The Circus Drive-In was a fast food hamburger drive-in restaurant on Route 35 in Wall Township, New Jersey, open in the summer season.[1] It opened in 1954 and closed in 2017.
Circus Drive-In was opened in 1954 by Richard and Barbara Friedel.[2][3] In 2004, the Friedels sold the restaurant to William Kayal;[2] Kayal's son David Kayal became majority owner in 2010 and operated it until 2010, when he sold it to Rich Rose and Chuck Kavitsky.[3] Rose renovated the restaurant.[4]
Rose and Kavitsky offered the property for sale or lease in early 2017.[3] One offer to purchase was from PETA, who proposed converting it into a vegan restaurant and museum of animal cruelty.[6] It was sold to a buyer who closed down the business.[7] The building was demolished in May 2018,[4][8] and the neon sign, featuring a smiling clown and designed by Barbara Friedel,[9] was removed in 2021.[10] Wall Township placed it in storage for future display.[11] A retail development was constructed on the site.[12]
The restaurant building was round, designed to resemble a circus tent,[13] and the dining area had open sides, covered by clear plastic flaps in bad weather. Carhops brought to-go orders to customers' cars; there was a partially covered drive-in aisle.[4][5][14] Indoor seating capacity was 100; there was also a patio seating 100, the Tiger's Den, and parking for 40 cars.[5]
The Circus had circus-themed menu items such as the Daredevil, the Wild Animal Special,[15] Bareback Betsy,[1] Bozoburgers,[16] and Sideshow hot dogs.[5] Besides standard hamburger fare, it was known for its fried Maryland softshell crab,[1] batter-dipped onion rings, and a newer addition of New England Lobster roll.[17]
The Circus was featured in a sixth-season episode of The Secret Life Of... on the Food Network, on drive-ins.[18]
