In-N-Out Burger is credited with opening the first modern drive-through hamburger stand in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948.
Harry and Esther Snyder opened the restaurant shortly after World War II. Customers could order from their cars through a two-way speaker system, allowing the business to operate without indoor seating for customers.
The drive-through model helped distinguish In-N-Out from many early hamburger restaurants. The company also became known for a deliberately limited menu, fresh ingredients, and preparing food to order rather than relying on frozen patties.
Claims about the “first” drive-through can vary because restaurants used curb service and carhops before 1948. In-N-Out’s distinction concerns the modern speaker-based drive-through hamburger stand, not every earlier form of automobile service.