Shankweiler's Drive-In

What Shankweiler's Drive-In does

Shankweiler's Drive-In is a single-location outdoor cinema located in Orefield, Pennsylvania, operating since 1934 and recognized as the oldest continuously operating drive-in theater in the United States. The venue screens films on an outdoor lot, runs year-round programming following a 2022 operational pivot, and serves a mass-market consumer base of families, regional visitors, and experiential tourists from the Lehigh Valley and beyond. Programming is diversified across first-run studio releases, retro VHS festivals, open-caption Sundays, and seasonal Farm & Food Festival events co-produced with Crooked Row Farm.

The business generates revenue through multiple streams: per-vehicle/admission ticketing priced at $12 adult and $8 child, on-site concessions, private party and group event rentals (formalized through a partnership with D.E. Cressman Insurance), vendor pop-up rentals, and on-screen advertising sales. The asset is a single physical screen with capacity constraints rather than a multi-location chain, and the operating team consists of 1-10 employees. Heritage status, third-party media coverage (CNBC, PBS, Travel Channel), and multiple industry and tourism awards (USA Today 10Best, Lehigh Valley Happening List, Cinema Treasures designation) function as a marketing multiplier that draws visitors from outside the immediate market.

Ownership transitioned in 2022 when Matt McClanahan and Lauren McChesney acquired the theater through The Moving Picture Cinema LLC, financed with a $1 million loan. Under the new ownership, the venue expanded from seasonal to year-round operation, layered event-based revenue streams, and elevated its industry profile, including McChesney's election to the Cinema United Executive Board. Reported annual revenue is approximately $550K, reflecting the small-scale, single-asset nature of the business.

Name

Shankweiler's Drive-In

Legal name

The Moving Picture Cinema LLC

Website

https://shankweilers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shankweiler's Drive-In is America's oldest continuously operating outdoor cinema (founded 1934, Orefield, PA), serving Lehigh Valley families and regional tourists with first-run films, retro festivals, concessions, and private event rentals at a single ~$550K-revenue location.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Drive-In Cinema

NAICS

Drive-In Motion Picture Theaters (512132)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Drive-in Cinemas (MPADAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Screenings & Venue Rentals (Corporate, Parties) (MPADAKAJ)

Keywords

• Drive-in theater
• Outdoor cinema
• Movie ticket sales
• Event venue rental
• Cinema concession services

Headquarters

HQ city

Orefield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Movie Admission Tickets: The primary revenue stream is admission ticket sales. Tickets are sold per person and include both movies in a double feature. Tickets are available both at the box office (opens about 2 hours before showtime) and online. The theater is known to sell out regularly.
2. Snack Bar / Concessions: The full-service snack bar offers a wide variety of food and beverages, from simple munchies to complete meals. Outside food and drink is discouraged; outside food delivery is not permitted. The snack bar opens with the gates and remains open until the start of the second feature.
3. On-Screen Advertising: Pre-show slides (15 and 30 second formats) with guaranteed two rotations before showtime, plus up to 30 seconds of video advertising in the trailer reel. Targets captive drive-in audiences.
4. Signboard Advertising: Physical 4'x8' fixed sign advertisements seen by patrons entering the theater, providing ongoing physical brand presence.
5. Event Sponsorships: Show or event sponsorships include personalized radio shout-outs before the movie and during intermission.
6. Vendor/Pop-Up Shop Rentals: Vendors can set up pop-up shops on the drive-in lot to promote and sell products, capitalizing on the theater's unique programming and foot traffic.
7. Party Space Rental: Two exclusive D. E. Cressman Drive-In Party Spaces are available to rent on regular movie nights. Each party space includes one parking space, an exclusive gathering area, and a picnic table. Each space accommodates around 15 people. Rental requests must be made at least one week ahead.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shankweiler's Drive-In is an outdoor drive-in movie theater in Orefield, Pennsylvania, founded in 1934, that screens double-feature movies with FM stereo audio broadcast for in-vehicle listening. The venue operates a full-service snack bar with traditional cinema concessions and rents out the D.E. Cressman Drive-In Party Spaces for private events, with tickets sold on-site and through the Ticketleap online platform.

Product overview

Shankweiler's Drive-In operates as a single-location outdoor movie theater offering a unified drive-in experience centered on double-feature screenings. The core product is the drive-in movie experience itself, enhanced by a full-service snack bar and an optional D.E. Cressman Party Space rental for private group gatherings. Online ticketing through Ticketleap and gift card purchases via Square extend the customer-facing digital services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drive-In Movie Screenings Public double-feature outdoor movie screenings broadcast via FM stereo for in-vehicle audio, available to walk-in and pre-purchasing general audiences.
• Snack Bar Concessions On-site concession stand selling traditional cinema snacks and beverages to drive-in patrons during screenings.
• D.E. Cressman Drive-In Party Spaces

Quantifiable outcome

• Best Drive-In Theater in the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Crooked Row FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Shankweiler's partners with Crooked Row Farm to host recurring Farm & Food Festival events at the drive-in (Summer, Autumn, and Harvest Markets). These daytime community events bring together local farms, food trucks, prepared food vendors, and food-adjacent retail vendors. Liz at Crooked Row Farm co-manages communications and vendor applications with Shankweiler's owners Lauren & Matt. The partnership expands the theater's usage beyond traditional theatrical programming and supports local small businesses and nonprofits.
• D. E. Cressman InsurancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022D. E. Cressman Insurance is the naming partner for the two exclusive Drive-In Party Spaces at Shankweiler's. The partnership provides D. E. Cressman with brand visibility at the historic theater while enabling Shankweiler's to offer premium group seating options. Each party space (named the 'D. E. Cressman Drive-In Party Spaces') can accommodate around 15 people and is available for rent on regularly-scheduled movie nights.
• The Moving Picture Cinema LLC (TMPC)coreOthersThe Moving Picture Cinema LLC is the parent company of Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre, co-founded and owned by Matthew McClanahan and Lauren McChesney. TMPC brought professional-grade outdoor exhibition to unique, non-theatrical spaces in the greater Philadelphia area starting in 2019. In 2022, TMPC acquired Shankweiler's, and Matt and Lauren operate the theater as owners under the TMPC umbrella.
• K4K & Fur Mama EventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerK4K & Fur Mama Events organizes craft fair events hosted at the Shankweiler's Drive-In theater grounds. These events are managed by Larissa Slifer and Shana Hauber ([email protected]) and are not created or managed by Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre, but use the venue as a host location.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: U.S. dine-in cinema chain known for curated, event-style programming (retro screenings, quote-alongs, theme nights). Comparable to Shankweiler's in its emphasis on differentiation through programming and event/cultural relevance rather than pure screen-count scale.
• Regal Cinemas: Major national indoor cinema chain (part of Cineworld). Relevant as a broader incumbent in the same exhibition industry that competes for first-run film licensing and family movie-night spend, against which Shankweiler's outdoor/retro positioning differentiates.
• AMC Theatres: Largest U.S. movie exhibitor with thousands of indoor screens. Broad incumbent in the same motion picture exhibition category - useful for understanding competitive dynamics around first-run licensing, premium formats, and concessions economics, though AMC is indoor/multiplex-focused, not drive-in.

Direct peers

• Delsea Drive-In Theatre: Family-owned triple-screen drive-in in Vineland, NJ, established 1954. Closest multi-screen analog in the Mid-Atlantic, offering first-run double features, full concessions, and year-round operation - directly comparable to Shankweiler's Northeast single-/double-feature model.
• Bengies Drive-In Theatre: One of America's oldest continuously operated drive-ins (Middle River, MD), running since 1956. Long-running, historic single-screen drive-in with strong regional fan base, double-feature programming, and concessions-led economics, directly comparable to Shankweiler's heritage positioning.
• Warwick Drive-In Theatre: Historic 1952 drive-in in Warwick, NY, with ongoing retro/first-run double features and signature themed events. Compares on heritage positioning, Mid-Atlantic/Northeast audience, and double-feature outdoor exhibition.
• Mahoning Drive-In Theater: Seasonal drive-in theater in Lehighton, PA, revived in the mid-2010s with the help of Matt McClanahan before he moved on to Shankweiler's. Same vintage, outdoor, double-feature format targeting Lehigh Valley / Northeast audiences with comparable concessions and event programming.
• Starlite Drive-In (Missouri / multiple sites): Family-operated drive-in chain in Missouri with multiple locations. Comparable in combining first-run exhibition with event programming (swap meets, markets) and a strong concessions business, mirroring Shankweiler's expanded venue usage.
• Holiday Drive-In: Two-screen drive-in in Asbury Park area, NJ, established 1956. Comparable regional drive-in with retro programming, concessions, and year-round operation serving a similar Northeast family/enthusiast audience.
• Coyote Drive-In: Modern drive-in operator with locations in Colorado Springs and Fort Worth. Comparable in offering first-run outdoor double features with FM-audio broadcast, concessions, and ticketed events targeting families and nostalgia audiences, though newer build and broader chain footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shankweilers
• Facebookfacebook.com/shankweilers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shankweilers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shankweiler's Drive-In