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Montana Eateries

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Bonanza Freeze
Butte, MT
The Bonanza Freeze opened in 1947 and is still operating. [map]

Matt's Place Drive-in
Butte, MT
Matt's Place Drive-in was established in 1930 in a converted house. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2018, the owner retired and the building has been vacant since then. For more, see this website. [map]

More Butte:
Lydia's Supper Club

Cut Bank:
The Point Drive Inn [gone]

Prison Pizza
Deer Lodge, MT
former Hamburger Stand
Great Falls, MT
Prison Pizza is located next door to the Montana State Prison. It opened in 2018. The building previously housed Monty's Subs which was part of the R-B Drive-in which had opened by 1967. That R-B Drive-in was related to the one in Helena described below but the relationship was dissolved in 1967. Does anyone know what this A-frame building housed orginally or when it was built? [map]

The Hamburger Stand was built in 1937. By 1961, it was housing the Shoe Box shoe store. By 1988, it was housing Cheap Shirts. The building has been vacant for many years. [map]

Ford's Drive-in
Great Falls, MT
Ford's Drive-in opened in 1954. [map]

RB's Drive-in
Helena, MT
RB's Drive-in opened around 1945 as the Root Beer Stand. I don't know if it went by that name or RB's. By 1954, it was definitely known as the R-B Drive-in. The neon sign with the pouring root beer was there by 1953. It was installed over the roof on poles. The pole sign was there by 1967 and was probably installed earlier. For more, see this website. [map]

Dash Inn
Lewistown, MT
The Dash Inn opened in 1952. [map]

Mark's In & Out
Livingston, MT
Mark's In & Out opened in 1954. They have roller-skating carhops on weekends during the summer. For more, see this website. [map]

Joe's In & Out
Malta, MT
Joe's In & Out might be from the 1950s or 1960s. [map]

Big Dipper Ice Cream
Missoula, MT
Loose Caboose
Missoula, MT
The Big Dipper Ice Cream opened in 1995. I believe the building was originally a Phillips 66 gas station from the 1960s. It housed a catering business after that. There are other Big Dipper locations in Helena and Billings. [map]

The Loose Caboose coffee chain was established in 1994. There are four other caboose-shaped buildings in town. For more, see this website. [map]

Richwine's Burgerville
Polson, MT
Richwine's Burgerville opened in 1962 and this cow sign was built then. In 1965, the place moved to a larger building and the sign was also moved. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

China Gate Restaurant
Polson, MT
I believe the China Gate Restaurant building was built in 1974. I don't know if that was the original occupant. [map]

Terry:
Dizzy Diner

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