# McDonalds: Two Lane Drive-Throughs. WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758 "2011-12-19T18:17:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/1 "2011-12-19T18:17:54Z")
I live in Kamloops British Columbia. At three of our McDonalds restaurants they have done quite a bit of remodeling over the past year. At all three sites they have added a “2nd” drive-through lane. The goofy thing is, the lanes converge before the first “manned” window. So every time you go to that window to pay they have to clarify what your order is before you can pay. My question is: What were they hoping to gain by having a 2nd lane? I understand basic queueing theory, but McDonald’s had single-lane drive-throughs for the last 40 years. And honestly my service levels have been worse not better. Does anybody have any insight into this? MtM ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/2 "2011-12-19T18:33:42Z")
WAG: to make the lines look shorter? Maybe they did some test marketing and found that when \*x \* cars are spread out among two lines (does the merge happen around the corner out of site of potential customers?), more people will pull in to get their food. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/3 "2011-12-19T18:38:02Z")
They’re supposed to have a different person manning each speaker, so they can take orders twice as fast. From what I’ve seen, that only happens about 30% of the time. ETA: McDonald’s did do tests, and when everyone is working as they should, it is faster for really busy restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/4 "2011-12-19T18:39:31Z")
I could be simple logistics. Maybe the single line got too long on occasion and gridlocked the parking lot or blocked an entrance. Adding 2 lanes might allow them to compress the line in an effort to improve traffic flow through the lot. Also, it usually seems that the wait is worse at traditional drive thrus before you order and you tend to move fairly steadily through the pay and pick up windows after ordering. That obviously varies depending on the preparedness of the staff in having food premade and the time of day, but I’d assume that this attempts to eliminate that bottleneck. That said, it could introduce different issues like you note which offset the gains but those issues might smooth out in time as people become more comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/5 "2011-12-19T18:44:19Z")
Our McDonald’s has this, and it’s annoying to be sitting at one of the order stations or whatever you want to call it, and nothing. Then someone pulls up in the next lane and gets his order taken immediately. Also, people in the far lane can block people in the near lane and not let you in after you’ve ordered. In ours, the near lane seems to have the quicker service, but the far lane can go faster if no one in the lane will let you in. I have to study the lanes carefully before I pick which one I will get in. Stress!! I know, this should be my worst problem! ---
**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:** [December 19, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/6 "2011-12-19T19:00:35Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > They’re supposed to have a different person manning each speaker, so they can take orders twice as fast. From what I’ve seen, that only happens about 30% of the time. > > ETA: McDonald’s did do tests, and when everyone is working as they should, it is faster for really busy restaurants. The problem with that is they’re speeding up the wrong end of the line. They can already take orders faster than they can fill them. This only makes it worse. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/7 "2011-12-19T19:11:51Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > The problem with that is they’re speeding up the wrong end of the line. They can already take orders faster than they can fill them. This only makes it worse. This is the opposite of my experience. Any time there’s a person stopping to study the menu or a car full of people ordering it turns into a roadblock. Filling orders quicker is a staffing issue. Taking them quicker is a logistic issue. They are working to fix the latter, the shift manager is responsible for fixing the former. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/8 "2011-12-19T19:24:36Z")
The one location that I’ve seen this it’s entirely a logistical issue. The location they are in requires that the drivethru lineup be contained within a shorter space. I only used it a couple of times but I don’t recall there being a problem with people going out of turn. The merge was right after the order with a fairly long lead up to the window so there usually wasn’t a wait post order / pre merge. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/9 "2011-12-19T20:08:04Z")
The McDonald’s in the city I work in has a very small parking lot in a very congested area (it’s on the fringe of a huge mall). They are always extremely busy, but very fast. They \*need \*2 lanes to keep traffic from going around the building into the drive-thru windows. But they don’t need to verify our orders. I’m not sure how, but they always know. Maybe the person who takes my order memorizes my car from a surveillance camera, or something. I’m guessing the bad service you’re getting is the result of retraining for the transition. Hopefully, in the end, it will end up faster than it used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/10 "2011-12-19T20:15:29Z")
I’ve seen the two-laner McDs, but the one I regularly go to has done something different: they’ve added a _live person_ outside with a iPad-like order screen during busy times. There is still just one line. It seems like it creates more problems than it solves, because although it theoretically lets them take two orders at once it makes the person at the first window have to ask me what I ordered. Plus, if there is a big vanload of people in front of me I still have to wait for them to order, whether they are at the live person or the speaker. The only advantave I see is that I get to give my order to an attractive young woman who calls me “honey” and already knows that I want a medium diet coke and no sauce with my sausage burrito. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/11 "2011-12-19T21:10:49Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > This is the opposite of my experience. Any time there’s a person stopping to study the menu or a car full of people ordering it turns into a roadblock. Why would anybody study a menu at McDonalds? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/12 "2011-12-19T21:15:06Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > Why would anybody study a menu at McDonalds? Because they don’t know what they want to order. This has been brought to you by the _Foundation for Easy and Obvious Questions™_. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/13 "2011-12-19T21:18:10Z")
Heh. “Kamloops”. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/14 "2011-12-19T21:19:36Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > Why would anybody study a menu at McDonalds? “It’s McDonald’s! It’s the same stuff since you were six years old! _Get out of the line!!!_” https://www.youtube.com/embed/GUlf1F05gTA?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**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:** [December 19, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/15 "2011-12-19T21:23:01Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > Why would anybody study a menu at McDonalds? To kill time for the 20-30 seconds it takes for the cars in front of me to move up after I’ve ordered. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/16 "2011-12-19T22:11:33Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > "It’s McDonald’s! It’s the same stuff since you were six years old! When I was six, well maybe a little older, they had hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries, pop and milkshakes. I need to look at the menu to figure out what they’re offering now and I eat at McDonald’s a lot. And different McDonald’s, even in the same state, seems to have different things on their menus. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/17 "2011-12-19T22:21:26Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > “It’s McDonald’s! It’s the same stuff since you were six years old! _Get out of the line!!!_” > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUlf1F05gTA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUlf1F05gTA) He’s the best. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/18 "2011-12-19T22:31:39Z")
I would guess that the two-lane or extra-order-taker options help them get the orders earlier in the process, not necessarily faster. If you’re waiting too far from the speaker, it’s usually because they’re held up on orders being prepped, not orders being taken. Having two speakers means that instead of waiting for that next order to start prepping it, they can get at least one order ahead. While they may have to ask you if the order is right, the total time to take your order and get your money is often significantly less than the time it takes to actually prepare the food. This is especially true with the McCafe stuff going on – where it used to be start drink machine, grab sandwich, grab fries, stuff the food in a bag, grab drink, there is now a decent amount of prep time. Also, a lot fewer of these things can be made ahead in quantity – for example, I get the salads a lot and while the salad itself is pre-prepped, it’s topped with hot chicken. It can’t just sit in the bin all ready to go, someone has to – at minimum – grab chicken from the heater and slice (it’s always a sliced up piece, not just those pre-sliced random pieces), get the salad from the cooler, open it, put the chicken in, re-seal it and give it to the order taker. Add in a mocha or something, or a special order on a sandwich, or a shake and it all adds up. These things take a lot more time than grabbing a Big Mac or a pie from the hot box. Plus, if someone is legitimately held up at the money step – such as a person trying to find their money in their purse – more of that time is used effectively to make food as far past that person as they have orders. The more orders they know of, the more they can use that time, and the more smoothly everything goes. Believe me, McDonalds does a great deal to ensure the absolute minimum time in the drive-thru. Every second counts and having an extra 30 seconds to prep an order is a huge advantage. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/19 "2011-12-19T22:42:01Z")
I’d think the new two-lane approach was designed more for McD’s sake than its customers. By having two lanes they ensure that (1) the line to get orders taken is shorter, and (2) orders are taken sooner. While (1) may be viewed as a plus to customers, it’s really (2) that benefits McD. Once the orders are taken the customer is essentially locked-in to stay for the pickup at the window. In other words, the two-lane model ensures that McD captures more customers who may drive by to decide if they want to get in line for their food. I bet this two-lane model has increased their drive-thru revenue. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758/20 "2011-12-19T22:43:17Z")
My main problem with the McDonald’s drive-thrus lately hasn’t been the double lanes but rather the automated message when you pull up to the speaker. For the longest time I would pull up and an automated message would say: “Welcome to McDonalds. Try a hot apple pie today for oly 99 cents. Can I take your order?” I would state my order and one of two things would happen. Either I would get cut off mid order by a live person saying “Hold on a second” or I would complete my order and the live person would say “Wait… Can you repeat your order.” So I took it upon myself to ignore the recorded message and wait for a live person. This works 70% of the time but now the other 30% is a live person saying “hello? hello? do you want to order?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-two-lane-drive-throughs-wtf/606758.md?page=2)