When the Sno-Cap first opened in Aiken County, the day's culture was vastly different from the clothes people wore to the cars they drove to the drive-in restaurant.
As the decades past, the fashion and cars changed along with the county itself, but the Sno-Cap steadfastly remained.
The Sno-Cap was built in the 1960s and is located at 618 West Ave., North Augusta. It is currently owned by Kenny and Rachel Franklin.
The food
One aspect that Rachel credits for the restaurant's endurance is the food's consistency.
"The products have never changed," she said. "We have consistency, and that's what I think makes ... people come back. They know they are going to get the same thing that hasn't been changed to something else."
A popular order is the cheese steak sandwich, according to Rachel. Other sandwiches include grilled cheese, BLT, chicken, barbecue and flounder. There are also quesadillas and wraps.
In true diner fashion, the restaurant produces various types of burgers and hot dogs. The burgers can be ordered as a 10-ounce Sno-Capper, with a pizza twist or with chili on top.
One customer's unique order earned him his own burger. The Buff burger is named for the loyal consumer and is made with barbecue, which he would always order on his burger.
Rachel even has her own burger which sports her preferences. Since she's not a fan of buns and can't eat raw onions, the Rachel is served on wheat toast with grilled onions.
Those wanting a hot dog can order it with chili, as a corn dog or with barbecue on top. There is also a Southern-style sausage dog available.
Listed on the menu above the classic diner items is the platters section. This section contains chicken, hamburger steak, shrimp and flounder platters.
Sides include munchers, sweet potato fries, onion rings, fried chips and smiley fries, and samplers include chicken and shrimp and chili cheese fries.
The desserts are perfect for a summer's day with an assortment of options including the restaurant's signature root beer float.
A salad menu and kid's menu are available. Kid's Night is every Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. The kids' menu is half price, and treats are given.
Fans of the eatery's homemade slaw can purchase it in pints and quarts, according to the menu.
Although much of the menu's contents remain the same, the Franklins have brought their own ideas to it, such as the munchers. They have also changed the presentation of the menu, transforming it from a sheet of paper to a book of protected pages.
Peek into the past
Grant Hoyer opened the first Sno-Cap in Aiken on Richland Avenue in 1962 and then opened his second location in North Augusta in 1964. The Aiken location is no longer functioning.
Charles Terry bought Sno-Cap in 1972; he was Hoyer's food salesman. Years later, Terry's food salesman Herb Womble told his co-worker Rachel about Terry wanting to sell the Sno-Cap.
"It stayed in the same food family," she said.
The Franklins bought the Sno-Cap in 1996 and sold it in 2009 only to return as its owners in 2011.
While the Franklins have been the latest to take the Sno-Cap's reins, they haven't forgotten the restaurant's long-standing past. Rachel has created scrapbooks with articles and photos and has collected old guestbooks.
She has requested that anyone with photos share them so she can make a copies of them and add them to her collection. She would one day like to document the story of Sno-Cap in a book.
While preserving the past, the business has evolved with the times by adding Wi-Fi and online ordering.
Rachel said she and her husband are open to selling the Sno-Cap but are waiting for the right fit to come along.
More about the restaurant, happenings
Two T-shirt styles are available. The older features the restaurant with Terry's truck parked outside, and the newer version, which was released this week, spotlights the popular root beer float.
Rachel is planning to roll out another design this month. This one will celebrate the monthly cruise-in that's taken place for more than 20 years.
The GaSCar Club holds its cruise-in on the last Saturday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday will be its next event.
The Sno-Cap also hosts community events, such as Bike Night from 6 to 8 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month, and fundraising – or "FUNraising" – events.
While the Sno-Cap has a symbiotic relationship with the local community, it has hosted clientele from outside the area.
One notable guest was pop country singer Taylor Swift, who came through the area in 2006. She stopped in and gave an impromptu performance, as seen in the photos displayed on the Sno-Cap's counter.
Since Kenny still works out at SRNS, Rachel relies on her staff to help with the restaurant's daily operations. Her manager is Steven Mentrup, while her head server is Todd Waddell.
"Everybody takes a big responsibility that's here," Rachel said.
Rachel's responsibilities include marketing, and Kenny handles any repairs that arise.
"He is the backbone of the business," Rachel said. "I could not be running the business if I didn't have him."
The Sno-Cap is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays during the summer.
For more information, visit www.snocapdrivein.com or call 803-279-4004.
