C-T Drive-Ins Article – August 10, 1994

Well, the weekend is here but summer is winding down. Why not take a little trip back in time by visiting one of our two original area drive-ins where you can still be waited on by a carhop and eat in your car? 

Of course, I'm talking about Dog 'n Suds and Dinner Bell.

It's a good idea now and it was 32 years ago too, when Pam Plas of the Chronicle-Telegram wrote the great article below about those two very same drive-ins. It appeared in that newspaper on August 10, 1994 and includes some great quotes by Ilene Hampton (who still owns Dog 'n Suds) and Marie Reynolds (who along with her husband Bill owned the Dinner Bell).

I've included the great photos by Chuck Humel of the Chronicle that accompanied the article, which I've saved all these years. (The photo below was a challenge to seam together; when it appeared in the C-T it took up half a page.)

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Kenny Anderson of Lorain likes Dog-N-Suds because,
"It's original. It's the old-fashioned one. I don't like those drive-throughs."

Cruisin’ the Drive-ins

Pam Plas • The Chronicle-Telegram

You’re not likely to find Richie Cunningham and the rest of the “Happy Days” gang hanging out at Dog-N-Suds or the Dinner Bell Drive-In. But any given night during the summer, you are likely to find a crowd.

In the days before McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants, drive-ins were THE place to hang out.

Teen-agers waited on by carhops, munched hamburgers and drank milk shakes behind the wheel of daddy’s ’57 Chevy or Studebaker. During the 50s they packed drive-ins from Sunset Strip to Coney Island.

Car hopping may be a lost art, but Dinner Bell and Dog-N-Suds, still offer that door-to-(car) door service.

Dog-N-Suds carhop Tracy Griffin of Avon takes an order
from Dan Stanic of LaGrange who cruised in in his
1970 Buick Skylark GS convertible. Tracy, who has plans
to go to LCCC, says she likes her job. "I like meeting
people and the tips are good."

Ilene Hampton is now in her 35th year of ownership of Dog-N-Suds 2050 N. Ridge Rd. in Sheffield Township.

When Hampton borrowed $8,500 to buy the restaurant in 1959, it was one of hundreds of Dog-N-Suds in a national chain.

Today, Hampton said, there’s only about a handful left in the United States. The Sheffield Township restaurant is the only one remaining Dog-N-Suds in Ohio.

Hampton said her business has been prosperous.

“It’s a lot of work but this business has been very good to me,” Hampton said.

She and her husband, Thomas, the manager of the restaurant, work more than 100 hours a week.

“It’s tiring but we have the winter to rest up,” she said, chuckling.

Dog-N-Suds is only open six months a year – from March 1 through Aug. 31.

Hampton said her customers range from teens to senior citizens to families with small children.

The menu includes hot dogs with Coney sauce, sizzle steaks, corn dogs and curly fries. A favorite among customers is the Texasburger, a double-decker burger, and Dog-N-Suds homemade root beer.

“We make it right here and serve it in frosted mugs,” Hampton said.

Old time Rootbeer: It's homemade and served
in a frosty mug at Dog-N-Suds.

Double-decker hamburgers are popular at Dinner Bell Drive-In too. The Dinner Bell also serves hot dogs, chili dogs, sloppy joes and sausage sandwiches.

Bill and Marie Reynolds have owned Dinner Bell, located at 6340 Lake Ave. in Elyria Township for 14 years. They are open from April 1 through Sept. 30.

Marie Reynolds, who owns Dinner Bell Drive-in
with her husband, William, says their homemade
sloppy joes and two styles of lemonade are hot menu items.

“We get a big lunchtime crowd and we’re busy on weekends,” said Marie Reynolds.

“We have a lot of regular customers. And we have a lot of older customers and families. We’re family priced.”

Reynolds said she hires waitresses who are naturally friendly.

“We expect them to give good service and be personable. And we tell them to always say ‘hello’ to senior citizens because it may be the first time all day that someone has greeted them.”

Hampton said she, too, believes that good, friendly service has been the key to her success.

“That’s important. And the food has to be good, too. I haven’t changed much over the years. My philosophy has always been stick with what works. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” she said.

The neon root beer sign jets Dog-N-Suds diners back into the '50s.

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(The article has one minor timeline error. The Dog 'n Suds drive-in first opened under a different owner in 1963. Ilene has owned it since 1966.)

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I've eaten at Dog 'n Suds about once a week since it opened this year. Manager Heather does a fantastic job of running the place so the food and service is always great and very reasonably priced! And my favorite carhop Kasey always takes good care of me.