Interesting Statistic about El Pollo Loco
 

A branch of El Pollo Loco in Santa Cruz recently closed, citing the absence of a drive thru window as the cause. Santa Cruz has a general ban on drive thrus but they were hoping to get an exemption or try it without. It didn't work.

The manager stated that 40% of their business typically comes from drive-thrus. There is a McD's in Santa Cruz that doesn't have a drive-thru but they always seem to be busy and have been around for years. So I really wonder how much business these places actually lose without the drive-thru. How many people would decide not to go to a fast food place because of the absence of a drive-thru?

I know of a McD's that closed when they were not able to get a drive-thru, so I guess that does make a difference. The franchise was denied any modifications to their building by the owner of the shopping center. This was around 20 years ago, and the McD's was probably around 15-20 years old at the time.

I've tried and tried to find a Mickey D's in Manhattan with a drive thru, and years later, I drive pass them and still come up empty.

10th Avenue and 34th.

I say good riddance to those businesses that depend on drive-thru customers.

It depends on the location. There are some that a huge portion of their business comes from the drive through, and of course ones in shopping malls for example not that much.

When I use to visit McDonalds I always thought it was pretty funny that there was one that would have ten or twelve cars in the drive up window (actually I could come up with a few of them) while there was nobody at all inside. I could park, walk in order, and leave and still be six or seven cars ahead.

In some areas, up to 70% of the sales come from the window, which is why in some of those places they have dual windows, car service to keep the cars moving, etc.

It's a huge part of some of the locations business.

There is a McD's near downtown Denver that has a drive-thru. What makes it unique is that there isn't one of those blaring speakers that you take your order from. You drive up to the first cashier window to take your order. It was part of an agreement between the residents in the area (who didn't want to hear a speakerbox all day/night) and McD's to build one at that location.

That is an interesting statistic.

Personally, if I have time I prefer to park and go in and order my food to go. I never seem to be close enough to the speaker/window and I like being able to make sure I have enough ketchup/napkins/straw without worrying about the cars behind me.

Sometimes they are just convenient. I patronize drive-thrus on average one or two times a year. Without commenting on the types of places that drive thrus usually are, or whether or not we should be eating that crap, I'd much rather have mom and her screaming kids and the dog in the drive-thru while I go inside and order (even if to-go) than standing in front of me while little Jimmy is picking and flicking, and little Susie vomits on the floor.

There was a MickeyD's in our neighborhood that couldn't get approved for a drive through. They ended up moving 1/4 mile down the street to the neighboring city. I can't recall how long they've been in that new location now.... has to be over 15 years.

I thought the OP was going to say... It really isn't chicken.

• car load of kids
• car with baby in a car seat
• rainy days
• people in house coats, no makeup, etc

All valid reasons for people to choose the drive in over getting out and going inside.

People who have not showered, or perhaps not brushed their teeth or may have an underarm problem.

And I opened up the thread thinking there might have been a report published about the slaughtered chickens' mental health...

The main reason I frequent the drive-through is because the wife sent me to bring dinner home. :)