The Sacking of Troy

Troy Smith, the man who built a cult drive-in empire on a menu of foods and drinks seemingly based on a dare, has died at the age of 87. If you’re in the mood to have a roller-skating carhop deliver a Fritos chili pie at midnight and wash it down with a chocolate Dr. Pepper, Smith is the man to thank for making it happen. Originally planning on building an upscale steakhouse in his hometown of Shawnee, Oklahoma in 1953, he noticed that a root beer stand already on the property was raking in a good business, and that he lived in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and focused on developing a drive-in diner. Fifty years later, the chain has 3,500 restaurants in 41 states.