[acdha]

Maybe they’re less busy there but everywhere I went in California it was faster to park and walk inside if there was anyone in line ahead of you, which was almost always the case. The problem is that you’re limited by the slowest order ahead of you but the same place usually has multiple registers inside and the people who are waiting for pickup don’t block you from ordering. (Head of line blocking in real life)

This used to be worse when everyone was paying cash and you’d be stuck behind someone counting out quarters or dropping their change.

[Larrikin]

When I worked at McDonald's in high school, the drive thru times were tracked (for manager shift bonuses) and the in store orders were not. Drive thru was always prioritized over in store if there was a possible wait on anything.

The only time management gave any priority to in store would be the case where a bus load of kids would show up before or after a school trip. That was just to get them out as quickly as possible before they can make a mess.

[cardiffspaceman]

Starbucks allows you to order from home, and drive to the store. The ones I go to usually have my Americano waiting for me when I get there.

Starbucks also seems to allow store managers to shut down app orders if the store is too busy.

McDonald’s—-I’m a connoisseur—-allows you to order through their app, but they clearly don’t start orders until the customer speaks their order code to one of the outdoor kiosks. The only parallelism is between the customer waiting for the order and them making the order.

I like McDonald’s vanilla lattes but I hate McDonald’s Americanos.

[JKCalhoun]

Regardless, I'm not gong to eat out of my lap in a car. Or sit there needlessly running the car engine while waiting to move 10 feet forward.

I suppose the best thing about drive-thru is that there is plenty of parking now at these "restaurants" when I run in to eat.

[Spooky23]

It’s worse now because fast food isn’t fast, and you end up committed with online ordering. You need to online order or pay a big premium, then you discover the drive through line is a trip to narnia only when you arrive.

[micromacrofoot]

people rather sit in their car for 15 minutes than walk for 1 to save 10

[RogerL]

Or because their kid or dog is in the car. Or because they have difficulty walking. Or because they just want to decompress and scroll their phone or listen to the news for 10 minutes. Or they hate crowds. Or they are immune compromised and don't want to be mingling with a bunch of people around a counter. Or they have social anxiety. Or they have a cold and just don't feel like getting out of their car. Or they are expecting a call from the baby sitter. Or they are having a fight with their spouse which they don't want to export into the public.

IMO, drive throughs are great, I hate crowds and queues (yes, the car line is a queue, you know what I mean), and it is much kinder to my bad discs in my back (transitions from sitting/standing is just murder, steady state is much better). It would take a egregious queue to get me to go in in most cases. But sure, I'm lazy or just reaaally bad at math. edit: I also find it hard to hear in high volume rooms with lots of reflections (like an in-n-out), and yes, the drive through can have it's own sonic issues, but it is generally smoother for me.

Sorry, but I get tired when people take the most uncharitable read, especially when they blanket apply it to everyone.

[micromacrofoot]

people are allowed to make broad generalizations without listing caveats for every exception, this kind of pedantry is exhausting

people on the whole are lazy and bad at math, yes some people are not... that's not who we're talking about

[midnightclubbed]

I think your parent made a perfectly good point. Going into the store is a whole lot less pleasant than staying in my car and waiting a couple extra minutes in an environment I enjoy.

If I’m in a hurry then yes maybe I can shave a few minutes by going in, but if I’m getting fast food I probably don’t feel like interacting with people, and listening to crappy piped music while standing in an artificially lit corporate chain restaurant waiting for my order.

[JKCalhoun]

Don't disagree with your generalization of the interiors of fast food restaurants, but I can't say I prefer the interior of my car either.