Troutdale, OR: Sugarpine Drive-In

 I specify the "drive-in" part, because that was our experience.

It would have been possible to go in, and we would have had more menu options. We had heard more regarding the sundaes, so those were our priority, but also the drive-though line moved fairly quickly, and the walk-in one did not. We were there on a sunny Saturday, but everything you read about the restaurant says to expect an hour wait, so that appears to be typical. We were pleasantly surprised at the speed of the drive-through experience.

It would not be appropriate to take identifiable pictures of strangers, and also we stayed in the car and it made getting pictures harder. They had some nice flowers planted on the side and I hope you will enjoy them.

We passed people eating the the waffle grilled cheese sandwiches, and they looked very good. We also could smell the pulled pork and it smelled very good. It just wasn't draw enough. 

There are some other options for food. Da Pine Grind food truck was there, with its own menu, and you can order some things online, though not the soft serve (with a high risk of melting if the timing doesn't work out). Both the drive-in and the truck have large QR codes that you can scan for assistance in ordering.

The high traffic makes sense. The drive-in is right on the Sandy river, with easy access to multiple parks and relatively close to the outlet malls. Also, the soft serve is very good.

We tried the classic Larch Mountain Sundae, as well as the Cherry Cherry Cocoa Puff. They do rotate other flavors through, but these were most appealing to us. The soft serve base was delicious, along with the brownie/blondie additions.Who wouldn't like something cold and sweet after tubing on the river? Also they staff was friendly and helpful, and how busy they clearly were did not affect that. 

There can be very different experiences.

COVID: We dealt with two staff members, one taking our order and payment and the other handing it into the car. Both were masked and great and we felt like this was a safe transaction.

No one in the walk-up line was masked, and they were not distancing. Even with part of the line being outside, everyone was in close orders, and I would not have felt safe at all.

Accessibility: I could not tell if there were steps or ramps or anything like that, but so many mobility issues come with immune system issues that again, using the walk-up does not seem like a good idea. It might work for the truck. 

This is a shame, because the menu is very conscientious in providing vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.  The popularity is deserved, but it can create issues, especially in a time of pandemic.

https://sugarpinedrivein.com/