Random PSA: The Drive-Thru

[DZComposer]

The drive-thru is a staple of the modern food service industry. It provides a convenient way to order food without having to leave your vehicle.

The industry spends millions of dollars to design the best drive-thrus they can, but one thing they cannot design around is customer behavior. Here are some tips to make your drive-thru experience, and the experience of others, as convenient as possible.

This is specific to Food Service drive-thru, but some of these principals can help at other drive-thrus, such as banks, as well.

Before you get to there:

- How many people are you ordering for? More than 4? Go inside. Drive-Thru can only serve customers sequentially. Please be mindful of others.

- Do you at least have a general idea of what you want? If not, consider going inside so others don't have to wait while you spend 10 minutes staring at the menu.

- Where are you going to eat? If you pull into a parking spot to eat in your car, you are wasting other people's time. Go inside. They have tables, and you won't get ketchup on your car seats.

When you get there:

- How long is the drive-through line? If it is long, it may be quicker to go inside.

- Make sure your vehicle can fit into the drive-thru. This seems obvious, but with cases like this:

It is worth mentioning.

While in line:

- Mind your lights. If you're in an SUV, and there is a small car in front of you, please turn-off your lights. Also, be mindful of your brake lights, especially if they are LED. They can be just as blinding as headlights, so don't hold the brake the whole time. Put it in park or put your parking brake on.

- Nobody else likes your music. Please keep the volume down.

- Pay attention. Don't hold-up the line.

Ordering:

- If your vehicle is loud, particularly Diesel trucks, turn off your engine. Drive-Thru PAs are low-quality audio, and that sound will overwhelm your voice. The cashier will be able to hear you better if you turn-off the engine.

- Mute/Turn-off your radio. Same reason as above.

- If you eat there regularly, get a feel for how they assemble things, and mention special instructions (IE No Mayo) in that order. That way, you are less likely to confuse the cashier

- Don't yell into the PA. Speak clearly, but don't yell. Most Fast Food Cashiers are wearing a headset, they will hear you fine without yelling.

At The Window:

- Have your payment ready if possible. You have plenty of time to get your money out while the car in-front of you is being served. If you weren't given your total, at least have your wallet ready.

- Be polite, even if the cashier makes an error. To error is human. Don't be a douchebag.

- Turn-down your radio so that you can hear the cashier, and they can hear you.

- Get off the phone immediately. If the cashier has to wait for you to finish, so does everyone behind you.

- If you wish to check your order, only do a quick look in the bag for missing items while still at the window. If you wish to check your items for accuracy, please pull forward (unless the restaurant's lobby is closed)

- If you discover a significant error in your order (IE They forgot the No Mayo), then go inside. Since they have to re-make it, they will need some time, and chances are the next two or three orders behind you are ready to go.

- Don't chat-up the cashier. Remember, there are others behind you.

- Check your mirrors and blind-spot before leaving the window. Others may be going around you, and sometimes maintenance employees are working outside the building.

[Wes]

The drive-thru is a staple of the modern food service industry. It provides a convenient way to order food without having to leave your vehicle.

The industry spends millions of dollars to design the best drive-thrus they can, but one thing they cannot design around is customer behavior. Here are some tips to make your drive-thru experience, and the experience of others, as convenient as possible.

A guide on how to order food properly through a drive-thru. Cool. My day is complete.

Before you get to there:

- How many people are you ordering for? More than 4? Go inside. Drive-Thru can only serve customers sequentially. Please be mindful of others.

What if I'm a lazy bastard and don't want to walk into a restaurant to get food? This is America. Land of convenience.

When you get there:

- How long is the drive-through line? If it is long, it may be quicker to go inside.

Thanks for pointing out the obvious.

- Make sure your vehicle can fit into the drive-thru. This seems obvious, but with cases like this:

It is worth mentioning.

Did they die?

While in line:

- Mind your lights. If you're in an SUV, and there is a small car in front of you, please turn-off your lights. Also, be mindful of your brake lights, especially if they are LED. They can be just as blinding as headlights, so don't hold the brake the whole time. Put it in park or put your parking brake on.

MAJOR INCONVENIENCE.

- Nobody else likes your music. Please keep the volume down.

Not necessarily true.

Ordering:

- If your vehicle is loud, particularly Diesel trucks, turn off your engine. Drive-Thru PAs are low-quality audio, and that sound will overwhelm your voice. The cashier will be able to hear you better if you turn-off the engine.

- Mute/Turn-off your radio. Same reason as above.

- If you eat there regularly, get a feel for how they assemble things, and mention special instructions (IE No Mayo) in that order. That way, you are less likely to confuse the cashier

- Don't yell into the PA. Speak clearly, but don't yell. Most Fast Food Cashiers are wearing a headset, they will hear you fine without yelling.

At The Window:

- Have your payment ready if possible. You have plenty of time to get your money out while the car in-front of you is being served. If you weren't given your total, at least have your wallet ready.

- Be polite, even if the cashier makes an error. To error is human. Don't be a douchebag.

- Turn-down your radio so that you can hear the cashier, and they can hear you.

- Get off the phone immediately. If the cashier has to wait for you to finish, so does everyone behind you.

- If you wish to check your order, only do a quick look in the bag for missing items while still at the window. If you wish to check your items for accuracy, please pull forward (unless the restaurant's lobby is closed)

- If you discover a significant error in your order (IE They forgot the No Mayo), then go inside. Since they have to re-make it, they will need some time, and chances are the next two or three orders behind you are ready to go.

- Don't chat-up the cashier. Remember, there are others behind you.

- Check your mirrors and blind-spot before leaving the window. Others may be going around you, and sometimes maintenance employees are working outside the building.

Seriously, most of this here is just common courtesy/sense. If you're too much of an ass/retard then chances are you're not going to take this advice and apply it.

1/10 for taking the time to make this thread.

[DZComposer]

Say what you want, but people seriously don't seem to know this shit.

[Wes]

Say what you want, but people seriously don't seem to know this shit.

Welcome to America.

["User"]

As someone who does a lot of drive thrus I appreciate DZ's advice. A lot of it is pretty good actually.

FoXXX doesn't drive or otherwise go through a drive thru so don't pay too much heed to his opinion. :trollface:

[Wes]

FoXXX doesn't drive or otherwise go through a drive thru so don't pay too much heed to his opinion.

[Sluggsnipa]

This was helpful and informative...and excellent spambait.

[Nova]

Someone had a shitty day @ taco bell Drive thru...

[Deploy]

[DZComposer]

This has gone from zero-to-rec-room-material in record time.

[Deploy]

This has gone from zero-to-rec-room-material in record time.

It was more than rec room material in the first place???

[Asper Sarnoff]

I am so glad we don't have drive-troughs over here...

[GameMasterGuy]

That must be torture... or paradise. Or something.