Founded in 1919, A&W has given us over a century of memories — and still counting. Named for its founders, Roy Allen and Frank Wright, the chain is well known for its homemade root beer, drive-in culture, and classic diner eats. Over the decades, it’s had everything from carhops to table phones, and we’re sure that these vintage photos will bring back nostalgic memories.
A&W Drive-In, Petaluma, California, 1976
This woman looks incredibly fancy for an A&W. And check out those 1976 prices! Forty cents for a cheeseburger, 20 cents for a root beef float, and 30 cents for something called a tuna burger.
Carhop Armfull
Both the cars and the old A&W sign are sleek and vintage in this photo from the 1940s. The carhop has his arms full of dirty root beer float glasses.
Staff of an A&W, Austin Texas, 1947
The building of this 1940s A&W in Texas advertises a glass of root beer for just 10 cents. The kitchen staff are all wearing iconic paper hats.
Where the Cool Kids Hang Out
It’s a busy evening at this A&W drive-in in the 1950s. A group of young men are showing off their cars — and their farmers tans.
A&W Waitress on Wheels, 1950s
At some A&W locations, carhops used roller skates to get around faster, even with trays full of food. That took serious skill and coordination!
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Service with a Smile
This young woman working as a carhop in 1973 might be earning money for school, or saving up for a car. She’s looking chic with a scarf tied around her hair and a drive-in tray in her hands.
Posing Outside the A&W, Charleston, West Virginia, 1963
These are the Stonewall Jackson High School Majorettes posing in West Virginia in 1963. We wonder how many of them had a 30-cent hot bologna sandwich that day.
The Great Root Bear
This is Rooty, the A&W mascot, posing with a woman at the 1974 World’s Fair. We love her tiger stripe coat, and how it matches Rooty’s sweater!
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Long Live Station Wagons
This is a Staten Island location of A&W in 1973. We absolutely adore the yellow station wagon, which you can imagine made lots of fun road trips.
1967 Volkswagen Bug
Here’s a man posing with a totally different car: a vintage VW Bug in a cheery red. The sign on the roof is advertising a Big Round-Up burger, similar to a Big Mac, for 55 cents.
Fashion Plate
Everyone looks fabulous in this photo of an A&W stand in a Wisconsin town in the ‘50s. On the menu is malted milk for 26 cents, and a black cow for 15 cents (appropriate in Wisconsin!).
‘Please Do Not Clink Glasses’
The signs at this A&W in Madison, Wisconsin, ask that you don’t clink glasses so as not to inadvertently break them. What can you do, though? Wear amazing 1930s hats like all the women lined up in the photo.
Weebles Wobble, 1970s
The adorable statue family on this A&W look like oversized children’s toys. Wouldn’t we all like to have a huge mug of root beer and a burger in our hands, just like they do?
From Intercoms to Phones
Some A&W drive-in locations used to have an intercom system for ordering from your car. At this location, they took that to the next logical step: phones at every indoor table for placing your order in the ‘80s or ‘90s.
Order Up
A group of young women are being served their root beer floats at this A&W location with indoor seating in 1982. You can tell it’s the ‘80s from all the permed hair!
