You might say Beacon Drive-In has a lock on what’s cool in Victoria and they’ve been leading the way since 1958.
“I think we’ve been here the longest,” says general manager Janet Reynolds, a nine-year vet of the place. “Of the restaurants in town, I think we’re the only one that hasn’t moved or changed its name.”
A visit to Beacon Drive-In is a must for visitors and if you haven’t already walked up to the window on a sunny day, it should be on your bucket list too. From their famous chocolate-dipped cones to hot dogs and fill-your belly breakfasts, customers are not the only ones satisfied. “It’s family-owned and we’re all like family members,” Reynolds says of the staff whose numbers grow from 25 in winter months to more than 40 in the summer. “We had one employee, Bruce Kelly, who was here 38 years.”
The place hasn’t changed much in 56 years either. The location adjacent to Beacon Hill Park is packed inside and out with seniors and families looking for a good meal or a bit of nostalgia. “We have our regulars and seniors who live around here and people who came here as kids coming back bringing their kids,” says Reynolds. For more on the Beacon Drive-In lore go to facebook.com/BeaconDriveInVictoriaBC.