Jack in the Box opened what it describes as the first modern drive-through window in 1951.
The chain was founded by Robert O. Peterson, who operated a restaurant in San Diego, California. Its early restaurants used a distinctive intercom system and drive-through design, allowing customers to order without leaving their cars. This format helped Jack in the Box distinguish itself as automobile ownership and roadside dining expanded in postwar America.
Drive-through service had predecessors, including curb service and restaurants designed for motorists. Jack in the Box’s importance lies in combining a dedicated drive-through window with an intercom ordering system in a modern fast-food format. That distinction is why sources often describe the company as the first modern drive-through restaurant rather than claiming that no earlier car-oriented service existed.
The chain’s clown-headed mascot, Jack, was introduced later and became central to its advertising. The mascot’s modern revival should not be confused with the restaurant’s earlier technological contribution to drive-through dining.