Brooks and Company Vol4 1st Quarter 2014 | Page 14

GrIFFItH’s DrIVE-In
The legacy of Griffith’s Drive-In dates further back
than the restaurant itself. It is a legacy that follows
the Griffith family for the better part of a century,
and is just as much a part of the City of Griffin, as it
is a part of each Griffith.
From 1942-1950, Rollin Griffith Sr. worked at
Ward’s Drug Store managing the lunch counter
(better known as the soda fountain). He regularly
made items like ham sandwiches, milkshakes, and
fountain drinks. The things he learned there, he
carried over into his own business, a drive-in called
The Spinning Wheel. From 1950-1953, Rollin Sr.,
Lucy (his wife), and Rollin Jr. (his son) ran the
Spinning Wheel. Rollin Sr. passed away in 1953,
and until 1955 Lucy, Rollin Jr., and Norma (Rollin
Jr.’s wife) ran the drive-in.

After a brief time away from the restaurant industry,
Lucy and Rollin Jr. opened a lunchroom in 1957 on
the corner of Broad and Experiment Streets. The
location gained it the name “Griffith’s Triangle
Lunchroom.” The lunchroom had 14 successful
years before they sold it to the Gatlin sisters in
1971. After selling the lunchroom Ms. Griffith
retired, and Rollin Jr. worked for Maxwell Brothers
Furniture Company until 1975.
In 1975, Rollin Jr., Norma, and their son Jeff
bought an A & W restaurant on Highway 16. By
1977, the A & W had become Griffith’s Drive-In.
In 1984, the Griffiths welcomed Jeff’s wife Laurie
into the family and the business. Rodney Stroud
joined the Griffith’s staff in the same year, right
before graduating Griffin High School. In 1989,
ownership of Griffith’s passed from Rollin Jr. to
Jeff and by 1990 there were 3 more little Griffiths

(Micki, Rusty, and Jessi) growing up in the
restaurant industry.

In April of 2001, Griffith’s got a facelift and a new
building on the opposite end of the property to
accommodate the growing business, and also
debuted a new eat-in side to the restaurant. Shortly
afterwards, Griffith’s started offering breakfast. In
2011, Griffith’s began offering catering services.

Today you can still find the hamburgers, hotdogs,
fried chicken, steak sandwiches, chili, and slaw that
has made Griffith’s a household name in these 30+
years. You can sit and have the best glass of sweet
tea in the city, and enjoy a slice of Mrs. Norma’s
homemade pound cake that will satisfy the fiercest
of any sweet tooth in the south. You’ll find yourself
suspended in time, serenaded by the jukebo x,
drinking a hand-dipped and spun milkshake, and
plenty of southern hospitality and charm to spare.
You can find a Griffith there almost any time the
doors are open. Come in, sit, and chat for a spell,
we love to have company!