By Sandy Sanders
In the movies, carhops wore skimpy little outfits and all of the cars in the parking lot were hot rods. This was not reality but the carhop was very real. During my teen years and before, there was hardly a restaurant in South Georgia without a carhop.
Last week, a friend was remembering a lady who had passed away. “Remember she was a carhop when we were teenagers,” she said. I had not heard or thought of the description ‘carhop’ in years. In reading up about American carhops, I learned the profession started in the ’30s when restaurants desired to give better service to the growing mobile society. A carhop is a waiter or waitress who goes to the car to serve the customer. Today in Valdosta, the only restaurant with carhops is Sonic. Several restaurants use the wait staff to bring carryout orders to the car but that is not technically a carhop.
The name carhop comes from the waiter or waitress jumping on the running board of the car to make sure everyone knew it was their customer. The only drive-in restaurant I have ever seen this happen (and it still does) is the Varsity in Atlanta, across from Georgia Tech.
On my second date with my wife, we went to Shoney’s on Ashley— not inside but to the drive-in. One of her favorite desserts, I learned, was Shoney’s “Hot Fudge Sundae.” Trying to be the perfect date, I ordered her one and the carhop was quick to bring it out. As she started to enjoy the dessert and I was taking in all of the points I was making out of this very nice gesture on my part, she dropped half of it on the cloth front seat of my brand new Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Even today she reminds me how nice I was to her when I am not so nice to our grandchildren for their accidental spills in the car.
Valdosta had one of the area’s most popular places for teens with a driver’s license and access to a car — The Hitching Post — and the carhops were the best. You could get a cheeseburger, (real) onion rings and a Coke delivered right to your car window. The Post later closed and reopened as Willy’s. The carhops and outside service were gone but the restaurant has become a Valdosta landmark. A few years earlier in the area where North Ashley and Bemiss Road now intersect, there was the S&K; Restaurant. Some said the S&K; stood for “Sit and Kiss” but I could not confirm it but there were carhops so I know you could sit. The other part, I am sure, just naturally followed.
There was also carhop service at drive-in theatres. You only needed to blink your car’s lights for a carhop to quickly appear at your window offering hot dogs, popcorn and drinks.
As all of us grow older, we naturally long for the “good old days.” The reality is everything was usually not as good as our memories. Not true of the carhops. To all of the carhops of my past, thanks … you were the best … you are missed.
Carhops were all about service. What can possibly be wrong with that?
