Cozy Dog Drive In

Ed Waldmire Jr. perfected his "crusty cur" in a U.S.O. kitchen during an Air Force stint in Amarillo, Texas, then renamed it the more marketable “cozy dog” at his wife’s urging when he came back home to Springfield after service. These days, customers know the tasty item as a corn dog, made here with a special recipe batter.

The menu of diner eats is exactly what you’d expect to find in an old-school drive-in setting like this: burgers, fries, onion rings, root beer, breakfast fare and those famous cozy dogs ($1.95 each). The walls are packed with Route 66 memorabilia that looks like it’s probably been hanging here since the place opened in 1949.

Cozy Dog is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays.