Carl's Drive-In
Carl's Drive-In is a tiny counter-service burger and root beer stand in Brentwood, MO, on Manchester Road, which carried Route 66 out of St. Louis from 1926 to 1932. The building began as a gas station, later became a hot dog stand and has gone by the name Carl's since 1959. Sixteen stools, house-made draft root beer and griddle-smashed burgers make it a small, old-fashioned stop.
What is Carl's Drive-In?
Two Formica counters hold 16 stools, and there are no tables, so seating is limited. The menu centers on burgers smashed on the griddle, plus footlong and curly-Q hot dogs and fries. The house-made draft root beer comes in a frosted mug. The Gayot guide has named Carl's one of the top 10 burger restaurants in the US, and in 2022 Yelp users picked it as the best cheeseburger in Missouri.
History of Carl's Drive-In
In the 1950s Walter Breeden ran the stand as the Good Food Drive Inn, also called Breeden's, and rebuilt it after a tornado in 1959. That year Carl Meyer and his wife, Pat, bought it and named it Carl's Drive-In. Frank Cunetto owned it from the late 1980s and cooked there for about three decades. Two regulars followed: Mike Franklin, a longtime customer, in 2015, and David Kraemer in 2021, who promised to keep the menu and the old ways.
Visiting Carl's Drive-In: tips
Manchester Road carried Route 66 only until 1932, when the highway moved south to Watson Road. With counter service and so few seats, plan a quick meal and check the hours before you go.
Practical info
- Address
- 9033 Manchester Rd, Brentwood, MO 63144
- Website
- carlsdrivein.com
- Hours
- We have no opening hours for this stop yet — check the official site.
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
On the map
Full mapCarl's Drive-In with the 6 closest stops and other places to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
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Stops near Carl's Drive-In
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