While a new A&W drive-thru restaurant is being contemplated by the Petro Canada gas station owners at the corner of No. 5 Road and Steveston Highway, it’s the old drive-in A&W at the north end of No. 3 Road that has sparked many memories recently on Facebook page “You grew up in Richmond, BC if you remember…”
Last January Alan Walrond, a McNair secondary graduate, circa 1981, posted a memory of the drive-in restaurant, once situated north of Cambie Road. He told the Richmond News the A&W used to be the place to go for teenage boys and young adults with hot rods. Girls would be the prototypical servers at the drive-in, he said. He also recalled trips to the nearby King Wah Chinese buffet as well.
“It was the turn-around spot when cruising No. 3 Road. The McDonalds at No 3 Road and Granville was the south turn around spot,” said Walrond.
Many people commented that the animal burger (apparently it held 10 patties, as the stories go) was a formidable challenge back in the day. And five cents for a root beer was a great deal.
This week former resident Glen Billwiller posted a photo of his aunt working at A&W. The photo shows her bringing two trays of food and several jugs of soda to a car. She’s outfitted with a coin dispensing belt. Behind her, outside the one-storey restaurant, lined with neon lights, is a picnic area. There also appears to be some covered parking stalls nearby. And large flood lights line the parking area.
Billwiller noted that the last drive-in restaurant in Richmond was the White Spot, once situated on Granville Avenue, nearby to where the Value Village is presently located (near the corner of Buswell Street).
The new A&W drive-thru is presently in the development stage.
