A&W All American Food, Okinawa

American fast food chain with drive through on Route 58

American fast food chain A&W has a number of branches throughout the main island of Okinawa. This particular branch is located next to San A Hamby Town on the west side of the busy Route 58 which runs south to north passing between the Kadena army base and the west coast of the island. The branch is accessible on foot from Araha Park / Beach in Chatan. If you’re driving on Route 58 it’s easy enough to spot for its orange sign and illuminated arrow pointing to the “drive thru”. I was here on a Thursday lunch time and the place was fairly quiet with one or two groups in. Being right across the road from the army base, this branch of A&W might be popular with Marines (a couple turned up for a spot of lunch while I was there). Maybe due to the lack of customers my food was served pretty quickly. I went with “Coney Dog” served in a combo with fries and an orange juice which came in at around 700 yen. The travel partner went with the basic hamburger which was a very Spartan affair (the burger alone was around 200 yen). Drink here come served in sizeable jugs which are delivered in a very frosty condition. Top-end burgers and (chicken) sandwiches start from around 600 yen (without being part of a “combo”). I spoke Japanese to the staff but given that this is Okinawa and there is a massive U.S. armed forces operation just across the road, it’s probably not a stretch to say that you could get served at A&W in English. This was my first time to have even seen (or heard of) A&W let alone eat in one. To be brutally honest, I’d stick with McDonald’s. The fries here tasted a little weird and the food is sloppy (Yes, even for a fast food joint). Still, we did order from the cheapest end of the menu, so it’s better to hold a bit a judgement in that regard. The vibe of the place is nice enough though, and the service was friendly and prompt. Clear away your own trays. There’s a fair bit of parking next to the drive thru area. Toilets leave a bit to be desired but are at least functional. Smokers will find an ashtray outside next to the drive through. There are a whole bunch of place to eat along Route 58, most of which are of the fast food / family restaurant variety. If you like A&W, well, here it is. If you don’t or you’ve never tried eating at one, give it a miss and head to the McDonald’s, Gusto et al that are not far away. Hours: 10:00 - 22:00