Photo from Unsplash
Originally Posted On: https://backyardtaco.com/blog/drive-thru-restaurants/
The Invention of Drive-Thru Restaurants
If you love dining out, you probably know the experience has gone through a ton of changes over the years. One of the most significant of these has been the evolution of fast-food establishments. In fact, even fast-food eateries did not always exist in the way that we see them today. Before the concept of the drive-thru, people ate fast food in the restaurant or even at picnic tables in the parking lot!
The invention of drive-thru restaurants sparked changes in the fast-food industry and changed American culture forever. We no longer need to enter a building to eat fast food; we can eat it in the car, at the park, or even at home. But how did we get here?
Join Backyard Taco – and our amigos at our five area drive-thru locations – as we explore the history of the American drive-thru.
The Drive-In: The Origin Story of American Drive-Thrus
The drive-in concept was the first way people could order and receive prepared food without having to leave the car. Drive-in restaurants featured employees known as “carhops” who would take an order and deliver food to the customer on a tray that clipped onto a car’s window.
This new form of dining exploded in popularity because it provided quick access to a tasty meal. Restaurant owners along major roads like Route 66 needed the latest trend to grab motorists’ attention and assure them that they could get back on the road quickly. Drive-in restaurants were appealing to customers and owners alike for a faster meal than a sit-down restaurant.
As the popularity of the drive-in increased, so did the demand for prompt delivery of their orders. Many drive-in owners were forced to get creative, both to draw business and increase efficiency. This is how the trend of waiters and waitresses on roller skates began. By the 1950s, many drive-in restaurant owners were experimenting with other kinds of systems that gave customers the opportunity to order from their vehicles.
While drive-in restaurants gave diners a far speedier dining experience, it still wasn’t fast enough to satisfy America’s booming appetite for fast food.
Enter the drive-thru.
America’s First Drive-Thru
In 1948, Harry and Esther Snyder opened In-N-Out Burger, a small hamburger stand in California. The very name was meant to evoke the way customers could dip in, pick up their orders, and drive away.
Harry wanted his customers to be able to order food without having to leave their vehicles. He also placed a high importance on delivering the fastest, most efficient service possible. So, he created a two-way speaker that gave customers the ability to speak their orders to an employee while staying in their car. Thus, the drive-thru concept had begun with In-N-Out as one of the first claimed American drive-thru restaurants.
(We think it’s important to note that there is another restaurant that claims to be the first drive-thru restaurant: Red’s Giant Hamburg. Vida al viaje!)
The Drive-Thru Restaurant Craze
Even though In-N-Out’s drive-thru became successful, larger fast-food chains did not immediately catch on to the new trend. For example, McDonald’s has had a window allowing customers to walk up and place their orders since opening in 1948, but it did not open a drive-thru until 1975 in Sierra Vista, Arizona.
Other well-known chain restaurants took a similar amount of time to adopt the drive-thru. At first, Burger King focused on faster cooking techniques rather than speedy service. Before opening their first drive-thru service in 1975, Burger King (which was originally called Insta-Burger King) used equipment called Insta-broilers to cook burgers very quickly. Similarly, Wendy’s opened its first drive-thru in 1971, while Taco Bell was a little earlier to catch on the trend and opened its drive-thru in 1967.
Since their inception, drive-thrus have been a popular place to bring a date, with a little bit more of a relaxed atmosphere. Meanwhile, restaurant owners began to dream up more indulgent drive-thru foods.
Initially, owning a vehicle was still somewhat of a luxury, and many just wanted to enjoy being in their car as much as possible. Even now, drive-ins allow people the chance to eat a nice leisurely meal while remaining in the comfort of their car.
The Drive-Thru Comes to Other Countries
While most big-name American restaurants had drive-thrus by the 80s, the concept took a few years longer to travel overseas. In 1985, the first McDonald’s drive-thru, aptly termed “McDrive,” opened in Rathfarnham, Dublin, Ireland.
England soon caught on to the trend, opening its first McDonald’s drive-thru in Fallowfield, Manchester, in 1986. It wasn’t long before more locations were offering a drive-thru throughout the country. Paris, France, also followed suit with a McDonald’s opening a drive-thru in 1988.
Drive-Thru Changes
After the concept of the drive-thru took off, the things you could get via a drive-thru window has changed. In the beginning, drive-thrus were limited to restaurants serving hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes.
As time progressed, the drive-thru concept in America expanded to more than just fast food restaurants. Other businesses began adopting the drive-thru as a faster and easier way for patrons to get access to goods. This included banks, pharmacies, grocery stores, and liquor stores.
Other food franchises also joined in the drive-thru trend. Coffee businesses were soon also adding a drive-thru to their restaurant, and Starbucks opened its first drive-thru in 1994 in Southern California.
Most modern fast-food restaurants now have a drive-thru. More and more restaurants featuring a wide variety of foods versus burgers and fries have also adopted the drive-thru format. Today, you can get anything from cupcakes and coffee to gyros, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and even our favorite – authentic tacos – from a drive-thru window.
The Drive-Thru Meets Authentic Mexican Cuisine
What was once a concept relegated to burgers, fries, and fast-food-worthy “tacos” (read: crispy taco shells filled with ground beef, lettuce, and cheese) now gives you access to some truly authentic Mexican food.
Backyard Taco has chosen to feature drive-thru windows to serve our mouthwateringly delicious menu of tacos, burritos, Bueno Bowls, and more at multiple locations in the Valley area. Now, you can enjoy fresh tortillas, savory marinated meats, fresh Mexican toppings, and a range of salsas, aguas frescas, and much much more with the convenience of a drive-thru.
All Backyard Taco locations except our original location (sorry, amigos, but we’ve done the math and take-out and dine-in are best for this small building) now feature drive-thrus. Whether you choose to eat in or hit up the drive-thru, our love of simple, authentic Mexican food can be detected in every bite. We hold each dish to a standard we have branded as “Mexcellence.”
With several locations in Arizona, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to bring your familia and amigos along for the ride.Or, choose from a variety of ordering options like take-out, catering, family packs, and more.
See you (and your car) pronto!
Sources:
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Drive-through. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drive-through
- McDowell, E. (2023, April 20). How In-N-Out invented the 2-way speaker system and created the first modern drive-thru. Business Insider. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.businessinsider.com/in-n-out-burger-first-drive-thru-history
- Barksdale, N. (2021, January 8). How Drive-Thru Dining Changed Fast Food. HISTORY. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.history.com/news/drive-thru-dining-history-in-n-out-burger
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Red’s Giant Hamburg. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red%27s_Giant_Hamburg
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Wienerschnitzel. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wienerschnitzel
- Martinez, E. (2024, June 8). You’ll Never Suspect What Sweetbreads Actually Are. The Takeout. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.thetakeout.com/1579842/what-are-sweetbreads-explained/
