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In Saugus, Kowloon goes back to the future with drive-in
By Elyse Carmosino | May 14, 2020
SAUGUS — A classic Saugus haunt wants to offer its customers a classic experience this summer.
This week, Kowloon Restaurant on Route 1 announced plans to turn their parking lot into a car hop with outdoor service, live entertainment, and big-screen TV for drive-in movies.
Owner Bobby Wong said the idea has actually been a long time in the making, but with social distancing guidelines likely to remain in effect through the warmer months, now seemed like a perfect time to implement the fun project.
“We were thinking outside the box, trying to figure out what else we can do,” he said. “In the past we’d dreamed about having a drive-in in the back, but we always knew that was kind of (out there) and we didn’t really take it seriously.”
He said that since Massachusetts restaurants switched to take out-only around mid-March, he’s seen many of his customers eating their food outside in the adjacent lot.
“Three or four cars would form a little group and people would practice social distancing by sitting on their cars or setting up lawn chairs while having their food and drinks in the parking lot,” he said. “Noticing people enjoying the outside while sitting in their cars, I guess it kind of morphed into something more.”
Described by Wong as “Sonic on steroids,” customers would be able to park their cars and have their food brought to them by Kowloon employees.
For especially hot evenings, the restaurant wants to create an outdoor seating area for patrons to set up chairs and blankets within a safe distance of one another, and, to further enhance the experience, Wong also said he’d like to offer viewings of classic films like “Grease” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” as families enjoy meals from the safety of their vehicles.
“I pitched the idea and next thing I know, the reaction was pretty overwhelming,” he said of the media attention the idea received.
Despite strong reactions from the local crowd, Wong stressed that Kowloon’s plans still need to be given the go-ahead by the town.
“It’s not a done deal,” he said. “We’re still waiting for the town to give us permission.”
However, numerous media outlets and loyal longtime patrons have already expressed their enthusiasm for the idea, and Wong said he hopes the town agrees, although he added he supports any decision made with the safety of residents in mind.
“Everybody seems really excited about it, and hopefully the town thinks it’s a great thing,” he said.