Five stars for the experience alone I found this place on the web, and there was no way I wasn't going to not come here. Yes, they have carhop service. Unfortunately, they don't do the carhop trays anymore, but everything else is exactly the same, down to the ordering by telephone from your table if you decide to eat inside. The service was fast and my carhop was very friendly.... My order was simple. A papa burger, fries, and of course, a root beer float. The burger and fries , were very good. I think the fact that I hadn't been to an A&W with a carhop, since I was a kid, made everything taste even better. The root beer, float, alone, A&W always does a great root beer, float, but this one, also just immediately took me back. Not only that, but this A&W uses cane sugar root beer. That alone makes it taste better. The memory factor alone made this worth the stop. Prices are very reasonable. The restaurant is cash only, but they do have an ATM inside Thanks, for the memories... read more

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A&W restaurant is a drive up order in stall and wait for your selections to be brought out to you, similar to say a Sonic. The only real difference is you pay the service associate that brings it out to you. Definitely a place to have close to exact funds, although the associate did indeed have exact change to give. Nothing overly exciting about the look and feel, other than being pretty open and not tight feeling in stall/lane. The food selection is similar to any other fast food location. Opted for a chicken sandwich basket. Fries were cooked nicely and not overly salty. The crispy chicken sandwich had good crunch and juicy not dry texture. The bun was soft with no seeds and sized nicely. All and all a good quality filling sandwich. read more

A&W Restaurant - Crispy Chicken Sandwich Basket ~ 5.30.26 - Burgers Near Me - Cortland, New York

Hot dog rolls are very dry - 3rd time visit so I'm assuming cheap rolls are now the standard. Would also be nice to put up "no Smoking please " signs as car next to me had 2 people smoking with windows down. Had to move bc of children in our car. Disappointed as we've come here for generations. Hope A & W reads this! read more

I was in shock and awe when I found this bit of history as I was traveling through Cortland. A&W Root Beer Is bit of Americana that must be tried to be appreciated- this location is amazing!! The ambiance is welcoming and throw back to a simpler time.. When I walked in the place my order the staff was quick to greet and ask if I had questions, the menu was straightforward. I went with the special hotdog of the night, an order of onion rings and fresh made root beer. In hind sight I should have gotten a bigger onion ring ( they were amazing- crispy and fresh and should have traded my root beer for a float) alas I will wait till next time!! read more

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I've been going to this A&W since I was a baby. I'm really sad with how the quality of the food has gone down lately. I payed an entire extra dollar for them to only give me one piece of bacon. The workers are almost always incredible but the guy who took my order was very short with me. read more

A&W Restaurant - Single bacon cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Cortland, New York

Great service, very friendly staff. Tasty food. (The food is way better than the chain A&W/Long John Silver restaurants) Love their fries too! It's a fun throwback, ordering your food in the stalls (or on the phone inside). Make sure to bring cash! They don't take card. But they do have an ATM inside if you forget. read more

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It's just fun! Cost is average "fast food" prices. Root beer floats are tasty as is the food! Family friendly place! Service is quick and cash only! read more

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Awesome hot dogs. Awesome corn dog bites. Great root beer. Great service. Thank you Will go again when working in town. read more

Ok so food is great however who doesn't take card in 2026 come on also cashier fully yawned in my mothers face while talking a whole " cheeseburger and oooaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwnnnnnnnion rings" then said sorry im tired which was like almost comical read more

Eating at old fashioned car hop area, only it has changed significantly! No trays on car windows and no glass root beer mugs! Disappointing trip back in time without the above history still being played out. I would pay more to have those touches retuned !!! read more

This is one of our regular spots. At least once a month, more often twice a month and especially when family comes to town. They are nothing but consistent. I've had burgers, hot dogs, clams, chicken tenders and the fish sandwich on Fridays. Everything is good and always hot. My husband loves the onion rings, me, the fries. The sundaes are good, you can't beat the root beer floats, although I prefer the Freeze (frozen RB float). If you like the frozen lemonade at Chik Fil-A, you'll enjoy the lemonade freeze/shake. Always great service! read more

Disclaimer: we (Family of 4- a teen and preteen, husband & myself) were past hungry and had been in the car for hours... We have never been to a restaurant like this. There was a little wait, but the food was DELICIOUS! We wished that we had ordered more for our long ride. Only bummer is cash only. But, the next time we go that way, we already plan to return. With cash! lol read more

Was so glad to find this place! All of the other ice cream places in the area were closed. This location is convenient to get to and right off the main road. I had a chocolate milkshake and it was so yummy! I'm so glad I ordered this! I would definitely come back here again. read more

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Great food , old school style and ambience service is fantastic We need more of these places around read more

I highly recommend the A&W restaurant to every one and I can promise you will not be sorry at all either

I ordered cheese curds; they were so good! They aren't like mozzarella sticks. I honestly find them to be better. If you go inside you can order with there phone. Super cute. read more

A&W Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Cortland, New York

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Okay fast and good !! Ice cream is great !! Chubby chicken is a deal !! I favor the chili dogs !! read more

My wife spotted this place when she went to Cortland to get a booster and we decided to take a trip with the kids. I'm glad we did. The food was good and they had a blast ordering and eating in the car. The amazing: - Service was awesome. The guy on the intercom clearly repeated our entire massive order and it was out in a flash. We gave the waitress a nice tip and she said "Really? Are you sure?" which was so charming. The very good: - footlong chili cheese dogs were awesome and massive - chicken tenders were big, juicy, and cheap - root beer floats are friggin' delicious The pretty good but could've been better: - French fries were just ok and the portion that came with the basket was a little skimpy. I prefer McDonald's and Wendy's. - Cheese curds were meh. Could have used a creamy horseradish sauce or something for dipping. Two small complaints: - A sign explaining how to order would have been appreciated. - The text on the menu is really small. Overall, a great fast food meal. We'll be back. read more

Ice cream machine froze up, and man stuck his hand in to dislodge ice or whatever. Then, they tried to serve ice cream. I said that I no longer wanted my rootbeer float. And that they should clean the whole machine. When they said that is what they have to do, I said at least wear a glove. Again, they argued, and then the waitress got snooty and said, "We got it." Maybe health board reads this and makes corrective actions read more

Those blended root beer floats are to die for! That's what I come here for as their food menu doesn't particularly impress me. But those floats are sooo tasty and a must have. They have a fairly standard American burger place menu as well. Good prices and good service! read more

Wow! Very nostalgic. Excellent food!! Enjoyed eating here on our visit. We are so happy to stop in on our trip back home read more

Food is just so so. The root beer is the dry. Only problem is when you order a half gallon to go, they fill it with so much foam and don't let it settle down, that you only get a little more than half of a half a gallon. I bought 2/2 gallons and it cost me nine dollars and 10 minutes later, the jugs were only half filled due to the foam. I'm sure they're aware of this as it is their business. They need to let the foam go down before they bring it to the customer. I truly feel ripped off because I only got $4.50 worth of root beer when I paid $9.00. read more

Nothing to impressive. These places are far and fee between based on my own travels around the country. The food is meh. I think the purpose pf these burger joints is to sell their rootbeer. Their root beer is out of this world awesome! I was compelled to dine here mostly to get some yummy rootbeer. The place was clean. The indoor layout was kind of weird. They offer table service via placing an order using a phone on each table. I would visit again if I were a local. read more

A&W Restaurant - To dine in you sit down and call them from table phone. - Burgers Near Me - Cortland, New York

A solid four stars here. We found this place when I had to meet up a friend who bought some car parts from me. We met half way between us and this was the half way point. You know what you are getting into, here. This is a drive-in, fast food joint. Hang the tray on the window, deal. Like Sonic, but with better food. We actually sat down and had to use the phone to place order like old days. It was actually my first time doing that. I thought it was really cool. Their prices are low, their food is good. Their root beer is delicious. It's just a fun thing to do. Just be sure to tip your waiter. I have a bad feeling not many folks do. Their burgers and fries are really great considering how cheap they are. This place would get a solid 5 star if they accepted credit cards. I know they like to keep it old school but I think accepting credit cards is a must in todays business climate. read more

A&W Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Cortland, New York

Good food as usual Great customer service very patient with me as I was trying to get my children's orders Fast turnaround time order was hot fresh and correct as always thank you read more

Always right. Always cheap. Never have to second guess whether or not they forgot something, it's great!

Just a classic Burger joint. Never had a bad meal here. I have eaten here a few times. Everyday they have a special and it normally is a super inexpensive option. I have gotten the papa burger, the bacon cheeseburger and regular cheeseburger on different occasions. I have always been satisfied. My son loves the corn dog nuggets. Not my favorite but he crushes them when we go. I got the basket last time I went which includes a small cole slaw. The slaw was pretty good. One negative is the fries. They are not the greatest, kind of mushy usually. They tastes average at best. The root beer is great here, and once in your life try a root beer float. Service is always fast and you don't have to leave your car. This is great during this mess of a pandemic. read more

Good family place. Decent food. Nothing to rave about. Food came out promptly. Service was good.

Who doesn't like A&W? Staff is always friendly, food is always good, and you always have a conversation with someone you know there. Great all American restaurant with the best root beer float in the nation! read more

Food itself tastes average but leaves customers running for the bathroom a couple hours later (heard from other people too) and they only accept cash read more

Great food but - 1 star for not accepting credit cards. Love the drive up and customer service is great!! read more

Bring Cash. Food was really good for fast food. Service was friendly and the food arrived quick. But you have to order through a phone hanging on the table. First time for me but very efficient. read more

We only have the luxury of going to this place once a year. We live in NJ, but travel to Lake Otisco every 4th of July for a family reunion. The first time we came here, we actually had taken a wrong turn heading to 81S, and we wound up stopping to eat (much to my excitement!). Anyway, this is a really great drive-in food joint, that dates back much further than my lifetime. I love the age on this place, and how friendly everyone always is to serve you. You can't not order a burger and some cheese curds (which, if you are not familiar, are basically bite-sized fried cheese sticks). I also always get a huge A&W root beer, as there is just something about getting it at an "actual" A&W as opposed to just the grocery store. This is definitely a place we look forward to seeing every year, and I'd highly recommend if you are in the area to check this place out. The food is old-fashioned and delicious and the service is local and friendly! read more

I give this 3/5 stars because as far as FAST food goes, this is great. The SERVICE was awesome. The NOVELTY of ordering from a phone at your table (or from your car) never gets old. I went here for the first time in 10 years last week with with some girlfriends, and now the one who has kids can't wait to bring her kids here. We only had root beer mugs and some fries, but I'm glad we stopped. I'll be back in a few years. Hint: They have a different special every day of the week advertised on a sign out front and the signs are so retro! If you love you rootbeer and are passing through, it is worth a stop. Also, the put put next door (open in summer) is cute for the kiddos. read more

A&W Restaurant - The phone you will order on if you go to A&W on 281 in Cortland. - Burgers Near Me - Cortland, New York

Yes, 5 stars. But know what you are getting into, here. This is a drive-in, fast food joint. Hang the tray on the window, deal. Like Sonic, but with better food. Their prices are low, their food is good. Their root beer is delicious. It's just a fun thing to do. Just be sure to tip your car-hop. I have a bad feeling not many folks do. Their burgers and fries are really great considering how cheap they are. read more

Yum. As far as food, it's the same as every other A&W chain restaurant out there. What this place has going for it is REAL old-school drive-in mojo. Pull your car up, hit the button to order, have your food brought carside on a tray. Yes, I'm sure Sonic is cleaner and newer with a more expansive menu, but there aren't any of those nearby. This place was worth the 30-min drive from Ithaca to Cortland when I was in school, and is still worth the trip if you're a fan of classic old-school Americana. read more

This being one of the best classic restaurants in town, they still hold a place in the case for best place to eat. From root beer on tap or grabbing a chili dog the taste is hands down better than any other substitute like Sonic. Unlike the competition everything shows the quality and standards this company has upheld for so long. read more

20 mins before close, we ( a party of 7 mature adults) were basically going to order takeout after having a fun evening playing putt putt. We were walking to the take out counter and before we even approached the building, a waitress yelled at us takeout only, cash only. We all heard her, without a doubt. It was in a tone that you could not miss. We approached the center door, not the dining room door, and even in a louder, and ruder manor, take out only. She reminded us, in case we didn't hear, although we motioned the first time, that we were ok with that. If that wasn't enough, as we approached the take out counter, she yelled at us from across the dining area, in an extremely harsh, rash tone, takeout only. I think she was anger at was for wanting to order food from the restaurant. The guys behind the counter looked like they were in agreement with her. We were beside ourselves in shock. What did we do wrong. All we were looking forward to was root beer floats . I guess they really do not want business in rhe evening. I use to work in the back office corporate operations of a major franchise restaurant that everyone knows, and I with family and guests, have never been treated in such an appalling and undeserving manor as this, especially when we were following their request in a friendly, peaceful and cooperative manor to respect their request. We left quietly and professionally, but rather extremely upset that a restaurant would treat its patrons in such a manor. The owner should retrain its employees about proper customer service. We will not be choosing this restaurant for any future business. And I would advise other patrons from choosing this place. Extremely unfriendly. read more

Stopped in on my trip through Cortland today. Service was great, restaurant was clean, and friendly staff. They had my sandwich out in a few minutes and I was back on the road. Only this time I had a delicious root beer float to enjoy on the way home. read more

A&W Restaurant - The A&W Rootbeer Bear... - Burgers Near Me - Cortland, New York

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Everything was delicious. Highly recommend a Footlong Cheese Dog. .