# Weird fast food drive-thru policy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 27, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554 "2013-02-27T21:08:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/1 "2013-02-27T21:08:16Z")
[This real life humor site](http://notalwaysworking.com/much-a-drive-thru-about-nothing/28875) has a situation that I’d like to ask about: > [@Not Always Working](#): > > Cashier #2 [at a fast food drive-thru window]: “We can’t do an order for people who aren’t in the car.” > > Driver: “Are you serious? Seriously? Why the hell not?!” > > Cashier #2: “It’s our policy.” Anyone ever heard of a chain with that policy? Or, as I suspect given subsequent events, was the worker lying so they wouldn’t have to serve this group? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/2 "2013-02-27T21:10:11Z")
I HAVE heard that. A couple times, most recently from a co-worker who was told that at Starbucks. I think it’s an insurance thing…having pedestrians routined in the drive through is dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/3 "2013-02-27T21:12:16Z")
No, not in A car, in THE car. As in “if you aren’t in the car that is at the drive-thru window, we won’t take/make your order.” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/4 "2013-02-27T21:12:54Z")
Assuming the story is true, I’d say the cashier just didn’t want to serve these people _at all_. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/5 "2013-02-27T21:13:21Z")
Not only have I heard it but I had to explain it to people when I worked the drive through. Among other things, it’s a lot easier for someone not in a car to reach in through the drive thru window. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/6 "2013-02-27T21:13:56Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Assuming the story is true, I’d say the cashier just didn’t want to serve these people _at all_. Yes. The OP left off the end of the story, where once they did get everyone in the car, the drive-thru was suddenly closed. The problem with the storyteller\* in this case is that they should have just given the entire order without bothering to indicate any details. “I want 8 Whoppers\*\*, etc.” \*presuming the story is true \*\* This is not an attempt to suggest that it was a Burger King, FTR. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/7 "2013-02-27T21:14:43Z")
Whoah, apparently no “Outstanding Reading Comprehension Prize” for me. Ok, well that’s a stupid policy. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/8 "2013-02-27T21:16:34Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Assuming the story is true, I’d say the cashier just didn’t want to serve these people _at all_. That’s such a good possibility, I mentioned it in the last sentence of my OP! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/9 "2013-02-27T21:16:50Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > No, not in A car, in THE car. As in “if you aren’t in the car that is at the drive-thru window, we won’t take/make your order.” Oh, well, I’ve never heard that and it seems ridiculously easy to circumvent. “They decided they weren’t hungry but I want one with everything.” ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/10 "2013-02-27T22:21:34Z")
How would they know who the person in the car was ordering for? OK, you’re alone in the car and you say “Give me three Belly Buster burgers, four Fatty Fish Sandwiches, seven orders of high-cholesterol fries (the ones they cook in lard) and seven super-diabetic sodas.” What are they going to do, ask you who you are buying for? You could just say, “Hey, I’m unusually hungry today,” or claim that you’re going to freeze the uneaten stuff for later. Would they require an affidavit that all the food is for you? ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/11 "2013-02-27T23:37:54Z")
If there were such a policy, it would certainly make life hard for all the working moms and dads who pick up dinner for the family on the way home from work. I suspect that is a not-insignificant portion of many fast-food outlets’ business. It can also be explained by the fact that minimum-wage workers who don’t understand the policy (and/or supervisors who don’t take a lot of time to train them) would rather disservice the customers than take a risk on losing their jobs for violating company policy. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/12 "2013-02-27T23:45:53Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > That’s such a good possibility, I mentioned it in the last sentence of my OP! 🙂 I thought I was agreeing. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/13 "2013-02-28T00:12:09Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Or, as I suspect given subsequent events, was the worker lying so they wouldn’t have to serve this group? Note that the story is tagged “Lazy/Unhelpful” so even the site operator thinks that’s the case. (BTW, I think sites like this are brilliant in that they exist on user-generated content, although the site operator does have to filter through everything.) ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/14 "2013-02-28T00:44:34Z")
I have had a Wendy’s refuse to serve me at the drive-thru when I was on a bicycle. And years later in a different city my bank refused to let me walk up to the drive thru to make a deposit. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/15 "2013-02-28T01:07:58Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > I have had a Wendy’s refuse to serve me at the drive-thru when I was on a bicycle. And years later in a different city my bank refused to let me walk up to the drive thru to make a deposit. Pay careful attention to the OP. All that is standard with drive-thrus. The situation in the OP is odd. Never heard if it. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/16 "2013-02-28T01:16:00Z")
Ok wait so how did this happen? Some guy orders a bunch of food and then the person asks, “is all this food for you??” and the guy says “No I’m bringing some of it home to my family” and then they say back “Oh well we can’t serve anyone who’s not in the car with you right now!” This is just too silly to believe. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/17 "2013-02-28T01:22:48Z")
My guess is they tried to do separate orders which is a huge pain in the ass (but we would do it when I worked fast food a hundred years ago.) IE: “For my first order I want… Whats that total? Ok, for my second order…” etc ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/18 "2013-02-28T01:38:31Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > My guess is they tried to do separate orders which is a huge pain in the ass (but we would do it when I worked fast food a hundred years ago.) > > IE: “For my first order I want… Whats that total? Ok, for my second order…” etc Why in the WORLD would a guy buying food for other people not just put it all on one order? Are his friends the kinds of people who need every single receipt in their name for tax purposes or something? ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/19 "2013-02-28T01:50:12Z")
> [@NeonMadman](#): > > How would they know who the person in the car was ordering for? OK, you’re alone in the car and you say “Give me three Belly Buster burgers, four Fatty Fish Sandwiches, seven orders of high-cholesterol fries (the ones they cook in lard) and seven super-diabetic sodas.” What are they going to do, ask you who you are buying for? You could just say, “Hey, I’m unusually hungry today,” or claim that you’re going to freeze the uneaten stuff for later. Would they require an affidavit that all the food is for you? > [@drewtwo99](#): > > Ok wait so how did this happen? Some guy orders a bunch of food and then the person asks, “is all this food for you??” and the guy says “No I’m bringing some of it home to my family” and then they say back “Oh well we can’t serve anyone who’s not in the car with you right now!” > > This is just too silly to believe. > [@Bob Ducca](#): > > My guess is they tried to do separate orders which is a huge pain in the ass (but we would do it when I worked fast food a hundred years ago.) > > IE: “For my first order I want… Whats that total? Ok, for my second order…” etc You could just read the story instead of speculating. It’s not that long, and it’s really bleeding obvious that the workers just didn’t want to serve\* those guys,\* for whatever reason. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554/20 "2013-02-28T01:52:46Z")
Well, they were _Canadians_, so that explains a lot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fast-food-drive-thru-policy/651554.md?page=2)