Mac’s Drive-In

This place is only open during the warm months and maybe the only place I’ll wait 45 min to order when it is completely packed. It’s one of the last establishments of its kind and it serves very basic concession type diner food. It’s very good and it’s a great place to experience the locals hype.

I’m only 30 but man the place made me feel like I was in the 50’s. The food was good, the prices were cheap, the service was friendly. The place was clean and there were many seating options. Four grown men were able to fill up for $ 35 and we got a lot.

Stopped there today for lunch while visiting the area.
I don’t get all the hype. Burgers Are very plain. Nothing comes with them. Not even pickles on the side.
I read that they’ve been here since 1961. It can’t be for the burgers.
Root beer was good tho, It looked like a fun stop.

We came here because of the reviews. It was our first time here. It sucks because it’s cash only, get with the times. You park and honk and the server comes out and takes your order. We decided on two cheeseburgers, onion rings, fries and a grilled cheese basket for the kids.
Around 15 mins later they bring the food out and set it on your cars door. The first few bites of the burger were juicy and delicious, the last few I got a couple knuckles. And those knuckles weren’t just my burger, the wife wasn’t to happy either. We ordered their famous root beer. It was horrible. Worst root beer. We probably won’t go back.

Nothing really wrong with this place. Burgers and hot dogs. Very cheap. The building is awesome. Vintage drive in. Good place for a quick cheap meal with a frosted mug of root beer … But I wouldn’t bring people here to brag about the fine dining.

Open since 1961 and still operating out of its original building, Mac’s carries on the drive-​in tradition in every detail. Don’t expect anything fancy, but the fries are still hand cut and the root beer traditionally mixed. It’s an open-​air operation oriented around a u-​shaped diner counter, complete with swiveling stools. That means it’s also seasonal, an idea that is totally foreign to Southerners.

A friend of mine suggested that — if I ever find myself in Waterloo, NY — I should check out Mac’s Drive-​In. Oddly enough there it was — as we were driving past tractors and corn fields — Mac’s. We pulled a hard left and parked in front of a nostalgic Drive-​In burger joint. The referral? I was told that I HAD to try the Richardson’s Root Beer. So we did.
Inside was a u-​shaped countertop with spinning padded chrome stools and a scattering of tables inside and out on the patio. The menu is everything you would expect on a 1950’s diner menu including burgers, fries, shakes and, of course, root beer floats.
While you can always saddle up to the bar or grab a table, the novelty at Mac’s is being served by car hops delivering your shakes, burgers or fries right to the door of your 57 Chevy. And while they may not wear roller skates any more, the efficient and friendly car hops do a great job of ferrying your order to your car window to the tunes of 50’s and 60’s hits.
Great shakes, awesome root beer floats and Cruise nights on Wednesdays. So — if you ever find yourself traveling through Waterloo, NY — stop in at Mac’s. You HAVE to try a frosty mug of root beer.

Summary: Mac’s Drive-​In is one of a dying breed of Drive-​Ins. Quite honestly, the only drive-​in I’ve ever been to.
Price: Inexpensive! Sandwiches like burgers and fish are only a few bucks, and sides are a bit less. Their Burger Basket which has a burger, fries (hand cut!), and cabbage salad (basically a coleslaw), was $ 5. Drinks in a frozen mug are under a dollar.
Taste: It’s a Drive-​In, not a 5 Star Restaurant. However, the burger was good and cooked to a delicious medium well, the fries are hand cut and super fresh, and the chilled mug lemonade I had was refreshing. Better than most fast food burger and fries I’ve had, and the price is actually probably cheaper than them (!).
Atmosphere: Food alone probably deserves somewhere around 3 or 4 stars, but the atmosphere really brings my opinion on Mac’s Drive-​In to a 5. I wasn’t around during the Drive-​In era, but the place reminds me of retro scenes from classic movies. It was just fun. There is a really neat condiment tray, a functioning drive-​in (really, you can park your car and be waited on), and a really cool atmosphere. Not to mention the place is packed with people, likely regulars and tourists alike, which gives it a friendly vibe. The wait staff was great too, and seemed to keep up with the crowd.
Overall: While the food itself may not earn a 5, the whole experience was just awesome. I can’t say how it compares to other Drive-​Ins, but damn it, I had a good time here. If we have time before our move to Virginia, we’ll be back.
Definitely check it out.