Today's foray into culinary anthropology takes us to the drive-in theater, a once thriving venue in which people watched films from their cars while lined up in a parking lot. As odd as that concept sounds, it pales in comparison to the things those early entertainment pioneers ate.
Hot Meat
The eating of meat was done unapologetically, with high fat content an apparent selling point.
Indeed, the presentation of hot meat selections approached the pornographic.
Tobacco Treats
Still legal and widely available, cigarettes were considered a popular dessert.
Phallic Snacking
Fellatio was as popular then as it is now, but must have been discouraged at the drive-in, because a large variety of substitutes were offered.
The Eating of the Willing
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of concession cuisine was a perverse guilt that resulted in the snacks and drinks being portrayed as being eager to be consumed.
This led to a kind of pathos not seen since the never-seen Jerry Lewis harlequin-in-a-concentration-camp dramedy, The Day the Clown Cried.
