Drive-Ups

 Originally posted to MySpace, May 19, 2009

 


The American fetish for drive-ups is amazing. The model for drive-up service was of course the fast-food restaurant. Then came drive-up banking. Now, there are drive-up pharmacy windows, drive-up liquor stores, drive-thru libraries, and drive-thru video rental. Are we in such a hurry that we don’t have time to find a parking spot, get out of the car, and walk into a place of business to take care of our errands? What’s next: the drive-up auto mechanic?

There once was a time when you could just drive to a gas station and have everything done for you. An attendant would clean your windows, check your oil, check your tires, and—oh, yeah—fill your tank. It was called “full service”. For some strange reason, we abandoned that kind of convenience in favor of pumping the gas ourselves. At the same time, we started doing more and more things while staying behind the wheel.

The history of the Sonic fast-food chain is an interesting case in point. The popular drive-in diner model saw a steep decline in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Most of Amarillo’s Sonics had either gone bust and been abandoned, or the lack of customers made them appear to be deserted. But then, out of the blue, there was a turn-around, and now business is booming. Why is that? Is Sonic’s current popularity merely a result of improved quality, pricing, and advertising? Or could it be that ever lazier and fatter Americans helped pull Sonic out of the dumps? The appeal of “going out to eat” without having to get out of your car must have been irresistible. Imagine, you get speedy service, but your food doesn’t get cold before you get home. No trying to eat your meal and drive at the same time. Talk about a unique selling point!

What if there was a surcharge on drive-up service at fast-food joints? Would that necessarily make the “restaurants” more crowded? Probably not. I reckon many Americans would forego dinner at Mickey Dee’s simply because they don’t feel like walking into the place and ordering their meal to go.

Whatever happened to drive-in movies? If anything should have thrived in our culture of living in your car, it’s the drive-in theater. After all, you could do whatever you wanted in your car. You could talk, smoke, or engage in “other activities”. Many theaters even had playgrounds, but that was back when the fear and actual cases of child abduction were less rampant.

You never had to leave your vehicle, except to go to the concession stand or bathroom. Getting something to eat wasn’t even necessary because you could take food and drinks with you (from a drive-up fast food window somewhere else if you wanted). If you ate or drank too much, you might have felt the urge to use the restroom, but the lack of cleanliness at many drive-ins encouraged you to hold it until you got home. 

If you ask me, America needs fewer drive-ups and more sit-ups. 

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