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The incredible history behind America's drive-thrus

A
The prequel to the drive-thru
Diners hit the road
Service at the wheel
A celebrity affair
Time-honored chains
Shopping on wheels
America's first drive-thru
America's first drive-thru
There's a new drive-thru in town
The makings of the modern drive-thru
A burger-flipping family
In-N-Out gets a new look
The next big thing
Jack-in-the-Box jumps in
Jack-in-the-Box jumps in
New-fangled menus
Cars shift gear
The drive-in is still going strong
The drive-in is still going strong
Next came Wienerschnitzel
Introducing Wendy's
Introducing Wendy's
A four-legged diner gets his fix
Fast food behemoths take longer to catch on
The McDonald's drive-thru journey
The McDonald's drive-thru journey
The McDonald's drive-thru journey
The McDonald's drive-thru journey
Europe's first drive-thru restaurant
The UK's first McDonald's drive-thru
Canada and the drive-thru
France and the drive-thru
The drive-thru model is here to stay
A caffeinated ride
The future of the drive-thru
1 of 36
McDonaldsUK/Facebook

A "drive-thru" the past

Now a staple of fast food culture in America and beyond, the drive-thru has been on quite a journey. The concept began as a modest burger shack with a drive-up window, and burgeoned into the flashy, tech-savvy joints ubiquitous across the globe today. In these nostalgic snaps, we chronicle the fascinating history of the drive-thru. 

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Jacqui Agate

17 July 2022

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