What type of restaurant was Red’s Giant Hamburg, a famous Missouri Route 66 landmark?

Red’s Giant Hamburg was a drive-through restaurant on Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri.

The restaurant became associated with the claim that it was the world’s first drive-through restaurant. Customers could order and receive food without leaving their cars, an arrangement that anticipated the drive-through service later adopted widely by fast-food chains.

Red’s was located on St. Louis Street, part of the historic Route 66 alignment through Springfield. Its name referred to the giant hamburger sign that helped attract motorists. The business operated during the postwar period when automobile travel and roadside dining were rapidly expanding.

The terms drive-in and drive-through are often used interchangeably in casual conversation, but they describe different service patterns. A drive-in generally brings food to parked vehicles, while a drive-through uses a service lane and a window. Red’s is remembered specifically for the latter format, making it an important early example of car-oriented restaurant design.