Red's Giant Hamburg was a cafe on U.S. Highway 66 in Springfield, Missouri which claimed to have been the world's first drive-through restaurant.
Sheldon "Red" Chaney (May 20, 1916–June 2, 1997) arrived in Springfield after World War II with a new wife and a new business degree. He purchased a gas station and a motor court (motel), with the cafe added in 1947. He tired of pumping gas and running the motel and settled on selling hamburgers. Chaney believed customers would make purchases through a window, and the drive-through was born. The name was supposed to be Red's Giant Hamburger, but Chaney measured the sign incorrectly and dropped the "er".
The interior was painted with a blue ceiling and green floors to imitate the outdoors; Chaney believed people would compare it to eating at a picnic. Root beer was kept in a barrel. He attached a magnet to a Coke dispenser to enhance the flavor. An old Buick sedan, a home-made mobile and other items to draw attention to the restaurant were kept in front, visible from the highway. When Chaney retired in 1984, the city asked him to remove it all. The building was removed in 1997 shortly before Chaney's death. Plans are being considered for a historic marker at the site.
Chaney died on June 2, 1997. His widow and partner, Julia Chaney, died on May 19, 2006.
Read more about Red's Giant Hamburg: Films
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