The man, identified as Briton Miller, 41, was arrested on a charge of endangering the welfare of a minor, KARK-TV reported.
An extreme heat advisory in the area had just expired at the time of the incident, but temperatures were still high, hovering around 87 degrees with a heat index of 98 degrees.
The boy's 12-year-old brother told police his father often forced the boy into a hot car as punishment, according to KARK.
The episode at the restaurant was caught on surveillance video, and police said the boy was in the car for about seven minutes.
Witnesses reported the windows of the car were rolled up and the engine was off, the news station reported.
The boy was not injured in the incident.
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