Mystery at the drive-thru

[Lace Neil Singer]

A friend and I had a craving for burgers made from cow's ears, salty fries and fat laden milkshakes recently, so we decided to check out the brand new McDonalds that had just opened. It has a drive-thru, but when we got there, we found that the queue for the drive-thru went right round the block. People were being all SC, hooting their horns and tailgating the cars in front, so I suggested that we park up and head to the restaurant instead. When we walked inside, it was empty. O_o Seriously, there was not a single customer there cept for us. Which begs the question: Why join the massive queue for the drive-thru and be sucky over having to wait, stressing the poor service workers out majorly, when instead you could park up and walk inside? We got served straight away; the restaurant workers looked glad of having something to do. XD When we left after consuming our junk food, the line for the drive-thru was even longer than it had been before, and two people were yelling at each other cuz one had rear ended the other.

[EvilEmpryss]

I have no idea short of herd mentality why people do that.

"Oh, I don't want to stay and eat, I just want to get something quick and go!"

Well, yeah, but think outside the box here: if you could park, go in, get your order to go, and be back in your car and gone before you ever would have gotten to the speaker, then get off your lazy ass and go inside!

[Catwoman2965]

Kind of like when there is PLENTY of parking further from the door of a store or mall, yet there are multiple cars, circling the perimeter, looking for the closest spaces. When, if they parked just another 50 feet out, they have their pick!

[CyberLurch]

Kind of like when there is PLENTY of parking further from the door of a store or mall, yet there are multiple cars, circling the perimeter, looking for the closest spaces. When, if they parked just another 50 feet out, they have their pick!

Ha ha, my mom used to do this all the time. She would spend 20 minutes trying to find a parking space, often driving by open spots only a little further out. She never did learn.

I picked up early on that if you don't have the weird compulsion to park so close to the store, not only do you have an easier time finding a parking space, but there's less foot and vehicle traffic to fight with as you're parking or leaving. Even on crutches (for a broken foot), I was just as happy to hobble the extra few feet if it meant avoiding all the strife of parking close.

[An Haddock]

Yeah, there's been a few times when a fast food place had numerous cars in the drive through but the interior was mostly empty. Just ran in, got a to-go order, and ran out. Took a fraction of the time.

[catcul]

SC: "What do you mean I have to walk?"

Too many people act like they are allergic to walking. Unless a doctor determines that you need to park close, you can get out of your car and walk.

[Iolanthe]

Before I had my daughter (and when she is not with me now) I would park and go in if the line for the drive thru was long, but now with her it is easier to wait in line or just go somewhere else than it is to get her out of the car into the restaurant and back with food in hand. I am unfortunately just not that good at balancing the food and her yet. That may have accounted for some of the people, but not the rude ones, there is no need to honk and hoot and holler in the line, eventually you will get through, just have to have some patience (which I know is lacking in most people anymore, sadly).

[Food Lady]

I have no problem with people going in the DT if they want, but I do have a massive problem with impatience. If one does not have time to wait, one should've planned ahead.

[Agent Paperclip]

If one does not have time to wait, one should've planned ahead.

This! ^^

I remember getting yelled at by drive thru customers for making them late getting back to work because they decided to have lunch during.... the lunch rush!

[catcul]

I never go through the drive thru when I walk to McDonald's.

[Catwoman2965]

SC: "What do you mean I have to walk?"

Too many people act like they are allergic to walking. Unless a doctor determines that you need to park close, you can get out of your car and walk.

I generally tend to park far out because when i got my current car, its a bit more difficult for me to see when I back out. I have some depth perception issues, and while I can back out, sometimes its simply easier for me to park further out, and pull through.

this benefits both me and my car. Me, in that i get the extra exercise, and my car, in that unlike my last one, there are no door dings or dents on it. Knock on wood. Its 5 years old, I've had it for 2, and its body is in PRISTINE condition.

[mathnerd]

There are times for me when it's just easier to wait even in a long line for a drive through. If my youngest is having a bad day and it's difficult for him to transfer out of the car and into his chair, and I'm also having a day when heaving that 50 pound chair (I can't wait for the new chair to arrive...any day now) in and out of my car is more than I can manage, then it's better to wait ten minutes or more in a drive thru.

The same goes with the "up close" parking. Honestly, for my needs, I don't care that the handicapped parking is close. What I need is the extra space to get the wheelchair in and out of the van, and the kid in and out of the chair. If they made wheelchair width spaces in the back of the lot, I'd take those and leave the closer parking for people who need to limit how many steps they are taking.

That said, in the situation the OP described, if I was having a day where getting a kid out of the van was more than I could manage, and I saw that kind of line, I'd figure out somewhere else to eat.

[WishfulSpirit]

People circle the lot at the gym to get the closest possible and then go inside to walk on the treadmill.

[Kristev]

Personally, I think it's foolish to go through a drive-through window at McDonalds at all. Just go inside, buy a soda, and relax with the free refills and the wi-fi for as long as you please. Let everyone else drive each other batty at the drive-through.

[Food Lady]

I'm with you, kristev.