Midway Drive-In
Midway Drive-In is a historic outdoor cinema between Turkey and Quitaque in Briscoe County, Texas.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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History
Midway Drive-In was built in 1955 along Highway 86 between Turkey and Quitaque in Briscoe County, Texas. Its location gave the theater its Midway name and positioned it to serve audiences from both small communities and the surrounding rural area. The venue emerged during the high point of the American drive-in era, when outdoor cinemas were widespread and Texas had more than 300 operating drive-ins. The theater functioned as a conventional commercial drive-in for many years, screening feature films for customers who watched from their cars. Over time, however, the same structural pressures affecting drive-ins throughout the United States weakened its business. Indoor cinemas, television, home video, changing patterns of land use, and the cost of maintaining specialized projection and screen infrastructure contributed to the decline of the format. Midway closed during the 1980s, when relatively few American drive-ins remained viable. In 2000, a local citizen purchased and restored the property and reopened it with current movies. This first revival lasted for more than five years. The theater received regional public attention through Texas Country Reporter, whose episode 818 included Midway and aired on May 3, 2003. After the post-2000 operating period ended, the property was rented and operated intermittently until a later change in ownership. In 2009, another family purchased the theater and began a second restoration. The venue reopened and was counted among a limited number of permanently constructed and commercially operated drive-ins still operating worldwide in 2011. At that time, it was identified as the only known operating drive-in in Texas included in that category. This phase placed Midway within the preservation movement surrounding surviving drive-ins, where historic facilities were valued both as businesses and as cultural landmarks. The theater did not open in 2012 because the supply of 35-millimeter film prints had fallen sharply. Hollywood's industry-wide transition from physical film distribution to digital delivery made it increasingly difficult for venues without digital projection to obtain new releases. The available account does not document a later reopening or provide a confirmed current owner and operating status. Midway Drive-In is therefore best understood as a historically significant Texas drive-in whose later status requires verification.
- 2012
No opening because of film-print scarcity
[1]Midway does not open because the transition to digital film distribution has reduced the availability of 35-millimeter prints.
- 2011
Recognized among surviving commercial drive-ins
[1]The theater is listed among 545 known permanently constructed and commercially operated drive-ins still operating worldwide at the time.
- 2009
Second restoration begins
[1]A new family purchases the property, restores it again, and reopens the theater.
- 2003
Television profile
[1]Midway Drive-In appears in episode 818 of Texas Country Reporter, broadcast on May 3.
- 2000
First restoration and revival
[1]A local citizen purchases and restores the property, reopening it for contemporary movie screenings.
- 1980
The original operating era ends
[1]The theater closes during the broader decline of drive-in cinemas in the United States. The exact closing year is not specified in the reference material.
- 1955
The theater is constructed
[1]Midway Drive-In is built on Highway 86 between Turkey and Quitaque in Briscoe County, Texas.
Products and positioning
A locally operated, historic rural drive-in cinema emphasizing outdoor moviegoing and preservation of a traditional Texas entertainment venue.
Theatrical exhibition · 1955
Outdoor feature-film screenings
The theater's primary offering was admission to feature films shown outdoors on a large drive-in screen. Customers viewed the program from parked automobiles, preserving the format's distinctive combination of cinema, roadside travel, and communal evening entertainment. After the 2000 and 2009 restorations, the venue was described as showing current movies when operating.
Food and beverage
Drive-in concessions
Drive-in theaters traditionally complement film admission with concession sales, although the available reference material does not identify Midway's specific menu, pricing, or concession operator. Concessions are included here as a typical part of the venue format rather than as a documented named product line.
Marketing campaigns
- 2003Texas Country Reporter feature
Texas · United States
The theater received regional exposure through episode 818 of Texas Country Reporter, which aired on May 3, 2003 and highlighted the revived drive-in.
Outcome. The broadcast documented the venue's restoration and helped publicize it as a surviving Texas drive-in; a measurable commercial result is not reported.
Brand decisions
2012
Suspend operations during the film-to-digital transitionOtherBackground
Hollywood distributors were moving away from 35-millimeter film prints toward digital distribution.
Action taken
Midway did not open for the 2012 season because suitable film prints were unavailable.
Aftermath
The available reference material does not confirm whether the theater subsequently converted to digital projection or reopened.
2009
Undertake a second restorationStrategyBackground
Following intermittent operation under a rental arrangement, another family acquired the property.
Action taken
The new owners restored the facility and reopened the drive-in.
Aftermath
The theater was operating again in 2011 and was recognized among the world's surviving permanent commercial drive-ins.
2000
Reopen after historic-site restorationStrategyBackground
After closing during the 1980s decline of drive-in theaters, the property was acquired and restored by a local citizen.
Action taken
The theater was returned to operation with screenings of current movies.
Aftermath
The revived operation continued for more than five years before closing again.
Sources2 sources
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