ASHLAND — For seven decades, May's Drive In has been serving burgers, ice cream, and memories to generations of Pennsylvanians. This July, the family-owned restaurant chain is marking its 70th anniversary with month-long customer specials while reflecting on a story that began with a single drive-in and has grown into a four-generation family business.
Founded in 1956 by Bill and Sara May, the business has remained true to the philosophy that first made it successful: serve a quality product at a fair price.
Today, at 97 years old, Bill May still represents the entrepreneurial spirit that built the family business.
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A Business Built From the Ground Up
The May family's roots in the food business stretch back even before the first drive-in opened.
Bill May's father, affectionately known as "Poppy," operated concession stands at the Bloomsburg Fair and area carnivals, including a unique "Mickey Mouse Show" featuring trained mice. Bill's own entrepreneurial journey began almost before he could walk. At just two years old, he stood on a podium helping at family stands, and by age 12, he was operating one of his own.
When Bill and Sarah opened the first May's Drive In in Bloomsburg in 1956, they also began selling pizzas from a small room attached to their home, laying the foundation for what would become a regional restaurant brand.
An Electrolux Job Helped Build a Restaurant Chain
Ironically, much of May's Drive In's expansion came because of a job outside the restaurant business.
For 40 years, Bill worked as an Electrolux salesman, traveling throughout central Pennsylvania as far west as Lewistown. Those trips allowed him to study traffic patterns, growing communities, and high-visibility locations that would eventually become future restaurant sites.
Over the years, the family expanded beyond the original Bloomsburg location to Lewisburg, Hughesville, Sunbury, Montoursville, Danville, Berwick, and Ashland, among others.
Not every location survived changing times. The Sunbury restaurant was lost during a bridge reconstruction project, while the Montoursville location suffered after a major highway rerouted traffic away from the business.
Ashland Becomes a Community Staple
Among the family's longest-running restaurants is the Ashland location, which opened in 1977.
Originally housed in a former gas station, the restaurant has evolved significantly over the years. Multiple additions expanded the building, including a rear dining room, a front dining room added during the 1990s, and a dedicated ice cream room.
Bill's daughter, Kathie, managed the Ashland restaurant for more than 40 years, helping make it a familiar gathering place for residents across northern Schuylkill County. The restaurant is now owned by Kathie's daughter Kristina and her husband John Misiewicz.
Keeping the Same Taste Customers Remember
One reason generations of customers continue returning is consistency.
The restaurant's signature hamburgers have remained virtually unchanged for more than four decades. Bill May personally worked with Fisher's Meat Markets in Lewisburg, providing a custom mold that is still used to create the restaurant's signature burger patties.
Ice cream has been just as important to the business since the beginning.
In the early years, the family produced its own hard ice cream in Bloomsburg before transporting it to other restaurants. Soft-serve ice cream was added during the late 1970s and early 1980s, while the chain also became known for its Teaberry soft serve, a regional favorite.
Bill's philosophy has remained simple throughout the decades.
"You don't need to be greedy," he often reminded his children. "We just need to make a living."
That approach centered on providing customers with a quality meal at a reasonable price.
The Famous Fiberglass Animal Heads
No conversation about May's Drive In would be complete without mentioning the restaurant's iconic fiberglass animal heads.
The oversized panda, lion, and elephant heads have greeted customers for decades after the family purchased them around 1969 from International Fiberglass for approximately $125 each.
Even after some of the original sculptures were destroyed in a Bloomsburg warehouse fire, the family commissioned duplicates to preserve the tradition. Today, the heads continue to be repaired by hand using Bondo and fresh paint, remaining one of the chain's most recognizable trademarks.
Four Generations Strong
The May family legacy now spans four generations.
Bill and Sarah May raised 10 children, many of whom spent their childhoods helping with the busines, sometimes folding pizza boxes after church before working behind the counter.
Today, the restaurants are operated by members of the second and third generations, while the fourth generation has also become involved.
The business continues to grow even after 70 years. In 2023, the family opened May's Freeze in Lewisburg, and another family member recently launched a May's Drive In food truck that serves the same signature burgers at festivals and pop-up events throughout the region.
As May's Drive In celebrates its 70th anniversary throughout July, the milestone serves as a reminder that while restaurants often come and go, a commitment to family, consistency, and treating customers fairly can stand the test of time.
After seven decades, the recipe that Bill and Sarah May started in 1956 remains much the same, good food, fair prices, and a family tradition that continues to grow.
Group Photo:
Front Row Left to Right:
- Jeff May (Owner May's Berwick and Hughesville)
- Bill May (founder of May's Drive In)
- Bill May (Owner May's Lewisburg and May's Freez)
- Kristina Misiewicz (owner May's Ashland)
Back Row Left to Right
- Ryan May (Manager May's Berwick and Hughesville)
- John Misiewicz (Owner May's Ashland)
- Jake May (Manager May's Lewisburg and Mays Freez)