Definition of Carhop

A carhop is a waiter or waitress who brings food to people in their cars at drive-in restaurants. Usually car hops work on foot but sometimes use rollerskates. The popularity of movies such as American Graffiti and shows like Happy Days created a misconception of carhops as exclusively roller skaters. The first car hops appeared in 1921 when automobiles were beginning to be a common sight in Dallas, Texas. Two men, a businessman named J.G. Kirby and a physician with the name of R.W. Jackson decided to take advantage that many people owned cars and more were coming. They realized that many of the drivers were also lazy, too lazy in fact to get out of their cars to eat. They opened a restaurant called the Pig Stand which had male carhops from their inception.. The A&W corporate website actually claims to have opened the first carhop restaurant in 1923, just two years after The Pig Stand initiated car hops.