The Beloved Fast Food Chain Behind The Invention Of The Modern Drive-Thru

It's hard to imagine a time when fast food restaurants didn't have drive-thru windows, but before they were invented, consumers had to either go inside to get their food or "drive-in" and park rather than go through the line and keep on moving. From there, diners could either eat inside the restaurant, in their car, or take the food home. Those aren't bad options, but they aren't nearly as convenient as a drive-thru when one is busy and just wants to quickly get their food and take it home. 

The fastest and most efficient way to purchase fast food is undoubtedly through a drive-thru. Fast food drive-thru times are important to the business, too, as they can keep the line moving and deliver more orders in less time with a well-organized system of order-taking and food preparation that minimizes the amount of time that each car spends in line. It also allows for less foot traffic in the restaurant itself, which was a major issue for In-N-Out Burger back in 1948 when its first location opened in Baldwin Park, California. At the time, founders Harry and Esther Snyder were working with just 100 square feet, which prompted Harry to come up with the drive-thru concept — an idea that would change fast food forever.

Because Harry and Esther's new burger joint, which had items on its menu that are still available today, was so small, there was only enough room for the kitchen staff and no room to seat diners. The use of a drive-thru made it possible to operate in such a small space.

Like many other great inventors, Harry Snyder spent endless hours in his garage working on what would become the first two-way speaker. The two-way speaker system allowed fast food restaurants to take orders from a speaker box attached to the menu while the customer stayed comfortably in their car. Then, they could pull up to a window right outside the kitchen where they would pay and receive their food before driving off to eat it at home or elsewhere. That reduced the amount of foot traffic inside the restaurant and made it easier to serve more customers at once.

The invention of the two-way ordering system was a smashing success for In-N-Out, and within the following 10 years, the chain was able to expand to five total In-N-Out restaurants located in the Los Angeles area. Drive-thru ordering also caught on quickly with other fast food chains as they worked to become more efficient to stay competitive. Now, most fast food establishments are equipped with a drive-thru and compete to be the fast food chain with the quickest drive-thru.