Car wash owners tend to be intrepid entrepreneurs, so it’s not a big surprise that the wave of amenity-driven, multiprofit centers, which have classically encompassed pet washes, convenience stores or even laundromats, has ditched the stale-donut-and-free-coffee model in favor of full-service dining, ethnic eateries, wine bars and even artisanal baked goods.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when the first business owner combined car washing with dining. Some of the original truck stops of the 1940s operated diners as well as motels and wash services, and modern car washes have certainly untapped the profit potential of grab-and-go snacks. But as any car wash owner who’s sent a customer to the diner across the street while waiting for detail services knows: it’s a concept with traction.

In the case of Underwest Donuts in Manhattan, Chef Scott Levine rents 100 square feet of former waiting room space from his father-in-law, Moshe Winer, who owns the 24-hour Westside Highway Car Wash. The wash itself is the second oldest in the five boroughs, but the doughnuts, which run a sophisticated gamut of flavors including coco raspberry, brown butter and halva, have only been around since late 2014, and the shop already expanded not only upstairs, but also to a second location in Penn Station.

In Bethesda, Md., Steve Harris, who owns the accompanying Mr. Wash franchise, decided to take a different tack when the on-premises restaurant at one of his six locations was struggling – he envisioned an intimate, high-end community coffee shop offering locally brewed coffee and light deli fare, and he opened Car Wash Coffee in 2017.

In Atlanta, customers have no lack of options while they wait for their cars at the Auto Spa Bistro, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a plush velvet lounge with a full bar, and offers VIP customers a separate seating area.

In Englewood, Colo., customers can fuel up and get their cars clean while enjoying a serving of quekas, oversized corn-masa quesadillas – all under one roof. Garibaldi’s Mexican Bistro, which has earned a cult following among lovers of Mexican street food and recently opened a second location, is owned separately but enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the Conoco gas station, convenience store and car wash where it dwells. There’s even an interior window where diners can watch their cars go through the wash as they eat.

For every car wash owner who rents out space to a restaurant, there’s one who’s decided to cut out the middle man and go headlong into the restaurant business himself. In Colorado Springs, The Hub Car Wash and Diner pays homage to nostalgic Route 66 and offers breakfast and lunch all day in a 1950s style diner, along with a full suite of wash and detail packages and windshield repair. Michelle and Shane Squibb took over ownership of The Hub in 2007 and, with the teamwork of about 40 employees – 30 on the car wash side and 10 at the diner – have become the go-to spot for “clean wheels and classic meals,” as their slogan goes.

As proof that multi-purpose car washes have been around for decades, take, for example, the original H&H Coffee Shop and Car Wash, which was opened in 1958 and is still run today by Maynard Haddad, the son of the original owner. Today, in addition to coffee at a 50s-style lunch counter, you can also order up some of the best Tex-Mex in El Paso, Texas. Haddad is known by the regulars for his gruff, no-nonsense attitude and straight talk, which in addition to the huevos rancheros is one reason people keep coming back.

John Benda opened the first Fuel City location on eight acres in Dallas in 1999, with the goal of providing locals not only with a car wash and a fill-up, but with an entire ranch experience. Today, the location features a life-size dinosaur statue, a small petting zoo, a swimming pool and a 24-hour taco stand that Texas Monthly named the best in Texas, which Benda rents out to the cook. The taco stand alone is responsible for a good portion of Fuel City’s $30 million revenue. Fuel City now has two more sprawling locations in Mesquite and Haltom City, with a fourth in the works in Saginaw – and two of the locations are as famous for their tacos as for their competitively priced gasoline.

Hugh Lazenberry, who owns Hugh and Jeff’s Bar Wash (get it?) in League City, Texas, had the idea for his multi-faceted business while his own vehicle was undergoing a premium hand-wash, and he walked across the street to have a margarita during the long wait. At Hugh and Jeff’s (Jeff is no longer with the business), the hands-only wash and detail services can take an hour or two, but there’s plenty to do while you wait: have a few beers, order from a full menu, watch a game on one of 20 TVs, or even catch a set by a local band. The crawfish are the place’s specialty.

Tom Miller, owner of Trademark Car Wash in Plano, Texas, wanted to offer customers a luxury experience befitting his top-of-the-line equipment – but instead of wading straight into the restaurant business, he included a swanky bar in the $5 million facility, which more closely resembles a high-end sports bar than a typical car wash. Customers drink beer and wine free with the purchase of a wash package, and can watch their cars being serviced through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Also in the Houston area, customers of Dr. Gleem Car Wash have long since become accustomed to enjoying a bite to eat while their cars get clean. The car wash has been home to a handful of restaurants over the years. The current occupant is widely-acclaimed Sofrito, a critically touted Puerto Rican cafe that serves two sandwich options, a burger, yucca fries, tostones and wings.

In California’s San Fernando Valley, Cruisers Car Wash has a similar set-up. Lilian’s Breads and Sweets operates inside the car wash, so customers might pay for their wash and pass through the gift shop before even noticing that there’s also another option for one-stop shopping: some of the best Filipino food in town, owned and operated independently from the wash. Customers rave about all of Lilan’s food, especially the hopia, a bean-filled pastry.

Does your car wash include a foodservice operation or something else that brings in customers for more than just a car wash?

Let us know! Email mdewolf@carwash.org.