What is a drive-in? Thanks for asking!

As the name suggests, drive-ins allow visitors to watch a movie being projected onto a large screen, from the comfort of their own car. The fun activity is making an unexpected comeback in the coronavirus pandemic era, as its outdoor nature is suited to physical distancing requirements. There have been reports of tickets selling out in minutes for many screenings, with crowds attracted by the idea of getting out of the house for some entertainment.

Where and when drive-ins are born?

Drive-ins are a particularly American phenomenon, so if you live in the States you may well have gone to a drive-in at least once. For the rest of us, our experience is likely limited to iconic scenes from Hollywood movies. Drive-ins first appeared in the US nearly 100 years ago, with Richard Hollingshead credited as the first person to screen one in the state of New Jersey. Their popularity spread quickly, peaking after the Second World War, due to couples being reunited, the resulting baby boom and rising car ownership. Going on a date at a drive-in movie became an integral part of any American teenager’s life. Families from growing suburb populations also made the outdoor screenings their recreation of choice on weekends. During their golden age, there were as many as 4,000 drive-ins in the US, and the concept was replicated across the world. But all good things come to an end, as they say. Home cinema systems improved from the 1970s onwards, meaning people had bigger and better TV sets at home. Cinema multiplexes also popped up everywhere, stealing away audiences. Many had dismissed drive-ins as a relic of past decades, with the market shrinking by 90%. But recent events have brought on a new-found popularity, with customers coming in their thousands.

So what do drive-ins look like in this day and age? And what’s the long-term outlook for drive-ins then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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