[Ripcord09]

The McDonald’s drive-through’s improbable rise in India. A concept once alien to the country is about to flourish.

Drive-through restaurants are built on three non-negotiables: a space large enough to park multiple cars; wide roads for the person behind the wheel to zip around and focus on tucking into the burger or taking it home quickly for dinner; and free-flowing traffic.

India sucks in all three. So it’s commonsensical that if we don’t want to make the effort to get to a restaurant, we let Zomato or Swiggy bring the food to us.

In the December quarter, Westlife Foodworld, the McDonald’s franchisee for India’s western and southern states, opened 15 outlets. Half of those were drive-throughs.

Every third McDonald’s launched in the future will welcome eaters on wheels. (For context, in the US, 95% of McDonald’s locations have a drive-up section.)

New drive-thru outlets opened recently

Drive-thru restaurants of McDonald’s boast features such as a digital order display, instant order in 120 seconds and self-ordering kiosks (SOK).

“Excited to announce the opening of Nagpur’s first-ever McDonald’s free-standing drive-thru store,” Saket Tikkas, Deputy Project Manager at McDonald’s said in a LinkedIn post, while sharing images of the new store.

This marks the arrival of McDonald’s first restaurant in Baramati – a modern Drive-Thru (DT) establishment that joins the brand’s growing network of more than 180 restaurants across Maharashtra and over 400 locations throughout West and South India.

Last year McDonald’s launched India's first airport drive-thru restaurant in Mumbai

Strategically located just 100 meters from Terminal 2 (T2) of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), this is also the first McDonald’s restaurant in Mumbai to operate 24x7.

Why the sudden surge in drive-throughs?

According to the media report, the primary reason is an increase in the number of four or more-lane highways in India, which has doubled in the decade to 2024. This allows for ample room to set up food courts with large parking spaces and proper alleys for drive-throughs.



It is convenient to grab a quick bite while sitting in the comfort and familiarity of your vehicle. However, not all, especially the ones who do not like eating in their vehicle, would prefer this option. Personally, I would want to go inside and eat, and be worry-free about the spillage or other accidents that may occur while having it inside the car. With hot weather climates in India, any food-related accidents would be like a bad aftertaste.

What are your thoughts on using drive-throughs? Do you use it? Will it become the new norm?



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[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Ripcord09

What are your thoughts on using drive-throughs? Do you use it? Will it become the new norm?

I've used a McDonalds (or any other, for that matter) drive-through just about once, and this includes the three years spent in the US, where drive-throughs are the norm vs. sit-down dining.

Two main reasons:
a) I almost never eat in the car (don't want the car to be dirty, and want to eat food in peace and properly)
b) I'd always prefer a restaurant where food is prepared fresh and local cuisine vs. something like a McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Subway etc.

Also, I tend to time my driving breaks along with stoppage for food and freshening up, so there's no real value to pick a drive-through.

Lastly, during the one time that I actually used drive-through, I felt the time saved was barely 5-10min.

Getting in line at drive-through, waiting for your turn, then going through the counters for ordering food, payment and pick-up doesn't save too much time vs. just walking in, ordering and eating there itself. Most these restaurants have self-order/pay kiosks now, so order time is <1min.

[Jeroen]

I can’t comment on McDonalds in India. We have a drive through McDonald about 7 minutes driving from our home in the Netherlands. We often go out for food, but we also often pick up food from various places. McDonald’s being one of them. The drive through is very convenient, takes hardly any time at all. I can be back home with the food in under twenty minutes.

Jeroen

[anandhsub]

When I pullover for a food stop on a highway it is also to rest my legs and may be take a loo break. I am not sure who uses drive thrus on highways?

I would prefer having Drive Thrus inside the city where I can pickup food without the hassle of finding a parking spot but I am yet to see one in and around Bangalore.

[VedDrives]

I am pretty surprised to see that Drive Through concept is getting popular in India because I have seen barely any such hotel with Drive Through concept (maybe there might be more, just never explored much ) ). I have seen one Drive Through McDonald in Bengaluru (Kasturba Road, opposite the Aquarium) but never seen much crowd in Drive Through. Though I feel having food inside the hotel is better than having it inside the car. It eliminates the chances of spillage. Cleaning the spillage inside the car is a tedious task too.

Hence, in my opinion, it's better to have food inside the hotel rather than having it in car.

[avdhesh15]

The drive through has only 1 use case for me as someone frequenting from Mumbai to Khopoli in the past - it's to grab a quick coffee just before hitting the expressway.

If I want to eat something, it has to be in the restaurant. Eating in the car while driving can be really messy especially with kids around.

If I want to eat at home, then Z/ S zindabad! Probably does well in the West due to lack of home delivery options.

[bblost]

I really liked this McD that opened late last year near Nellore.
Clean toilet and quick service.

The drive thru on the day I stopped here was not available. I hope its functional now.

A cold choco milkshake was really nice to sip on as I drove into the ever increasing traffic of Chennai city.

[DudeWithaFiat]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

When I pullover for a food stop on a highway it is also to rest my legs and may be take a loo break. I am not sure who uses drive thrus on highways?

I would prefer having Drive Thrus inside the city where I can pickup food without the hassle of finding a parking spot...

Exactly. Assuming that most folks on these 4/6 lane highways are on a long-distance drive, a food stop is not just a food stop, but also a small break from long driving for standing up, stretching your hands and legs, fresh air and a loo break.

That said, you never know what clicks or becomes a hit.

[GTO]

Love the idea & convenience of drive-throughs. At the McDonalds on the entrance to the expressway, I don't even need to give my order. They know it's 2 big black coffees, filled in my own driving mugs .

I use drive-throughs 4 - 5 times a month, but with conditions = only for black coffee or beverages, never for food. Drinking coffee in my car is okay, eating food is a strict no-no.

If anyone wants to eat, we step out of the car.

[paras211]

Not eating in the car , at least not a burger, kid sometimes gets fries. Else strictly No No. So the whole point of the drive through is lost for me as the smells that food leaves behind lingers and the ants that follow the crumbs that invariably fall is just not worth saving 15 min extra on a road trip.

[agambhandari]

I'm sorry but Drive through McDonalds are nothing new and have been a part of McDonalds in my city since the first one opened over 20 years ago and even the next one that opened a couple of years later. They make sense on highways if using as Grab n go, to munch on while driving or picking up an order while going back home. Always nice to have options.

I have multiple McD, Burger king , KFC and Starbucks drive thrus in my city and also on major highways nearby. Have used them commonly.

[KNR@BHP]

I found drive-thrus most useful when working late nights at the university in the US. It was convenient to grab food quickly and get back to work when I missed regular dinner hours.

However, I rarely used drive-thrus during regular hours. In India, I only used one drive-thru, and the experience was quite unusual due to the narrow path. It made me hesitant to use them again.

[sinharishi]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

I have multiple McD, Burger king , KFC and Starbucks drive thrus in my city and also on major highways nearby.

You’re likely to find drive-thrus more in punjab than a metro like mumbai! I was surprised to see so many of them on a deserted 4-lane highway to Kurali on return from Amritsar via Nawahshahr!

Saves a lot of time on highways, passengers can take a quick washroom break while you order, pay, pick-up.

[sumeethaldankar]

Drive through is probably an alien concept atleast in India. The average person will probably just order a Zomato or Swiggy and he will drive through and get it for you . Though I love the idea of visiting one once a while with friends but I believe it is not hygienic if you have to eat with your hands. I always find it appalling that people who use their hands on the steering wheels which has been touched my mechanics with dirty/greasy hands use the same hand to eat the food in the car. I guess a beverage is a better idea.

[DevilzzzzOwn]

Never did and never will use any Drive Thru for food.

I have never been in such a hurry that I can’t walk around and then sit and order my food and then get it prepared. I feel if you are in such a hurry that you need to place your order and eat inside the car, then you might as well skip that meal.

Humans have long lived on 1 meal every couple of days based on how much our ancestors could hunt and gather. Infact, while long distance travelling, I make it a point to not eat anything at least 12 hours before the journey. This serves three purposes.

1. I don’t have to worry about public restrooms and their deplorable conditions
2. I dont waste time
3. I dont end up eating junk

Regardless of how convenient it might be, any food that is ready within seconds is just going to be laced with salts, sugars and chemicals. I get enough of them through the air I breathe and the vegetables I eat , so I avoid these Drive Thrus.