Carbucks & Drive-Thru Bans

Born out of a need for speed and convenience, the drive-thru has been a staple of American roadways for decades. The rise of automobile culture post-World War II played a crucial role in their popularization. Red's Giant Hamburg in Springfield, Missouri, is often credited with creating the first drive-thru window in 1947. This innovation set the stage for their widespread adoption by fast food giants like McDonald's, which opened its first drive-thru in 1975.

The drive-thru grew greater in popularity during the pandemic. Restaurants like White Castle reported that more than half of all their sales were made at a drive-thru window.

But now, some cities are limiting their implementation, particularly in dense urban areas. For example, the City of Minneapolis passed a 2019 ordinance that prohibits businesses, banks, and restaurants from constructing new drive-thrus. The measure was an effort to cut down on vehicle idling, noise, and to make bike lanes and sidewalks safer.

The City of St. Paul is now considering a similar ordinance, which would only allow new drive-thrus to be built at banks and pharmacies. A nightmare drive-thru lane at a Starbucks located on the corner of Marshall and Snelling is reported to be one of the driving factors behind the ordinance. While the infamous drive-thru has since been shut down, the “Carbucks” incident still remains fresh in the minds of St. Paul residents.

While convenient and staples of the American fast-food experience, drive-thrus can also impede traffic flow and put cyclists and pedestrians at risk. They are unlikely to disappear anytime soon, but as more cities like Minneapolis, St. Paul, or even Atlanta adopt bans and restrictions, drive-thrus may become a little less commonplace along American roadways.