Reason #5 - you are English and the order-taker cannot understand you over the crappy microphone system they have.
I’ve given up using drive-throughs because after repeatedly asking me to repeat myself, they still get the order wrong anyway. And I speak (almost) the same language as them. Goodness knows how customers fare if English is not their first language.
There’s a local fast-food chain here in Chicago called Portillo’s – they mostly do hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, but also do hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, etc. IME, their drive-throughs are almost always insanely slow. If I’m going to get an order for carryout there, unless there’s no line at all in the drive-through, I’ll always go inside, as experience has shown me that even a short line in the drive-through will likely translate to a 10-15 minute wait.
I don’t like to use the drive-through window because of the resulting air pollution. Most people don’t turn off their cars’ engines when they’re waiting in line.
Actually, there’s a Harvey’s fast food spot near where I live, where they close the drive-through for the lunch hour. Probably because the line of cars would make their (rather small) parking area unusable.
As long as you weren’t trying to pay separately (which might be what you mean by orders per car) it wouldn’t be an issue. You might be told to pull up and they’ll bring your food to you if they have the order ready for the car behind you while they’re still cooking your 7 orders of fries
Reason #6: You see a pretty woman inside in line.
Reason #7: Hard of hearing, don’t do well with speakers and prefer face to face conversation for lipreading cues.
Also, I can watch them making my food. That’s important to me, I’ve worked in a lot of restaurants over the years.
re: Morganstern’s post from yesterday: If you eat your meal, I won’t call the cops on you.
But if, for example, you pass out in your food, or if you remove more than the usual amount of clothing, I might have to.
At home, you can fall into your nachos or rub them on yourself without that sort of hassle.
I hadn’t thought of that. I guess separate orders in a car is what drive thrus object to. juggling 3 or 4 people paying is time consuming.
Our office usually gets someone to make a burger run at least once a week. We like to pile into the break room for lunch. Thank goodness we don’t mess with separate checks. Everyone contributes into a pool. Any change (usually a dollar or two) goes to the person making the burger run.
I only use drive-throughs if there’s no line and I’m in a hurry. I would rather park, shut off the car (save gas/the planet) and go inside where I don’t have to shout my order in four seconds without time to look at the menu board, and where when they screw it up I can get it fixed.
I think my lifetime record for getting DT orders correctly is no higher than 75%, usually because they forgot an item. I remember more than one tearful, hair-tearing instance where we rushed out for bag food due to family/time pressures, then got home one or more burgers short. Don’t need it. I can spare the extra two minutes to go in and not get screwed yet again.
ETA: Especially since the preferable fast-food places in our area seemed to hire nothing but disabled re-trainees, which made the problem much worse. One had continual turnover, which means worser yet.
Or in NYC. I give you the Walk-Thru-Window.
Drive-through cashier is a challenging position. Seriously demanding and exhausting.
Some places rotate through the position with shifts of an hour or two to prevent burnout.
Every now and then it’s somebody’s niche. If you are that person’s manager or coworker you know how valuable they are.
I worked at a Burger King that had an awesome morning drive-through lady. But that was the only thing in the store she would or could do, that one particular four-hour shift.
“Fair enough”, we all said, and worked hard to fill the orders she was sending back at warp speed.
What’s stupid is using the drive-through when the place is closed. Out of high school back in Texas, I worked a stretch in this taco joint where one night after we had closed, some guy started pressing the buzzer out there to place an order. And he was on foot, not even in a car! We told him through the speaker that we were closed. This seemed to anger him, and he then – I am not making this up – pulled out his penis and started waving it at us, because he could see us up ahead in the window. We all just pointed and laughed. It was late at night, and we were pretty sure he was drunk.
No question. Which is why it was frustrating to have the shops put moderately challenged individuals on the duty and then switch them out frequently. AFAICT, the store was the training facility for all the other stores in the franchise, so there was endless turnover of already marginally-capable servers and cashiers.
No!
Absolfreakinglutely! The one in Schaumburg has to have police on Golf Road directing traffic for crying out loud. We would ALWAYS go in. Frankly, I now stay as far away from ANY Portillo’s during lunch time on the weekdays. It’s stupid insane.
Drive-thrus are the reason I can spend an entire weekend in pajama pants and slippers if I don’t have to do grocery shopping. I take the hybrid car so that I’m not using gas or creating emissions while I wait in line.
How is that not just a walk-up window (which isn’t at all unusual)?
And not new- I worked in a place that had one over 30 years ago.
And I’ve seen the phenomena of the long line at the drive-thru with no line inside. My theory is that there’s only one queue in the drive-thru but there may be several inside. And drive-thrus are great for people with children in the car. It may be easier than getting them all into the restaurant.
I wonder how they feel about a motorcycle. Is that car-like enough or closer to a pedestrian?
Ever since it took 12 minutes to be served inside at Taco Bell, and 30 seconds at the drivein window, I go to the drivein. Drivein customers’ orders take precedence in the kitchen, it seems.
I think it’s rude to use the drive thru if you plan to rob the place. Robbery is a traumatic experience and is something that requires a personal touch if you really care about your “clients” and want to minimize the psychological impact. Plus there are the practical considerations of uncooperative clients who may feel less inclined to comply if you aren’t physically present. :eek: 