5 Industries That Have Taken Advantage of the Drive-Thru

Hectic schedules compel many drivers to spend much of their lives inside their cars, so they depend on drive-thru services to make life even faster, easier, and more convenient. Although an integral part of modern life, drive-thru businesses are hardly a modern concept. In fact, drive-thru services have been around since 1930 when the Grand National Bank in St. Louis opened the world’s first drive-thru window. This innovative service helped motorists relax in the comfort of their cars rather than stand in long lines inside the bank. Since then, numerous industries have adopted the drive-thru model as a way to improve the appeal and convenience of their services.

Thanks to drive-thru services, drivers no longer need to experience the inconvenience of parking cars, navigating harsh weather while walking into a business, and standing in line. Every day, drive-thru services help millions of people do more while spending less time and effort. The following five industries have left an enduring mark on society by offering drive-thru services.

1. Banks

Nearly a century after the first drive-thru bank opened, drivers continue to depend on drive-thru banking services. Modern bank customers can type on computers, talk on phones, eat meals, and rest as they wait in speedy lines outside the bank. This makes multitasking easy for modern workers who often feel constrained by the demands of work, school, and family.

2. Restaurants

The fast food industry copied the concept of drive-thru service almost two decades after the first drive-thru bank opened. Curiously, historians argue over which restaurant was first to serve customers inside passing cars. Some believe that Red’s Giant Hamburg in Springfield, Missouri opened the first drive-thru restaurant in 1947. Others pin the honor on In-N-Out Burger, a California restaurant that opened a drive-thru in 1948. Regardless of where drive-thru restaurants began, little doubt exists that they have become a permanent fixture in the food-service business.

3. Dry Cleaners

Dry cleaners adopted drive-thru windows as a way to make dry-cleaning services more convenient and less time consuming. Customers can speedily drop off and pick up their clothing with a minimum amount of effort.

4. Car Washes

Drive-thru car washes make driving a clean car fast and easy. Rather than exiting their cars and sitting in waiting rooms at traditional car washes, drivers can drive their cars into the drive-thru car wash and quickly drive out in a clean car.

5. Pharmacies

Sick people enjoy drive-thru pharmacy service that allows them to submit prescriptions and pickup medications. Drive-thru pharmacy service also helps prevent the spread of disease among patients waiting for services at traditional counters.

These five industries that have taken advantage of the drive-thru represent just a few of the many that have found ways to provide in-car service to customers. As you drive about, keep your eyes open for new and creative businesses that offer drive-thru services that can improve your life. What you see might surprise you.