Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
- Retro roadside
- In Springfield, Illinois
- 0.2 mi from Route 66
- National Register of Historic Places
In Springfield, IL, the Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop is one of the few early Maid-Rite franchises still around, in a building dating to 1921. It claims to have had the country's first drive-thru window, and it sits along a historic path of U.S. Route 66. Listed on the National Register in 1984, it is still a working sandwich shop, with restrooms on site, about 1 mile off the old road as mapped here.
What is Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop?
This is a sandwich shop in a 1921 building, one of a handful of early Maid-Rite franchises that survive anywhere in the United States. Its best-known boast is that it had the nation's first drive-thru window. That is the shop's own claim, so enjoy it as part of the fun rather than as settled record. Either way, the idea of serving customers without leaving their cars fits the Route 66 story neatly.
Restrooms are on site, parking is available, and it is listed as wheelchair accessible and good for kids, which makes it an easy stop for a family on the road.
History of Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
The shop dates from 1921, a few years before Route 66 was established in 1926, so the highway came to it rather than the other way around. It joined the National Register in 1984, a sign of how much its small building means to the story of roadside food in Illinois.
Visiting Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop: tips
The shop is about 1 mile from the Route 66 line on the map here, though it stands on one of the historic paths through Springfield; the road followed more than one route through the city over the years. Check its hours before planning a meal. Allow half an hour for a sandwich and a photo of the building. The Clarkson W. Freeman House and the Illinois State Capitol are each about 0.3 mile away, and the Fred Gottschalk Grocery Store is about 0.4 mile.
Practical info
- Address
- 118 North Pasfield Street, Springfield, IL 62702
- Phone
- +1 217-523-0723
- Website
- maid-rite.com
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 10–3 · Sat 11–2
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat near Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
All diners on Route 66 →
On the map
Full mapMaid-Rite Sandwich Shop with the 6 closest stops and places to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
Tap a dot to see that stop here.
Stops near Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
All of Illinois
0.3 mi from Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
0.3 mi from Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
0.4 mi from Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
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0.4 mi from Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
0.4 mi from Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
0.5 mi from Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
Questions about Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
Is the Maid-Rite on Route 66?
Yes. The building stands on a historic stretch of U.S. Route 66 in Springfield.
Did it really have the first drive-thru?
The shop says it had the country's first drive-thru window; treat that as its own claim.
Can you still eat there?
Current listings show it open, with restrooms on site; check hours before you go.
Own or run Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop? Send us a photo or a correction.