Robyn Bland, formerly of Good Ole Days Ice Cream Shoppe, has opened up Robyn’s Drive-In (just south of Jacksonville and situated a few lots south of Minor Drive on S. Main/Interstate 267). Bland opened the 1950’s/1960’s, “hop feel” drive-in on May 3 of 2014. The location has plenty of parking and even bike racks; Bland says, too, that semis are absolutely welcomed. Robyn’s Drive-In provides clean picnic tables with umbrella shade and also features entertainment some weekends, notes Bland. You can visit Bland, along with her employee and friend, Shannon Lash, every day of the week except Wednesdays and Thursdays. Lash divulged about Bland, “I hope she told you how much she likes to cook. She loves to cook for people.”
Specialties for the food truck are her tenderloin and gyros, Bland says, but she makes other foods, including a fried bologna sandwich – which I tried for the first time and agree that it is quite delish. I had mine with lettuce, tomato and onion, but Bland will top according to your taste, she says. A step over at the ‘ice cream wagon’ will offer a variety of ice cream treats such as sundaes and shakes. Her ice creams are all hand-scooped desserts and Bland says that she has new flavors such as Blue Moon, Superman and Strawberry Cheesecake.
Robyn’s Drive-In is a quaint and fun roadside attraction. The teal picket fences and oldies music played in the background complete the “hop” feel. Bland even has her pink poodle skirt that she accompanies with fitting fashion accessories if you catch her on a special day. I asked Bland what she especially liked about the drive-in and she replied, “It’s just a nice, open atmosphere. It’s like you’re having a picnic out in the country.”
