Drive through etiquette question

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't understand the question, because everywhere I have seen this set up, there is one marked lane, with a line, that widens to two lanes as you approach the two different order kiosks. So, you stay in the one lane that's marked.

In your case, are there two actual marked lanes back where the drive through lane entrance is?!?

 

[Kellydelly]

It is not rude to be smart and drive up to the shorter line if there is one. It doesn't make sense for people to be spilling out into the street because nobody is utilizing the two lane system properly. If someone insists on sitting in one particular lane I have no problem driving around them to keep things moving! And get my food faster, of course.

 

[yoopermom]

I don't understand the question, because everywhere I have seen this set up, there is one marked lane, with a line, that widens to two lanes as you approach the two different order kiosks. So, you stay in the one lane that's marked.

In your case, are there two actual marked lanes back where the drive through lane entrance is?!?

No, there are no marked lanes (maybe they ran out of update money so couldn't afford the paint). You enter with the building on your left, parking on your right, and the two ordering kiosks are at the back. Even if there was concern about blocking the parking, you could probably fit four cars or so in the second lane before affecting the ability of the parked cars to back out.

(Which reminds me of the strangest McD parking/drive thru situation, in Sheboygan, WI, where the handicap parking is up next to the building, then it's the drive thru lane, then the regular parking. So if I park in a handicap spot (to go in), then come out and want to leave, I often have to wait quite some time for someone in the drive thru line to take pity on me and let me back out. Completely senseless.)

Terri

 

[smokeyblue]

We have the same setup here in Marquette and people split off into the individual lanes. I guess we aren't as civilized Yoopers here. My friend's daughter is actually the general manager and I've had the logic explained to me. The dual line serves two purposes, it keeps the physical line of cars shorter and it streamlines ordering (I was told the ordering process was what was hanging up the drivethru). With the double line you are getting two order in at the same time, two orders begin to be processed at the same time and two orders are completed and paid for in quick succession.

 

[wenrob]

There is nothing wrong in using the second lane once you get near the front. It would only be rude to drive around several other cars who perhaps aren't familiar with the 2 lanes for ordering. I honestly don't think it makes the process any faster, but is more of a way to keep cars from being in the street blocking traffic.

Just because people don’t understand the concept doesn’t make it rude to go around them. The whole idea is to keep traffic flowing so going around them is the right thing to do.

I don't understand the question, because everywhere I have seen this set up, there is one marked lane, with a line, that widens to two lanes as you approach the two different order kiosks. So, you stay in the one lane that's marked.

In your case, are there two actual marked lanes back where the drive through lane entrance is?!?

Around here it’s two lines that merge into one not one that splits into two. Typically there are two entrances into the parking lot. The people coming from across the lot usually get in the left, the people entering nearest the drive thru get in the right then every other car merges into one line after they order. Some are marked, some are not. I’ve not seen them like this.

 

[RangerPooh]

I'll be honest, there have been plenty of times where I have cut the line and jumped into the second, shorter line because everyone has followed the leader and remained in a single line. I receive plenty of nice honks and waves as a result, but ultimately don't care. Now this doesn't mean that I won;t occasionally stay in that single line. If I have more time and am not in a hurry then I might stay the course.

 

[North of Mouse]

Where we live it is one line, then branching to two as you reach the two ordering stations. There is no room to form two lines from the beginning. You are lining up 'behind' parked cars that need room to back up! Sorry, but I think you have been the rude one!!

 

[North of Mouse]

Isn't this the same as ordering at CS at disney? How many times have you seen a line of 10 people standing on the right side of the cashier and no one on the left side? I don't feel guilty walking up to the left side.

No, it isn't the same. The cashier alternates orders side to side, and cast members will always direct you to fill in if one line is shorter - totally different!

 

[yoopermom]

We have the same setup here in Marquette and people split off into the individual lanes. I guess we aren't as civilized Yoopers here.

As a transplant to the "banana belt" of the U.P(along Lake Michigan), I bow down to you, a "true' Yooper. Lake Superior living is not for the faint of heart, you deserve two lanes .

Terri

 

[Kitty 34]

Our McDonald's that we frequent in the lower part of the Mitten has one lane that everyone gets into and then you choose which window you actually want to order . That choice is made about 20/30 feet from the single line scenario.

 

[Allison]

No, it isn't the same. The cashier alternates orders side to side, and cast members will always direct you to fill in if one line is shorter - totally different!

It actually is the same. This is what happens at the drive throughs here. The cashier alternates orders lane to lane. If one line is shorter, I am getting in that one.

That is the way it is supposed to work.

 

[luvsJack]

The five or six around here are all like the one in the picture @FlightlessDuck posted. You are in one lane, it breaks off into two to order and then comes back to one. The one closest to my work has parking to one side of the drive through so if a double line was formed all the way from the street, there would be a major traffic jam in the parking lot at lunch time.

It works fine.

Also, its not one employee taking all the orders. There are two people on the mics and taking orders.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So here it's really dependent on how the parking lot is set up but there are normally clear lane markers. I'd probably be contacting the powers that be that can control that aspect to notify the lane markers really need to be added in your area OP.

There will be times where there is only room for one lane to a point and then it widens up to wear people are able to split off and form two lanes.

For example here is a popular one:


The drive thru lane is 1 lane marked to a point. Cars that try to get out and get into the second lane too early would actually be causing traffic problems because they block access to those parking, getting out of their parking spot and leaving the parking lot. It is designed to where car split off into the two sides just closer to the ordering machines and before that it's 1 lane.

Here's another one in our area:


And another one:

Notice how this one there are 2 drive-thru lanes to begin with which then feed directly to the assigned ordering machine.


People are familiar with two lanes and alternate orders here though so there's rarely been a problem at least in my personal experience.

So really IMO it's going to be dependent on each and every location and how they are set up. Some locations have a lot more room to have two lanes further back and some don't thus they have 1 line until it gets closer and splits.

I should also note that things related to drive-thru lanes are typically in yellow road paint whereas white paint is typically for normal traffic.

 

[Skellingtonj]

I wish ours was like that. We have the worlds shortest
Drive thru lane. Right next to the lane to enter and park. It’s way tooo tight and cars are always backed up into the street.

 

[Katie Dawn]

The only place I've ever been where it starts as 2 lanes is at some of the Chick-fil-As. In those cases it is clearly marked that there are 2 separate lanes. In all the others I can think of there is 1 lane that splits into two 20 - 30 feet before the order window.

In fact, in most places I think if there were 2 lanes out in the main part of the parking lot I don't know that there would be enough room for the parked cars to back out and leave, or for new cars to drive past to find a parking spot.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

So here it's really dependent on how the parking lot is set up but there are normally clear lane markers. I'd probably be contacting the powers that be that can control that aspect to notify the lane markers really need to be added in your area OP.

There will be times where there is only room for one lane to a point and then it widens up to wear people are able to split off and form two lanes.

For example here is a popular one:

View attachment 367492
The drive thru lane is 1 lane marked to a point. Cars that try to get out and get into the second lane too early would actually be causing traffic problems because they block access to those parking, getting out of their parking spot and leaving the parking lot. It is designed to where car split off into the two sides just closer to the ordering machines and before that it's 1 lane.

Here's another one in our area:
View attachment 367493

And another one:
View attachment 367495
Notice how this one there are 2 drive-thru lanes to begin with which then feed directly to the assigned ordering machine.


People are familiar with two lanes and alternate orders here though so there's rarely been a problem at least in my personal experience.

So really IMO it's going to be dependent on each and every location and how they are set up. Some locations have a lot more room to have two lanes further back and some don't thus they have 1 line until it gets closer and splits.

I should also note that things related to drive-thru lanes are typically in yellow road paint whereas white paint is typically for normal traffic.

Best answer of the thread. Two of your pictures are clearly one line that has a split point and one is clearly a two line system. In the latter it's 100% ok to get in a way shorter line. The former, if you're not to the obvious split point, it's rude to create your own new split point by cutting. But all too often, I see someone thinking he's going to be clever and forming his own split point other than the one marked because well rules and being polite don't apply to him. But if he were really smart, he'd be like me and park, walk to the counter, and beat em all out of the place.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

There’s only one I go to like that and it is cutthroat AFTER placing your order (trying to merge back into one generally very congested lane)!

 

[smokeyblue]

As a transplant to the "banana belt" of the U.P(along Lake Michigan), I bow down to you, a "true' Yooper. Lake Superior living is not for the faint of heart, you deserve two lanes .

Terri

Thanks. It's been a tough one this winter so far, even though its technically fall. We pretty much went from summer to winter in one week, and of course that week was when I was at Disney in 95 degree weather. Leaving home in 75 degree weather and coming back to winter was absolutely depressing! I've finally settled into it. It seems like it's going to be a snowier one than usual this year.

 

[wenrob]

So I swung through McD’s for the kids tonight and grabbed this photo before it was my turn to order. Maybe there was confusion and they put this up.

 

[Starwind]

Don’t yours have lane markers? Around here there’s one lane until 20 ft before the split and the lane markers show it splitting. The single line is to accommodate the drive area and people walking in and out of the building and the ability of people to back out of parking spots along the line (if the double lines fully formed cars and people couldn’t safely exit). There are 5 different places I go here with double ordering and they all have the lane lines.

THis is how ours are set up. One lane, clearly marked, and then just before the speakers it splits into two lanes, also clearly marked with overhead and other signage. After the speakers the two lanes merge back into one to go pick up the order at the windows.

The couple places I have been two that have actually full double lanes they are also clearly marked as such.

SW