Jack in the Box is an American fast food restaurant chain. It was founded in 1951 by Robert O. Peterson. Peterson opened his restaurant in Long Beach, California on the Pacific Coast highway. It featured a clown's head on top of the building. Instead of using carhops like other drive-in restaurants, Peterson used a two-way intercom. He also pioneered the drive-through. It allowed a customer to place their order while the car ahead of them was picking up their order. This made service much faster and Jack in the Box became known for fast service.