In 1947, Mel Weiss and Harold Dobbs opened the first drive-in restaurant in San Francisco, Mels drive-in. At the time, the drive-in restaurant concept was just beginning in America, and the agreeable weather of California was ideal for year round carhop service.
1947 - The First drive-in restaurant in San Francisco.
1950-1960 - The 50's & The 60's
By 1954 the Mels franchise was pulling in about $4 million annually. Weiss estimated they were cooking up 15-20,000 hamburgers a day. Mels became a fixture of contemporary life, with bright neon lighting, carhops, and a pre-fast food menu.
1972 - Weiss & Dobbs sell Mels Franchise
Mels continued to reign without major competition for almost 10 years, but the growing popularity of fast food chains eventually triumphed over the carhop craze. By 1972 Weiss and Dobbs had sold the Mels franchise to the Foster's chain. It was during this year that the location manager for "American Graffiti" picked Mels as the location to represent the scripted drive-in called "Burger City." Sometime after filming, Foster's filed for bankruptcy and the restaurant was sold again, and after a few more years in operation, Mels closed and was demolished in 1976.
1985 - Next Generation Mels
Steven Weiss and Donald Wagstaff decided to bring Mels drive-in back and opened the first of the Next Generation Mels on Lombard St in San Francisco.
1947 | The First drive-in restaurant in San Francisco. | 1972 | Weiss & Dobbs sell Mels Franchise | |
1950-1960 | The 50's & The 60's | 1985 | Next Generation Mels |