Preserving history at Nite Owl Drive-in

The drive-in restaurant is a dying breed. Born in the mid-twenties following the automobile boom, the drive-up restaurants saw their hey-day in the 1950s and 60s before gradually losing steam to the new-fangled drive-thru restaurants.

This week on the podcast, we chat with Chris Roepke, third generation owner of Nite Owl Drive-in, an old-school joint that’s been serving up burgers, ice cream, malts and shakes since 1948. He shares the history of the drive-in, his thoughts on keeping the iconic business running into the 21st Century and the secrets behind Nite Owl’s tasty burgers. 

We also chat about the secrets behind Nite Owl’s burgers, the ups and downs of running a seasonal business and Roepke shares fun stories and memories about one of Milwaukee’s longest-running businesses.