New Drive-in Cafe result of many years’ experience
Published 3:11 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
Over 30 years of experience on the part of one
man will be behind Thompson’s Drive-In cafe, which
will open this Saturday east of North Bend.
The man? Roy Thompson, of course. Valley
residents are used to seeing new buildings springing up, or
new management signs in business windows. Quite often
they are linked with Roy Thompson’s name.
His latest achievement, the modern drive-in cafe,
was placed under construction in April of this year.
Bulldozing began in Thompson style a few hours after the
papers were signed transferring property rights to
Thompson. The monotonous roar of the bulldozer
continued all that night and into the morning when
construction began.
From the start, according to Thompson, blue
prints have been only in his head. To any one but
Thompson this mental architecture might be disastrous, but he
states it only makes the job faster and more efficient.
Lighting received particular attention. Neon
tubing circles the entire exterior of the building and spot
lights will be erected as soon as possible. Equipped to
handle approximately 100 customers at a time, the interior
of the drive-in cafe is done in a peach color, blending
in with the blonde woodwork and spacious birch booths.
Minor work will continue on the building after
its opening, according to Thompson. Asphalt will be
poured around the building as soon as the present surface
of gravel has settled.
Thompson’s Personnel Named, Twelve in All
The Thompson Drive-In cafe will have a new
staff of 12 persons in the kitchen and behind the counter
when it opens for business Saturday.
In charge of the food and catering department
will be R.L. McLane, assisted by his wife, May.
George Walker of Meadowbrook will serve as cook and his wife will wait on customers.
Mrs. Ruth Keiffer will be morning waitress.
Donna June Thompson and Valerie Thomas will also be
waitresses.
Other help will be employed to complement the present staff, according to Roy Thompson, owner.
Chef McLane, Wife
to Manage Foods, Catering Dept.
Efficient and experienced management will reign
in the Thompson kitchen on the opening of the new
drive-in Saturday.
R.L. McLane, chef of 35 years’ experience, will
be in charge with his wife assisting him.
McLane aided in the opening of the Washington
Athletic Club in Seattle and later served several years
with the Olympic Hotel.
The winter of 1947 saw McLane in charge of the Ben Paris restaurant at the Milwaukee Ski Bowl.
During the war he headed the food operations at
McChord Air Force Base.
Mrs. McLane is also a chef of many years’
experience, having served seven years at Max Frolics’
cafe, between Tacoma and Fort Lewis, and two years
at McGrath Hotel in North Bend.
A charter member of the Pacific Coast Chefs’
Association, McLane served as secretary and manager of
the association for six years. He was also associated
with the Canadian Pacific Hotels in Canada for three years.
The McLanes have been residents of North Bend for the last five years.
