Summertime at the Drive-In: Yeti’s Serves Up Tasty Treats and Nostalgia
By K. Woodzick, Editor
Growing up in Monona, one of my favorite summertime activities was going to the A&W drive-in a couple of miles from my home. Even if my friends and I just got root beer floats, there was always something supremely fun about going to the drive-in, and it’s much more exciting than a drive-thru.
Did you know that the very first drive-in was the Texas Pig Stand barbecue located Dallas, Texas, which opened in 1921? By the 1950s, drive-in restaurants had national popularity, especially with teenagers finding newfound freedom with their driver’s licenses. They were immortalized in tv shows like Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley and movies such as Grease and American Graffiti.
Freddie the Yeti proudly watches over both of the Yeti’s Drive-In locations. He is a friendly and imposing figure, with blue skin and white hair. This makes him a perfect selfie-taking partner when you stop in to get burgers or shakes.
The Crandon location of Yeti’s Drive-In opened in the summer of 2019. Their second location in Eagle River had its grand opening earlier this year on May 29th. Our staff recently enjoyed lunch from the Eagle River location. When I went to pick up the order, a chihuahua in the car next to me was enjoying licking the whipped cream off a frosty treat while perched in his owner’s lap.
Most of us opted for a serving of cheese curds, and we loved that they offer both yellow and white curds. I enjoyed Sarah’s Shamrock Shake. It was rich, creamy and refreshing, as were the other shakes (so I was told). The cheeseburgers we enjoyed were delicious and filling.
In addition to their menu with traditional drive-in fare of burgers and shakes, they offer a plant based “Impossible Burger” and have gluten-free buns available upon request.
Yeti’s is constantly changing up their specials, offering a mandarin orange, cranberry, pecan and chicken salad, orange chicken, chicken fajitas and deluxe carnita nachos. There are Dippin’ Dots for the kids, and they work to feature local products, like a cold brew latte from North Branch Maple Company, a maple syrup company. The best way to keep up to date with the latest specials is to follow their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/yetisdriveinWI.
Both Yeti’s Drive-In locations are open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm daily. Stop in for a sip of nostalgia, simpler times and tasty treats. But don’t wait too long: their summer season ends on September 6th.
K. Woodzick is a life-long theatre artist and has over a decade of experience as a non-profit marketing professional and writer. They live in Woodruff with their silver lab, River.