Duck’s Drive Inn, opened on the corner of Parkview Drive and Wayne Street in New Iberia in 1962 by James William “Sonny” Duck, is one of those places steeped in happy memories for many New Iberians who were teens in the ’60s and ’70s. Ask about it, and faces light up, stories tumble out and happy days of youth are relived. Duck’s was a popular meeting place, THE place to see and be seen for teenagers.

“The boys would come to see the girls, and the girls would come for the boys,” recalled Patsy Patton Duck. “But it was a wholesome place, and their parents would know that.”

Indeed, there were strict rules that Duck enforced — no alcohol on premises, no fighting and no smoking. George Reeves remembers one incident when he broke the rules, and the price he paid, tempered by the kind wisdom of Mr. Duck himself. “It must have been a Friday night, and I’d been elsewhere. I’d had a beer or two and got into a tussle in Duck’s. Well, it was early, and there were some ladies upset by the noise. Mr. Duck called the law, and the fighters were hauled off,” recalls Reeves. “Mr. Duck took my keys and made sure my car got home. The next night was Saturday, and I knew I wasn’t allowed back into the Drive Inn so I sat at the car wash across the street watching my friends have a good time. Mr. Duck took pity on me and sent me a hamburger and a coke. That’s the kind of guy he was; no-nonsense but a great heart, especially for young people.”

Duck’s support extended to high school athletics as well. Every fall Friday night was football game night, and every football player or cheerleader for the two New Iberia high schools at the time, NISH and Catholic High, would get a free hamburger and a shake. “We’d have cars lined up down Parkview to the park entrance, almost,” Linda Duck Simmons said. “Friday nights were busy, and we loved it!” Teens would often make a slow cruise around and around the drive inn, either to celebrate a milestone like a brand-new driver’s license, or just to make sure their friends saw them. Many teenage couples got together and broke up at Duck’s, and there are even some marriages that owe their start to meeting at Duck’s.

Not only was Duck’s the perfect hang out, it also served awesome food. From cherry cokes, hamburgers and cheeseburgers to fried chicken, onion rings and local favorites like crawfish etouffee and crawfish bisque.

“Our cooks were the best,” Patsy Duck said. “They just cooked good food, and they had a great work ethic. Lula, Mary & Gladys, they were great women, and they got to be friends with the young people.”

And then there was the rooftop concert. In its heyday, Duck’s featured a slate of local entertainers who performed on the roof of the building. Ike Clanton played, along with TK Hulin, GG Shinn and the Embraceables. Linda Duck Simmons recalls, “I was about 10 years old. Entertainers were on the roof and so was I. Probably the safest place for me, considering my parents were kinda busy with hundreds of customers, parking lot completely full with people shoulder to shoulder, music blaring, girls screaming like it was Elvis.”

Duck’s Drive Inn was a beloved New Iberia landmark, so much so that in November 2008, a Duck’s Drive Inn reunion was held at Clementine on Main Street. The place overflowed with former Duck’s patrons, and there was food from the menu cooked by Sonny Duck himself, music from the era, and the unveiling of a painting of Duck’s by Paul Schexnayder. It was such a success, Mr. Duck hinted at organizing another, but sadly, he passed away in 2018 before further plans could be made.

Duck’s Drive Inn, memories of happy days! To stay in touch or share photos and memories, follow Duck’s Drive Inn on Facebook, www.facebook.com/Ducks-Drive-Inn.

1. Hamburgers

2. Fried Chicken

3. Onion Rings

4. Cherry Cokes

5. French Fries