Drive-Thru Day

Drive-Thru Day

July 24th is drive-thru day, a day to recognize the convenience of pulling up to a place of business and getting food, doing your banking, or picking up your pharmaceuticals or dry-cleaning! Whatever you do at a drive-thru, it is certain that it has made your life easier. So celebrate drive-thru day with a shout out of your favorite one!

Drive-throughs are a convenient way to get food without having to leave your car, and they're a common sight at fast food restaurants, coffee shops, and even banks and pharmacies. 

History of Drive-Throughs

Drive-Thrus changed history with a new and faster way to pick up food. There are several different stories of who invented the first drive-thru and it's likely because there were pre-cursors to the actual drive-throughs that we think of today. 

Before drive-thrus, the concept of not having to leave your car to get service was a popular idea. Cars were a relatively new technology and full service gas stations were the norm. So if you could sit in your car and get gas, why not other things? 

Food service in the car became a trend in the 1920's when restaurants like the Pig Stand in Texas featured drive up ordering where carhops would come and take the order and bring the food. The 1930s and 40s had other places trying and innovating the concept of quick order and quick service.

Banks were the second industry after food to try and offer the convenience of customers staying in their cars. Larger fast food companies were slow to adopt the concept. In-n-out burger changed the game with an ordering box speaker system. Jack-in-the-box took the concept and started their chain of restaurants with pickup ordering right from day one. Wendy's is another fast food company that started the business on the concept of drive-thru ordering and pickup. Large chains like Burger King and McDonalds didn't pick up on the drive-thru concept until the 70's and the rest is history! 

The Future of the Drive-Thru

The fact is, people love to stay in their cars and want quick service and convenience. Drive-Thurs are here to stay. Picking up coffee, food, pharmaceuticals, dry cleaning, doing your banking, even getting married (in Vegas) without ever having to leave your car, is now a staple in our world. 

Other world issues, such as COVID, has showed us the importance of sometimes staying in our own space. Even with the popularity growing exponentially of phone ordering and curbside pickup during the pandemic, drive-thrus are still the preferred method by the majority. In fact, the technology is moving forward with digital ordering, video cameras, and ordering ahead. 

Expect even faster features in the future as more popular drive-thru chains innovate to make it even easier to order and be served fast from the convenience of your vehicle! 

How to Celebrate Drive-Thru Day

There are many ways to celebrate drive thru day. You can visit a drive thru restaurant and order your favorite food, or you can visit a drive thru bank or pharmacy and get your prescriptions filled or your banking done.

No matter how you celebrate, be sure you take a moment to appreciate the convenience of the drive thru and how innovation and forward thinking has made your life better.