Drive-through restaurants allow customers to order and pick up food without leaving their cars. They typically have a set menu and may have separate windows for ordering and paying. The first drive-through business was a bank in 1941, and the first drive-through restaurant was Red’s Giant Hamburg in 1947. They are popular with fast food chains and some hold world records for fast service. Pedestrians and cyclists are usually not served.
A drive-through restaurant, also known as a drive-through, is a type of restaurant where people can order and pick up their food without ever leaving the comfort of their cars. A driveway usually consists of a building with a driveway wrapped around it. Drivers approach the first window or microphone box and place an order; then they drive to the other side of the building, where the order is delivered through a small window and the customer can pay for it. Busy drive-through restaurants may have two separate windows for paying and picking up your order, but most establishments do both at the same time to speed up the process.
When the driver approaches the drive-through, there is usually a large sign listing items available for sale. A drive-through menu is usually set and rarely offers specials. Given the system drive-through restaurants use, it would be quite difficult to change the menu often.
The first drive-through business that opened was not a restaurant, but a bank. Merchant’s Bank opened in Syracuse, New York in 1941. The first drive-through restaurant didn’t arrive until 1947, when Red’s Giant Hamburg opened in Springfield, Missouri. Drive-through restaurants became popular in the 1950s and were quickly imitated around the world. Over the past two decades, drive-through restaurants have become a staple at highways, driving stops and small tourist towns, where speed and convenience are a must.
Drive-through restaurants are also popular with fast food chains such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King. In fact, a McDonald’s drive-through in Australia holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest service in the world. MacDonald’s Wynnum-West drive-through can serve up to 41 cars in 15 minutes.
Crossing a driveway is not allowed, and most restaurants refuse service to pedestrians who approach their windows. Some places will also refuse to serve cyclists due to insurance liability. Other driveways offer a special window at night so pedestrians can order food when the seating portion of the building is closed.
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