Today I ate at Swenson's Drive-In in Akron for the first time. I don't think it will be the last. This place is one of the gems of American dining. The menu is straight out of the 1950s. You park your car and turn your lights on when you want to order, to which the boy or girl sprints (and I mean sprints) out to your car to take your order. They have to run fast everywhere. No roller skates, just tennis shoes. They are known for their burger, which has two special sauces on it and has cinnamon or something mixed into the burger meat. IT WAS SOOO GOOD! My coworker ordered the veggie burger and it had the same sauces and spice on it and he was totally blown away as well.
The place reminded me of Bill's Fabulous 50s, a drive in that my dad used to take my sister and I to when we were growing up. It was in Indy, but is no longer. We would order burgers, fries, and a "Green River" (lime phosphate), and enjoy the oldies that my dad always played in the car.
Today I think I love going to Sonic so much because it reminds me of that time with my dad. I got to thinking about the restaurants in Putnam County that are establishments, and I wish I could say that they have the same vibe as Swenson's, but they don't. There is Jackson's Family Diner and Putnam Inn, but they are predominately blue hair joints and their food isn't that great. I suppose Dairly Kastle counts as a long lived institution where memories are made and people go to relive their youth, but otherwise we just have a lot of chains. Mama Nunz and Marvins are local joints that have some character, but primarily serve the Depauw crowd.
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