There are elements of the Erie Drive-In restaurant that look the same, or close, to when the Stratford summer staple opened 55 years ago.<\/p>\n
Published May 22, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 2\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
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Mike and Cathy Bayer have owned Erie Drive-In restaurant for the last 11 years. The Stratford staple is celebrating its 55th year in 2026. (Cory Smith\/Beacon Herald)Article content<\/p>\n
There are elements of the Erie Drive-In restaurant that look the same, or close, to when the Stratford summer staple opened 55 years ago.<\/p>\n
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The floors haven\u2019t changed, though they\u2019re expected to be replaced this year. The countertop just inside of the ordering windows is the same shade of orange as it was more than five decades ago, and the iconic neon sign that towers over picnic tables still glows at night, though it\u2019s getting harder to fix given the scarcity of workers who can handle that type of bulb.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019ve had people make comments, \u2018You should do something about your sign,\u2019 but we don\u2019t want to update it,\u201d said Mike Bayer, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Cathy. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to modernize it. We love the patina on it. That\u2019s just what Erie is. It\u2019s been around for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The couple grew up with the restaurant, whether it was picnics in the bed of a truck in the parking lot or stopping for a burger or ice cream in high school. It\u2019s part of why they made an offer to become the restaurant\u2019s fourth owners 11 years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an honour and a privilege to actually come back and own it and be a part of Stratford,\u201d Cathy said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThat\u2019s the amazing part,\u201d Mike added. \u201cIt\u2019s always been something we\u2019ve been attracted to and close to, and now we own it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some changes were necessary, like updating cooling equipment, adding a debit machine, and extending the season. The restaurant now opens every year before March break \u2013 the unofficial start of spring in Stratford \u2013 and closes on Thanksgiving weekend instead of when the fall fair comes to town in September.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to keep everything as original as possible,\u201d Mike said.<\/p>\n
That extends to many of the customers who have supported the restaurant for decades. It\u2019s become a meeting spot for first dates, post-game celebrations, and hungry residents excited to stand in line with a ticket in hand after a long winter. One local couple showed up this month to celebrate their wedding anniversary, a tradition that started 50 years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love hearing that,\u201d Cathy said. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting and always an adventure hearing the stories. We\u2019re special to them, and they\u2019re special to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The former owners of Duke\u2019s Grill and Ice Cream Shack in Upper Queen\u2019s Park have tried to foster a family atmosphere and have a little fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of the staff keep coming back, and I always check in on them,\u201d Cathy said. \u201cI love seeing them from Grade 9 and going through college and university and coming here every summer, getting their hours and making some money so they don\u2019t have to work through the winter. Seeing the growth from when they first started to when they finish high school or college, it\u2019s just amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even the menu has remained largely the same. The footlong hotdog special is always written on the small white board, while other favourites, like the lumberjack burger, Big Eric, french fries and zebra cone, tap into a side of nostalgia that comes with visiting the city landmark.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always been a staple,\u201d Mike said, \u201cand we feel the responsibility to make sure it stays that way and continue it on.\u201d<\/p>\n
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