Long before drive-thrus dominated the fast-food landscape, customers at Frostop Drive-In were pulling into parking spots, placing orders from their cars and enjoying frosty mugs of root beer.

More than 65 years later, not much has changed, owner Marilyn Murdock said. 

Since opening in 1959, Frostop has remained a Huntington staple, serving generations of customers while preserving the nostalgic drive-in experience that has made it a local favorite for decades.

For Murdock, the restaurant’s history is deeply personal, she said. 

“My father and my uncle opened Frostop in 1959,” Murdock said. “I can remember coming that day with my mother and sister and sitting out in the lot having root beer.”

At the time, Frostop was part of a national chain with locations across the United States. While most locations have disappeared over the years, the Huntington restaurant has endured through changing trends, challenges and increased competition.

The restaurant became even more personal after her father died in 1980, she said.

“When Daddy died in 1980, my mother bought my uncle out,” Murdock said. “She oversaw everything until she passed away in 1996.”

Following her mother’s passing, ownership of the restaurant was passed down to Murdock and her sister.

Today, that family legacy continues through Murdock, her husband and longtime manager Larry Turner, who has been part of Frostop for more than four decades.

Having worked at the restaurant since 1984, he will celebrate 42 years with the business this August.

“Being here 42 years, it really makes the service consistent,” he said. 

That consistency has been one of the keys to Frostop's longevity, Murdock added. 

Murdock said she credits the restaurant’s success to maintaining quality and ensuring the customers know exactly what to expect each time they visit. 

Over the years, Frostop has survived challenges that might have forced other businesses to close. Turner said the construction of the Huntington Mall was one of the biggest hurdles the restaurant faced.

“It pulled people in another direction,” he said. “They just had more options.”

Yet, Frostop continued to retain loyal customers while introducing new generations of Huntingtonians to the drive-in experience.

In some cases, nearby chain restaurants even helped bring customers through the door, Murdock said. 

“We’ve talked to people who said they were going to McDonald’s, but they pulled in here instead,” she said. “Even though they’re both fast food, it’s a different experience.”

That experience is what continues to set Frostop apart, according to Turner.

Turner said customers still enjoy classic favorites like hot dogs, root beer, and milkshakes while the business continues investing in improvements, including a recently installed ice cream machine. 

But for Murdock and Turner, Frostop has always been about more than the classic menu. It’s about the people.

The restaurant has built a team culture that has kept employees around for years and even decades.

“They’re really a team, and they’re friends,” Murdock said. “Five of the team members went together and got matching hot dog tattoos.” 

Those kinds of stories reflect the family atmosphere that has helped define Frostop for generations, Murdock added.

“We’re a family,” she said.

That sense of family extends beyond employees and reaches into the community itself. For many Huntington residents, it is a part of their family history for generations, Murdock said.

From maintaining its classic appearance to restoring the iconic rooftop mug that has become one of Huntington’s recognizable landmarks, the Frostop team has worked to ensure the drive-in remains true to its roots.

“It’s like a vintage drive-in,” Murdock said. “That was important to us to keep it the way it was.”

Today, Frostop is one of only a handful of remaining locations in the country. While many have modernized or rebranded, Huntington’s location has held onto the charm that has defined it for decades.

For first-time visitors, Murdock said she believes that authenticity is what makes the restaurant special.

“It’s an experience you won’t have anywhere else,” she said. 

More than six decades after welcoming guests onto the lot, Frostop continues to serve the same combination of tradition, community and nostalgia that has kept customers coming back year after year. 

Those interested in Frostop can check out their tasty offerings at 1449 Hal Greer Boulevard, Huntington, WV 25701, from 11 AM to 9 PM Monday through Saturday.

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