# Is it stupid to use a drive-thru when the business is still open? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862 "2013-09-14T20:03:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/61 "2013-09-16T11:06:10Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Okay,my fellow Dopers…there’s something you’re all forgetting: > … > > I never use the drive through, for a very simple reason : If I’m at a McDonald’s, I went there because I want to, well, ummm, ya know, (…prepare for a surprise…) , well,…I want to _EAT_!!! > > So I always go inside to order, and eat my food while I’m there. Along with the riff-raff and the common rabble. They’re my kind of folks, anyway. This is one of my original 2, later ammended to 6, reasons to not use the drive thru. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/62 "2013-09-16T14:14:11Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > [Well there is this…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um30Lbu6-nc) My first thought! Here the nearest McD’s has a walk-through, like a miniature version of a drive-thru. I don’t know why people use it and then sit and eat their food by a main road, but I also don’t understand why they eat there when there are so many decent fish places nearby (it’s a coastal holiday town). ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/63 "2013-09-16T14:19:48Z")
> [@Sunbeam](#): > > 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.) I don’t consider it stupid, that’s what it’s there for. The thing is, I usually don’t find it faster in the times I’ve been. It’s much easier to just…park, shut the car off, and walk in to as many as three to five people taking orders, as opposed to one. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/64 "2013-09-16T14:49:42Z")
> [@Krouget](#): > > I don’t consider it stupid, that’s what it’s there for. > > The thing is, I usually don’t find it faster in the times I’ve been. It’s much easier to just…park, shut the car off, and walk in to as many as three to five people taking orders, as opposed to one. I used to occasionally eat lunch at a McDonald’s near where I worked at the time. I would make a mental note of the last car in the drive-thru line as I walked in. Unless there were fewer than 3 or 4 cars in line, I could go in, order, get my food, eat it, get back in my car and leave, and the car I had noticed would still be waiting in line. And this during the lunch rush. For the same reason mentioned above. One person serving the drive-thru, 6 serving the counter. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/65 "2013-09-16T15:39:18Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > 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. In my car, I get to pick the music and I don’t have to stand around waiting for my drink. That’s worth 10 minutes of time to _me_. Maybe not to everyone. I’ve also had bad experiences with Wendy’s deprioritizing inside orders, to the point where three drive-thru customers got their order while I was still waiting for mine. No thanks! ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/66 "2013-09-16T15:41:44Z")
When the drive-through line is full I’ve found it’s usually faster to park and go in. But otherwise, the drive-through is there for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/67 "2013-09-16T17:47:22Z")
A couple more reasons I’ll sometimes go inside rather than going through the drive-thru: I don’t know yet what I want, and I want a minute to look over the menu before I order. I plan to use a coupon, and I want to be able to present it when I order, and say “I want this.” And a reason to go through the drive-thru rather than going inside: In my experience, when you go inside to place an order, they’ll ask “Is this for here or to go?” but 80% of the time they will have forgotten what you answered by the time they give you your food, and put everything on a tray (if you said “to go”) or in a bag (if you said “here”). ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/68 "2013-09-16T18:47:45Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > They do. It’s a lot easier to keep stats on wait time for drive-thru customers than it is walk-ins so local management prioritizes them to keep corporate off their backs. This has been my experience, even if there is no line inside, the drive through goes faster. As someone above mentioned, I would do the “check the last car in line to see when it made it through in comparison to my order” thing, and I always lost. I never drove to this particular drive through, because I lived across the street. 😃 But I’ve noticed it at other drive throughs as well. On my job, when we’re in the field, we’re usually driving a big truck and trailer (not a semi, but too big and unwieldy to go through the drive-in), and we always have to wait way longer than the last car. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/69 "2013-09-17T21:16:00Z")
I’ll go through the drive-thru because I think it’s odd to be eating alone- I’ll just park in the parking lot and eat, or even step inside to use the restroom if needed. Not sure if this is odd or unusual or not. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/70 "2013-09-17T21:53:15Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > I’ll go through the drive-thru because I think it’s odd to be eating alone- I’ll just park in the parking lot and eat, or even step inside to use the restroom if needed. > > Not sure if this is odd or unusual or not. Eating in the parking lot might be considered by some to be both odd and unusual. But then the [Kreetassans](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Kreetassan) think eating should only be done in private. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/71 "2013-09-18T14:33:04Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > I’ll go through the drive-thru because I think it’s odd to be eating alone- I’ll just park in the parking lot and eat, or even step inside to use the restroom if needed. > > Not sure if this is odd or unusual or not. If I found you eating in the parking lot alone, I’d think it more odd and unusual than if I saw you sitting in the restaurant eating alone, lol (assuming it wasn’t a really nice day). 😛 To each their own, though.😉 ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/72 "2013-09-18T15:27:55Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > I’ll go through the drive-thru because I think it’s odd to be eating alone- I’ll just park in the parking lot and eat, or even step inside to use the restroom if needed. > > Not sure if this is odd or unusual or not. I used to have that problem. Now I bring a book and it works. ---
**Author:** ![want2befree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/73 "2013-09-18T16:11:04Z")
I don’t often use the drive-thru because I do not trust them to make my drink or food correctly, and/or they put way too much ice in my drink. Just the other day, in a rare trip to the drive-thru, I ordered from a place that has those Freestyle machines. I ordered a diet vanilla root beer. Sure enough, I got a diet Dr. Pepper. Arrrgh. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/74 "2013-09-18T16:56:35Z")
Another reason for not using the drive-thru: You have bicycles, a canoe, or kayaks on top of the car. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/75 "2013-09-19T08:48:28Z")
I often go through the drive through and then eat in the parking lot, either because I’m enjoying the radio (or a podcast or audiobook) and don’t want to get out, or because the dining room is closed but I don’t want to wait until I get home to eat my food. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/76 "2013-09-19T11:20:19Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > I’ll go through the drive-thru because I think it’s odd to be eating alone- I’ll just park in the parking lot and eat, or even step inside to use the restroom if needed. > > Not sure if this is odd or unusual or not. Before **Krouget** ’s post I couldn’t even understand what you were saying here. So you _do_ eat alone, you just don’t want people to _see_ you eating at a table of your own in a restaurant (where other people are doing the same thing)… so you sit alone in your car in a parking lot, food in your lap? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/77 "2013-09-19T15:57:59Z")
I used to do that too, back in Texas. Use the drive-up, then sit in the car and eat. I never thought anything about it. Lots of people did the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/78 "2013-09-19T16:26:49Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I used to do that too, back in Texas. Use the drive-up, then sit in the car and eat. I never thought anything about it. Lots of people did the same thing. There are multiple cars doing the same thing in any given parking lot in the Atlanta area between the hours of 12pm and 2pm. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/79 "2013-09-19T17:26:59Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Before **Krouget** ’s post I couldn’t even understand what you were saying here. > > So you _do_ eat alone, you just don’t want people to _see_ you eating at a table of your own in a restaurant (where other people are doing the same thing)… so you sit alone in your car in a parking lot, food in your lap? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862/80 "2013-09-19T17:52:33Z")
If you are that one individual who: 1. Needs to look at the menu 2. Is ordering for three or more people 3. Can’t find their payment method in a timely fashion 4. Is ordering something unusual or off the menu then you need to take your ass inside and not be directly in front of me in the drive-thru line every damn day! Fucker! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-stupid-to-use-a-drive-thru-when-the-business-is-still-open/668862.md?page=5)