The first fast food restaurant that I remember was Carrol’s. They featured a 15 cent hamburger called the club burger. I don’t remember them having a drive thru window, but not long after they came on the scene, McDonald’s arrived. Back then McDonald’s shelves were packed with pre made menu items. If you looked at the bins and ordered some of what was there, you could be served instantly. If the bin was empty for what you wanted, it may take a while.

When my daughter was young, she would only eat a plain hamburger, French fries and a Coke from McDonald’s. Her request was not on the menu. When she said plain hamburger she meant patty and bun. The slightest hint of mustard, catsup or pickle would be rejected, so scraping it off was not an option. Trying to order this at the drive thru window was nearly impossible. Not only was it not on the menu, I had to describe how to make it. Delays at the window were common. It got to the point where I would refuse to go through the drive thru. It was faster to debate face to face, so the order could be described in detail without holding up the drive thru.

Fast forward a few years and my wife’s mother came to stay with us. The confusion caused by the menu made it impossible to use the drive thru and even inside it was hard to sort out. If you ordered her what she liked on a previous occasion it would be unacceptable. So we patiently waited and stepped out of line, so as not to cause delays for others while the difficult decisions were made.

Now today, with the pandemic restrictions, going inside is no longer an option. Nearly all transactions go through the drive thru window. Long lines are common and I am amazed by how some folks struggle with placing an order. It is like they don’t remember what restaurant they have driven to. They seem to be startled when the speaker asked what they want. As they begin to read the menu many questions arise that the associate has to answer. The cars in front of them have all gone through and been served, then finally when the order is complete and there is hope for moving along, they turn to the other person in the car and ask what they want.

Chick-fil-A has mastered the process. They intercept the confused customers and sort them out way before they can cause a backup. I even saw an associate outside at Zaxby’s the other day trying to keep things moving.

I will say that generally the drive thru windows have all become more efficient and move faster than ever. The unprepared customer is still there, but with their mask on they are not recognizable and why would we want to know who they are? Besides that, it could be me.

Frank Hancock has worked as a Farm Manager, Vocational Agriculture Teacher, Vice President at Snapper and currently serves as the University of Georgia Agricultural Extension Agent in Henry County. He is a also a member of the Heritage Writers Group.