My question specifically pertains to fast-food chains that are still open and accepting customers in the seated area. If I only wanted a carryout, would it be considered stupid if I chose to use the drive-thru window instead of ordering at the counter?
To me, parking, shutting off and restarting my car is a hassle, even if parking is freely available. (I’m just incredibly lazy getting out of the car.)
The drive through is there for your convenience, and using it saves the restaurant the trouble of cleaning up after you. I think they prefer you to use the drive-through, at all hours.
It’s not stupid at all. That’s exactly what the drive-thru is for.
What a weird question. Why do you think they even have drive-thru windows open when the seating area is open if they don’t expect people to use it?
As long as you’re in a car.
It’s a well known fact* that using the drive-thru during normal dining hours is considered incredibly rude by the American public. This is why the drive-thru is always empty during the mornings as people are on their way to work, during lunch when they only have 30 minutes to eat, during evenings when they are on their way home from work and want to get home as quickly as possible. In these situations, everyone realizes how convenient it would be to go through the drive-thru, but because of tradition and a sense of class and style the rest of the world lacks, nobody ever does.
*not a well known fact at all.
IMHO, there are only 2 reasons to go inside:
You are not driving a car. ( You are on a bicicle, or you are walking, etc. )
Or, it is your intention to have a seat right there and enjoy your meal.
Or, there are several people with this drive-through-first mindset lined up in their cars, and no line inside.
That’s true. I lack the foresight to actually put this into practice.
This is what I regularly see at one particular Starbucks: 5 to 10 cars waiting at the drive-thru, which moves VERY slowly. Meanwhile, there are empty spaces right in front of the door, and no one waiting in line inside. (NOT an exaggeration.)
IMHO, that’s kind of stupid.
Ditto this.
I would like the OP to explain the question.
“We prefer you never use our drive through during business hours,” said no business ever.
There are also people who won’t eat dine in at a fast food restaurant because they believe the people inside are poor and dirty.
I had a few coworkers who felt that way and would only do drive thru. They were completely shocked that I would even suggest that we dine-in with the riff raff at mcdonalds.
Every place I worked that had a drive-through was like this. You’re welcome to come inside, that’s fine. Inside guests are great.
But if you stay outside I almost certainly won’t have to clean up after you, and it’s unlikely I’ll be calling the cops on you.
Calling the cops for eating fast food?
Or you gotta use the bathroom. And maybe want to stretch your legs, on a road trip.
When a certain number of cars are in line ahead of you, your wait time will be shortened by parking and ordering to-go at the counter. Assessing that number is an art form.
I make a sort of game of this. If I see a long line of cars at the drive thru I’ll take note of the car I would have been behind, then park and go in to order. When I come out I get distinct satisfaction when I see that car has yet to get their food 
I will say it helps to know your local establishment. There’s a McD’s near where I used to live that made drive-thru a priority over the person standing directly in front of them. If I was getting anything more complicated than a coke or a regular unfancy coffee it was a crapshoot as to when I’d actually get my meal.
Mostly, if there’s more than a couple of cars in line I’ll go inside. Unless there’s a bus in the lot…
The four—four reasons to go inside are… (I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition!)
Don’t most drive thrus limit the number of orders per car? Say you’re coworkers wanted you to pick up their sandwiches to.
You’d have to order this inside wouldn’t you?
4 quarter pounder meals
2 big mac meals
1 Mc Nugget meal
3 diet cokes, 2 dr peppers, 1 Dew, 1 coke
I always write it down and hand the counter person the list. less hassle than trying to repeat it over and over again.