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Kansas Eateries (page 2)

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Homer's Drive Inn
Leavenworth, KS
Homer's Drive Inn started out in 1931 as a small root beer stand with male carhops. It moved to its current location in 1938. The building was remodeled in 1962. [map]

More Leavenworth:
Nu-Way Drive-in

Pittsburg:
1106 Drive-in [gone]

Cozy Inn
Salina, KS
The Cozy Inn opened in 1922. The interior features the original counter and six stools. The neon signs are lit at night. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [night photo thanks Glenda Campbell] [map]

Bobo's Drive-in
Topeka, KS

2010:
2023:
Bobo's Drive-in opened in 1948 and has been at this location since 1953. Sometime between 2013 and 2016, the building and sign were repainted. For more, see this website. [map]

former drive-in
Topeka, KS
This former drive-in was built in 1960. I believe this might have been a Smaks originally. The most recent occupant is SHopper's Kitchen Restaurant & Catering. For more, see this website. [map]

Hanover Pancake House
Topeka, KS
The Hanover Pancake House opened in 1969. For more, see this website. [map]

former Fred Harvey Highway House Restaurant
Topeka, KS
The former Fred Harvey Highway House Restaurant was one of at least six other locations built from 1964-1967 using the same design: Beloit, WI, Wilmington, DE, Hazelwood, MO, and in California (Ontario, Loma Linda, and Barstow). All had closed by the mid-1970s. The building in Topeka now houses the Department of Kansas Veterans of Foreign Wars. For more, see this website. [map]

More Topeka:
Dari Delite [vintage; gone]

Dairy Barn
Wathena, KS
The Dairy Barn opened in 1972. [map]

NuWay Cafe
Wichita, KS

2010:
2023:
This NuWay Cafe location opened in 1930 in a former Phillips 66 station. The side of the building still has the distinctive gabled entrance. Additions were made to the sides of the building. In the 1940s, there was a neon sign with a female car hop where the current sign is. There was also a neon 7Up sign. In 2011, the panels of the 1970s sign were replaced with new ones which read "Crumbly Burgers." There are a few other modern NuWay locations in town now. For more, see this website. [map]

Jack's North Hi Carryout
Wichita, KS
2010: 2023:
Jack's North Hi Carryout opened in 1951. The name was derived from the restaurant's location across the street from North High School. Jack's was damaged by a fire in 2007 but reopened in 2009. It closed and reopened a couple of times after that. In 2017, the sign was repainted and the place was about to reopen again. Neon was reinstalled around 2020. In 2021, new owners turned the business into a donut shop known as "Jack's North Hi Donuts and the sign was repainted again. The neon for "Hamburgers" was removed and repainted as "Donuts". The toy jacks and "North Hi Carryout" were painted over. The neon for "Jack's" remains. The plastic panel signs on the roof which read "Jack's" and "Carryout" were swapped out for panels reading "Donuts" and "Coffee". [map]

Dog-N-Shake
Wichita, KS
The Dog-N-Shake chain was established in 1962. The chain grew to six locations in Wichita. Four locations remain. This one is located on South Seneca. This photo is from 2010. In 2015 or 2016, the sign had been replaced with a smaller one. The East Central sign was also replaced with a smaller version. The larger, vintage sign at the South Hillside location was still there in 2020. [map]

More Wichita:
Big Bun Drive-in [vintage; gone]

former Sundowner Lodge
WaKeeney, KS
The Sundowner Lodge was built by 1963. This A-frame building served as the adjacent restaurant to the motel. There were freestanding neon letters on the roof spelling out "MOTEL" and "CAFE." The motel was remodeled and now houses the Kansas Country Inn. The restaurant has housed the Jade Garden, Jake & Chet's Cafe, and Al Dente. In 2023, when these photos were taken, the building was vacant. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Winfield:
Burger Station

various cities:
Diners

Kansas
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