Over the past hundred years, our eating habits have changed to a degree that would have astonished our ancestors. Among the major areas of improvement has been convenience. Nowadays, we’re able to pick up food whenever the fancy takes us, without ever leaving the comfort of our vehicles; moreover, we’re able to choose from a whole slew of fast food chains. Whether you’re driving your own car, or a leased one from ZenAuto, drive-through remains one of the most convenient ways to pick up lunch.
In some areas of the country, you’ll have an easy time finding drive-through food.
Where did Drive-Throughs come from?
The first drive through in the UK came courtesy of McDonalds, in 1986. The company had, by that point, opened more than a hundred restaurants in the UK, and just recently launched the ubiquitous ‘happy meal’. The first drive-through service was in Fallowfield, Manchester – but the service quickly spread across the country. At the time, eating in the car wasn’t part of the British culture. But, much like our modern habit of eating in the cinema, clever food marketers had other ideas. It is a mark of the brand’s success that so many of its rivals picked up on the idea, and that every car on the market today comes with a built-in place to hold a cup.
Where are the most drive throughs?
According to a survey published in the Daily Mail, Manchester and Glasgow enjoy the top spot when it comes to drive-through restaurants, with a grand total of forty-eight restaurants apiece. Given that the latter encompasses some 175 square kilometres, while the former covers just 115.6, it’s fair to assume that Manchester is the reigning champion when it comes to drive-through-density. A little further behind are Liverpool and Birmingham, which contain respectively 37 and 41 restaurants.
Of course, with the demand for fast-food being as insatiable as it is, it’s easy to see all of these figures growing considerably in the coming months, and the crown changing hands again and again.
What’s next for Drive-Throughs?
The world of food is changing, and so is the technology we use to order and receive that food. Touch-screens have already come into force in restaurants, with largely positive results. It’s likely that technology will also find its way into the drive through system, with multiple customers placing orders via a voice-recognition system.
Further changes comes on the menu itself. Vegan options have been introduced at several different fast-food restaurants, including KFC, Burger King, and Greggs. As we become more ethical in our eating habits, it’s likely that restaurants will face a race to cater to those habits.
