Dobbler's, Peach Pit and TV's Favorite Teen Hangouts

During last week's episode of "Modern Family," poor-sap father Phil was trying to "kick it" with his teenage daughter Haley by asking what was going down at the "malt shop." And last night, on "Greek," Rusty, Cappie and the gang were pounding more rounds of non-branded, conspicuously transparent-looking "beer" at local upperclassmen hang Dobbler's.

Which, by usual teen-programming standards, is a pretty risque little joint. In comparable television past, you'd be lucky to get a slice of key lime pie and a burger patty free of phlegm and other contaminants.

Here are a few of our favorite small-screen adolescent gathering spots not located on ABC Family's Cyprus Rhodes campus.

THE PEACH PIT ("BEVERLY HILLS 90210")
Where else would you expect Dylan McKay to recoup from the death of his father and struggles with alcoholism but a flagrantly unbelievable, '50s-style soda joint so he could hang out with a middle-aged fry cook and a bunch of escapees from Barbie's Dream House?


THE MAX ("SAVED BY THE BELL")
Whether it was Screech making nerdy, miscalculated come-ons to Lisa, the ladies practicing their dance-video routines or Zack shocking both Jesse and the world with his superlative SAT score, the "Bell" gang's most treasured memories happened in what was essentially a glorified elementary school cafeteria. Although, whatever happened to the restaurant's Eraserhead doppleganger/namesake original owner Max?Perhaps when it comes to such inquiries, ignorance is Miss Bliss.


ROB'S PLACE ("WHAT'S HAPPENING!!")
Rerun didn't develop that formidable figure by hanging out at the local juice bar. Besides, who wouldn't want to eat at a restaurant where you were constantly berated by a belligerent, physically terrifying waitress? Good thing that in this particular episode, Shirley found some satisfaction outside of the kitchen.



BARTH'S BURGERY ("YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON TELEVISION")
Actually, this is kind of gross....


ERIC'S BASEMENT ("THAT '70S SHOW")
A fish-eye lens, fabricated plumes of smoke and Ashton Kutcher's not entirely exaggerated Neanderthal grin instantly transformed Eric Forman's boilerplate suburban basement into the rallying point every ex-teenager wishes they had. Even though they wouldn't actually remember anything that happened down there.



ARNOLD'S DRIVE-IN ("HAPPY DAYS")
Much like old-fashioned radio serial-turned-early sitcom "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" became the blueprint for future familial reality programs like "The Osbournes" and "Run's House," "Happy Days" helped mold the template for teen-focused primetime hilarity. And helped Weezer score the biggest hit of their career when they used burger-and-pop joint Arnold's as music-video inspiration.