philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

In California, Some Cities Are Done With Drive-Throughs

...

The resistance in Culver City has come as the community — known a generation ago for its proximity to show business and relatively affordable houses — has become one of the more in-demand addresses in Los Angeles.

Now, its $117,389 median household income is about 30 percent higher than the county’s. The local Erewhon market sells $22 probiotic smoothies. The downtown is a destination, with gastro pubs, tech employers, mixed-use apartments and soundstages.

“People used to move to Culver City because it felt like a small town,” said Vanessa Martin, a mother of two who lives near the proposed drive-through and organized the neighborhood against it. “Houses here are $2 million now.”

Ms. Martin said that she had no opposition to development that was appropriate for the space and had “no beef with In-N-Out, for that matter,” but the site of the proposed drive-through was near a school, a park and a residential neighborhood.

“That intersection is already gnarly,” added Paul Hewitt, an actor, Little League coach and father of two who papered the neighborhood with fliers. This month, the City Council extended a moratorium on all drive-throughs while it drafted a plan to ban them for good. ...

See the full story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/us/drive-throughs-california-culver-city-in-n-out.html