DRIVE-THRU RESTAURANT TREASURES IN SO CAL

Once people figured out how convenient it was to pick up food without actually getting out of the car, popularity of drive-thrus exploded and just about every fast food company started remodeling their restaurants to accommodate one - and, in some cases, two - drive-thru service lanes. 

Fast-forward to 2025 and you can now get just about any type of cuisine from a drive-thru. How could life get any easier? Oh sure, now you can take laziness to the extreme and simply sit at home and order from a food delivery service, but how long will it take that food to eventually reach you, and how do you know the driver didn't sample the guacamole on their way to your house?

Personally, I still prefer a little human contact in the food ordering process, and I want to receive my food as quickly and as fresh as possible, so I often jump in the car and head to a drive-thru. There are quite a few drive-thrus I like throughout SoCal, and here are some of them. 

RANDY'S DONUTS

805 W. Manchester Boulevard, Inglewood, CA 90301 - Randy's is probably the most iconic donut shop in the world. It's hard to miss when you're in the L.A. area because there's a giant donut on the roof of the original location that appears bigger than the shop itself. Randy's opened in 1952 and, safe to say, you don't thrive for over 70 years unless you make a pretty good donut. And yes, they have all the classics like glazed, devils food and cake donuts with sprinkles, but I prefer the more interesting, edgy and exotic donut options. The Red Velvet donut topped with creamy ganache is outstanding, and their Bacon Maple Long John is both sweet and savory. They even make a Maple Raised donut topped with mini churros and caramel! 

Randy's is truly an L.A. original, but now we must share these tasty treats with the rest of the country and the world. Randy's Donuts has locations in four U.S. States (California, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia) and will soon open in two NEW states. Well, they're not new states, but they both start with NEW - New Mexico and New York. And, as you travel abroad, look for Randy's international locations in Mexico, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Japan and the Philippines. 

LUCY'S DRIVE-IN

1373 S. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90019 - If I'm driving through central L.A. and start craving really good Mexican food, my go-to is Lucy's, at the corner of La Brea Avenue and Pico Boulevard. They've been serving up both tasty Mexican and American food since 1969 and have a loyal following. 

Honestly, the place doesn't have much eye appeal, and the sheet metal drive-thru window looks like something that was built by a high school shop class, but I don't go there for the aesthetics, I go there for the food. On my most recent visit, I had a combo plate with a chile relleno, enchilada and a taco, served with rice, beans, chips & salsa and a small salad for under 20 bucks! 

They serve all your Mexican favorites but they also offer burgers, pastrami sandwiches, fish & chips, hearty breakfast plates and more. Not that I ordinarily wake up at 3 am jonesing for carne asada fries but, if I did, I could head right down to Lucy's because they're open 24/7!

NEXX BURGER 

7414 Florence Avenue, Downey, CA 90240 - Nexx Burger is an interesting place with a unique hook that brings people in. They could have been just another neighborhood burger joint, but they offer a double cheeseburger for $3.95 (current price) that is, let's just say, "very similar" in taste and appearance to In-N-Out's Double-Double®, which is now priced at around $6. Then, once you're there, you can't help but notice that they have a fairly large menu that includes salads, chicken strips, chicken sandwiches - even a BLT! 

They have a good selection of side orders too from french fries and chili cheese fries to sweet potato fries and onion rings. Personally, I like their french fries better than In-N-Out because they're crispier and have more flavor. I've been to Nexx Burger a few times and appreciate the consistency of their food quality and friendly, attentive service. If you're in or near Orange County, they have a second location on Chapman Avenue in the city of Orange.

7 LEAVES CAFE

11968 Garvey Avenue, El Monte, CA 91732 - It's been a warm summer in SoCal and the "fuel" that has kept me running through all this heat has been the array of cool, refreshing beverages from local boba shops. And, luckily for me, 7 Leaves Cafe, a drive-thru tea shop, has a location in Alhambra (a former KFC) near my residence as well as one in El Monte (originally a Del Taco) on the way home from my office. In fact, 7 Leaves has grown quite quickly to 46 locations, most of them here in California, but they also have a presence in Arizona, Texas and Nevada. 

It's always hard to decide what to order because everything on their menu sounds amazing, particularly their fruity drinks like Sunset Passion, made from real passion fruit, or their Strawberry Hibiscus Tea. One of my personal favorites at 7 Leaves is their House Coffee, a Vietnamese-style iced coffee beverage that is sweet and creamy with a deep, rich coffee flavor. But, if you prefer Thai Tea or Japanese Matcha, they have those and other popular favorites, as well. 

CHRIS'S BURGERS

13737 Amar Road, La Puente, CA 91746 - Chris's Burgers is one of those places that every neighborhood should have -- a local spot, cooking food to order, with about 50 different items on the menu. If you can't find something that interests you here, you're probably not hungry. This eatery opened as Gigie's Burgers in the early 1960s, serving 15-cent burgers and 20-cent tacos. Later, it became Chris's Burgers and has been serving the San Gabriel Valley ever since. 

Start the day with bacon and eggs, fluffy pancakes or even a hearty Denver Omelet. Their burgers are very good, my favorites being the Pastrami Burger or the Bacon Cheeseburger with avocado. They have a Mexican food menu, as well, featuring tacos, burritos, taquitos and my favorite, a Chili Tamale topped with cheese and chopped onion. They have full steak dinners and shrimp dinners but, if you feel like eating a little lighter and healthier, they have salads, too. In addition to their busy drive-thru lane, they have indoor and outdoor seating if you prefer to dine in.

RAKUTEN RAMEN

990 E. Alosta Avenue, Azusa, CA 91702 - Well, you can order just about anything else from a drive-thru, so why not ramen? Rakuten Ramen is located along Historic Route 66 in Azusa and does indeed have a drive-thru lane for ramen on the run! Their ramen is fresh and tasty, and most ramen options on their menu, except for veggie, are made with flavorful bone broth. In addition to a variety of chicken, beef and pork ramen dishes, they offer seafood ramen in a creamy seafood base. There is an extensive appetizer menu that includes some unique items, such as Crab Cream Croquettes, Spicy Garlic Edamame and Banana Tempura. 

If you're not in a ramen mood, try one of their baos (steamed buns with various fillings) or a pita sandwich, either meat filled or potato as a vegan option. They have salads, too, including Teriyaki Chicken and Teriyaki Salmon Avocado Salads. Don't forget to grab some mochi ice cream or sweet butter buns for dessert. A great way to finish a delicious meal!