Drive through etiquette question

[yoopermom]

Yes, I live in the sticks, and our local McDonalds just installed a double/two lane drive through order area (that then narrows to just the windows to take $$/give food, obviously).

I don't know if it's because yoopers are too polite, or if they are doing the correct thing, but rather than create two lines (one for each drive up order station) they are making a single line, and don't split off left or right until right before approaching the order stations.

Being raised in the cut throat city , I tend to go around the long line waiting, and get in the second "line" (which often only has one or at most two cars in it). Is this rude and I'm supposed to be waiting with everyone else? Why have two order slots, if not to fill them?

I know this isn't a serious worry, but I don't want to tick off my neighbors .

Terri

 

[soccerdad72]

I don't know if I would go so far as to call it rude, but I suppose you should stay in the line that's formed. I would guess that pretty shortly, people will figure out the 2 lane concept - especially if more people go by them and get into the second lane.

 

[yoopermom]

I hadn't really noticed it til the other day, when the single vehicle lane of cars waiting was almost out to the road, but there was literally only one car waiting behind the car ordering in the second line. I don't mind waiting my turn, but not in the middle of the road .

Terri

 

[wvjules]

I would get in the shorter line and don't consider it rude at all. That's what it is for. It's not your fault those in front of you don't get in it.

 

[nene0182]

Around here our double lane drive throughs function like yours. There’s a single lane with about two cars in the second lane, once someone orders from the second lane and pulls forward then someone from the single lane joins the car in the second lane that’s now at the ordering screen. We are probably too nice and polite around here as well lol

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

Down here we get the concept of going to the shorter lane. what people don't get is what to do after you order - don't plow down the car pulling forward from the other speaker. I think you're supposed to pay attention to the other line and take turns, the cashier is switching back and forth taking order, if the other car ordered before you, let them go ahead. Everyone else seems to think it's a free for all.

 

[wvjules]

It has nothing to do with being polite, or not. There are two drive through lanes for a reason. It is more efficient. Staying in the long line is actually more rude, imo, than using the process as it's designed. It takes longer for EVERYONE to get through the line if only one of the lines is used.

 

[jo-jo]

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.

 

[Mariearistocat]

Ugh, I dread these! I would be avoiding like the plague!

 

[willowsnn3]

Take the shortest lane! I love the way our Chik fi la handles their drive thru. If there are a lot of cars, they will have two employees out there walking up to the cars, taking the order & payment if paying with a card. Then they will say stay behind such & such car. Smooth sailing.

 

[cabanafrau]

Reading your question made me chuckle a little. All I could think is if the people in line at your McDonald's think you're rude for going in the second lane how they might feel about what a free for all it's been to get gas at Costco here the past couple months. I've seen several near crashes and I've been told by an attendant and a couple coworkers that there have indeed been crashes when those who have been waiting their turn for a pump wind up getting smashed into by others swooping into the queue and attempting to immediately zoom up the center space between two rows of pumps to pull directly in to a pump and begin fueling. It's completely bonkers.

 

[NAB]

Your suppose to take the shortest lane. When exiting the speaker you go then ,the other car goes so really no one gets out of place. Heck they do this at the counter too before they had the self serve things. People would form a single line with 3 cash people and someone would always come out and move them to the other cash so they weren't out the door.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I get in whatever the shorter line is. I think 2 lines should form, not a single line. The way our parking lot works at the local McDonald's, a big single car line can block the parking lot and walkway to the restaurant.

 

[bgirldeb]

Our McDonald’s is set up like this, but there is only really room for one drive through lane, and people split off to go to the second speaker whe you are almost up to it at the end. On busier days, especially breakfast time, it is a free for all and stresses me out. We either go in, or do a mobile order so we can avoid the drive thru. I feel that signage would help.

Our chick fil a has two lanes, but they are clearly labeled as two with lines, and they merge after the speakers. I like that a lot better.

 

[gotomu212]

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.

 

[lovin'fl]

I haven't been to fast food in a long time (been on a diet) but when I was getting it, about 2 years ago with 2 HS kids (now in college), we had a set up like that and I'd get in shortest line. And where I lived back then, Balt/Wash suburbs, all the folks did the same so the 2 lines would be somewhat comparable. So I'd pick the one with, maybe, 1 or 2 cars less than the other.

 

[wenrob]

You form two lines then every other person merges into one after ordering. The whole idea is to stop one big line from interrupting the flow of traffic and creating congestion in the parking lot.

 

[_19disnA]

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.

 

[jrmasm]

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.

A 'lovely' bride went crazy on my mother (in her 70s at the time) for doing that in a security line.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

The point of having 2 ordering areas is to make 2 lines that are shorter vs still having one line that wraps around the building.

What always kills me is when someone that orders before me wants to let me pull up to the window first when it will be their order that is being paid for and picked up. Or when I order first and the other person cuts me off. Again not your order that is being paid for or picked up people!
Do it how its supposed to be done.