In this new age of social distancing, a relic of the past is making a comeback. Drive-in movie theaters have seen an influx of business amid the coronavirus. There are 305 drive-in theaters across the country and even with restrictions from local governments closing nonessential businesses, about 8% of drive-ins have been able to stay open.
John Vincent, President of the United Drive-in Theatre Owner Association talked to Cheddar about social distancing measures drive-ins are taking. “We are going to have to make sure we have space in between cars, at least initially, this summer” said Vincent, noting that social distancing policies could be eased later on.
While drive-ins have seen success recently, the need for new movies is an on-going effort. Major Hollywood productions have been halted due to the pandemic, but Vincent said, “Drive-in’s have historically been able to do well with retro movies,” name Grease, Jaws, and Goonies as a few popular titles.
Although the popularity of these drive-in theaters has grown since the pandemic, Vincent is confident the high demand will remain once social distancing orders subside.
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