1. Pizza Wheels
If you went to a drive-in in the ’70s, you might remember grabbing a cardboard sleeve filled with Pizza Wheels. These were small, doughy pinwheels stuffed with tomato sauce, cheese, and pepperoni, then baked until golden. They weren’t exactly authentic Italian cuisine, but kids loved tearing into them between reels. The grease often soaked through the napkin in no time, but that didn’t stop anyone from finishing the whole pack.
They were easy to carry back to your car and didn’t need utensils, which made them a perfect drive-in snack. The smell alone made your mouth water as soon as someone walked past with a tray. Sadly, they disappeared from snack bars once microwavable mini-pizzas came on the scene. To this day, fans swear nothing quite captured the taste of a warm Pizza Wheel under the stars.
2. Marathon Bar
The Marathon Bar wasn’t just a candy bar, it was a novelty. Eight inches of braided caramel covered in chocolate, it felt like you were getting your money’s worth. At the drive-in, it was practically a meal in itself. You could gnaw on one through the entire first feature and still have a chunk left for the second.
Kids loved showing off the wrapper that had a ruler printed on it, daring their friends to finish the whole thing in one sitting. The bar’s sticky sweetness was unforgettable, though your jaw sometimes regretted it. Despite its popularity, it was discontinued by the early ’80s. Today, many still get nostalgic just thinking about unwrapping that bright red package.
3. Jiffy Pop
Few things felt more exciting at a drive-in than shaking a Jiffy Pop pan over the concession stand’s little hot plates. The silver dome would puff up as the kernels popped, and it felt like magic. Drive-in theaters sold them as a DIY option, which made kids feel like they were part of the fun. By the time you carried it back to the car, the pan was hot, the popcorn fluffy, and the experience unforgettable.
Jiffy Pop was different from scooped popcorn because it was interactive. You made it yourself, even if only for a few minutes. Parents liked it because it kept kids occupied before the previews started. Though you can technically still find Jiffy Pop today, it vanished from most drive-in snack bars long ago, leaving only the memory of that sizzling sound.
4. Pixy Stix Cones
Drive-ins in the ’70s had a sweet tooth, and nothing proved it more than Pixy Stix Cones. Picture a regular paper cone, filled not with shaved ice, but with flavored sugar dust. You’d tear off the top and tip it back like a frozen treat, but it was all sugar. The neon colors left tongues stained blue, red, or purple for the rest of the night.
Parents hated them because kids would be bouncing off the walls by intermission. Still, they were cheap, fun, and an easy sell at the concession stand. They eventually disappeared when candy companies started packaging sugar in straws instead. Those cones may have been messy, but they were pure childhood chaos at the drive-in.
5. Pop Shoppe Sodas
Before Coke and Pepsi fully took over, many drive-ins offered bottles of Pop Shoppe sodas. They came in glass bottles with bold red labels, available in quirky flavors like lime rickey and pineapple. You’d carry them back in a cardboard carrier that made you feel like you had something special. The sound of that cap popping off was music to the ears.
Pop Shoppe was fun because it felt local, almost like a hidden gem. Families would often mix and match bottles so everyone got a different flavor. The drinks were sweeter than modern sodas and had a fizz that made your nose tingle. Eventually, the brand faded away, and with it, the variety drive-in snack bars once had.
6. Taco Flavor Doritos
Doritos weren’t yet the giant they are now, but the original Taco Flavor made waves at drive-in concession stands. Packaged in their retro brown bags, these chips packed a tangy, seasoned kick that paired perfectly with a cold soda. Teens loved munching on them during double features, and you could always hear the crunch echo through the car.
This flavor was bold compared to the plain potato chips most theaters stocked at the time. Kids who tried them felt like they were in on a secret grown-up snack. Though Doritos brought the flavor back briefly years later, it wasn’t the same. At drive-ins, they were part of the atmosphere, adding spice to an otherwise ordinary night.
7. Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip
Before Fun Dip was a household name, drive-ins sold little packs of Lik-M-Aid. It was basically flavored sugar that you scooped up with a candy stick. The best part was that the stick itself was edible, though it often broke before you got to the end. Sticky fingers and stained lips were practically guaranteed.
Drive-ins loved stocking them because kids could carry them back to the car without spilling too much. Parents, on the other hand, dreaded the sugar high that came after. The candy was cheap, colorful, and interactive, which made it irresistible. By the late ’70s, Fun Dip took over, but those first Lik-M-Aid packets still hold a special place in people’s memories.
8. Nutty Bars
Nutty Bars were a drive-in treat that combined wafers, peanut butter, and chocolate in a way that felt downright indulgent. Unlike a plain candy bar, these were crispy and layered, with just the right mix of salty and sweet. They often came in multipacks, making them easy to share with siblings in the backseat.
The bars were messy in the summer heat, but nobody cared as long as they had napkins. Parents appreciated that they were filling, so kids weren’t whining halfway through the movie. They eventually got edged out by more commercial snack cakes, but in the ’70s, they were a concession stand favorite. Anyone who ate one while watching a drive-in horror flick probably still remembers the taste.
9. Astro Pops
Astro Pops were shaped like little rockets, making them perfect for kids sitting in cars staring at a giant screen. They came in layers of bright colors—usually red, green, and yellow—that looked as fun as they tasted. Hard candy on a paper stick might seem simple, but they lasted through almost an entire feature film.
The pointed end made them unique compared to round lollipops, though parents sometimes worried about kids poking themselves. Still, their novelty made them popular at drive-in snack bars. By the ’80s, they started to fade from shelves, and eventually vanished altogether. Fans still remember them as the candy that lasted as long as the movie.
10. Fudge Ripple Ice Cream Cups
Nothing beat the thrill of pulling a Fudge Ripple ice cream cup from the concession freezer on a hot summer night. The swirls of vanilla and chocolate fudge were rich and creamy, and each cup came with a tiny wooden spoon. Kids would dig through the vanilla just to find the fudge veins hiding underneath.
These cups melted fast, which was part of the challenge when you were sitting outside in July. Sticky hands were almost guaranteed, but nobody minded with a treat that good. They disappeared as soft-serve machines and bigger novelties took over. For many, though, those little ripple cups defined summertime at the drive-in.
11. Caramel Corn Bricks
Drive-ins loved selling caramel corn bricks, which were basically blocks of popcorn glued together with sticky caramel. You could break them apart or just chomp right into the brick like an apple. They were crunchy, sweet, and made your teeth ache, but kids couldn’t get enough.
Parents often bought them because they lasted longer than regular popcorn. They also didn’t spill all over the car floor, which was a bonus. The downside was that they sometimes stuck to the wrapper, leaving a gooey mess. By the ’80s, they were hard to find, but they remain a nostalgic favorite for those who grew up in the ’70s.
12. Hostess Choco-Diles
Choco-Diles were Twinkies dipped in chocolate, and they made a big splash at drive-ins in the ’70s. Unlike a regular Twinkie, they were richer, with the chocolate coating keeping the sponge cake moist. Kids loved unwrapping the shiny foil and finding that gooey center. They felt fancier than your average snack cake.
The only problem was they melted quickly in warm cars, leading to plenty of sticky fingers. Still, their mix of chocolate and cream made them unforgettable. They quietly disappeared in the ’80s, only to be revived briefly later on. But for many, the true memory is eating one under the flickering glow of a drive-in screen.
13. Popcorn Shrimp Baskets
Some drive-ins experimented with heartier snacks, and one that stood out was the popcorn shrimp basket. Served hot with cocktail sauce, it was a step up from candy and chips. Families often split them as a “dinner” before the double feature started. The salty, crunchy shrimp were addictive, even if they cooled off quickly.
It might sound odd now, but drive-ins often leaned into diner-style foods back then. Having fried shrimp in your car made the night feel like more than just a movie—it was an event. Health codes and changing tastes eventually pushed them off concession menus. Today, they’re remembered as one of the quirkiest drive-in snacks of the ’70s.
