a lemon slice. If you really want to take things back to the future, choose from among 17 varieties of milkshake (or, custom-blend your own for a small additional charge).
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