Ashland-Wooster Drive-In – Ashland, OH

Halfway between Cleveland and Columbus you will find this community staple, Ashland-Wooster Drive-In, serving classic favorites and homemade root beer.

In 1957, Barb and Bob Fordyce opened an A&W Root Beer Stand and remained an A&W through subsequent owners Joann and Bud Bemiller (and family) from 1969-1984. But the following year 1985, the A&W franchise was dropped and Ashland-Wooster Drive-In was born.

Shortly before I visited (in July 2021), Steve Bemiller sold the business to Mindi White and Frank Keener. Thankfully, no changes have yet been made to this community staple in Ashland, OH as the new owners are just excited to continue providing excellent food the people have come to love.

They are located just of i71 exit 186, halfway between Columbus and Cleveland, which makes it the perfect pit stop on one of our most frequented routes when driving out of town. When we visited, we were actually on our way to Rochester, NY for the weekend and left before grabbing dinner. So I scoured my save Google maps list of root beer stands and spotted this one on our route.

Upon arriving, the first thing I saw was their sign suggesting their roast beef. Normally I get a cheeseburger and fries when I visit root beer stands but figured I would live a little – I pretty much never get a roast beef sandwich unless I’m at Arby’s. What can I say? There’s just something about drive-in food that always hits the right spot. It’s nothing fancy, but sometimes a classic simple meal is all I need. Besides, you cannot beat the prices.

As for their homemade root beer, it had a low amount of carbonation, was creamy and very vanilla flavored, but not a complex flavor – it’s a baseline solid root beer (which lands at a respectable 3/5). Will definitely stop again en route to our next destination, if needed!