Banning Drive-Thrus - Your opinion (1 Viewer)

[BassNBrew]

Please leave the Rs and Ds in the Politics Forum.

Apparently Minneapolis is banning construction of any future drive-thrus per this link https://weather.com/science/environment/video/major-american-city-bans-drive-thrus  In theory I can see where this would be a good thing.  That said it's probably 30 years to late and reactively chasing a problem that won't be a problem much longer.  Many newer gas cars shut off when stopped and electric vehicles are not only here, but will gain marketshare quickly.  Seems like they should have enacted an ordinance where you are ticketed for having your car running while stopped in a drive-thru.

Beyond that, I think reduced accessibility for handicapped and older people is not a good thing.  Hopefully there's an exemption for pharmacies because forcing sick people into the story with everyone else also has it's own costs.  The back of envelope math in the video also didn't include the impact of larger parking lots impacting the availability of land for housing in urban areas or additional establishments that generate revenue for a city.  Seems to me that developing real estate and investing in buildings that will be obsolete in a couple of decades is very short sighted.

 

[The General]

I like the thinking behind it. It seems pretty silly though.

 

[grateful zed]

ban cars.

 

[msommer]

Seems stupid. But so are drive thrus.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

So more crowded restaurants + less parking spaces open. Brilliant.

 

[rockaction]

I think the OP covered neatly what I'd have to say about it, and this is coming from somebody who hates using the drive-thru. 

 

[stlrams]

Please leave the Rs and Ds in the Politics Forum.

Apparently Minneapolis is banning construction of any future drive-thrus per this link https://weather.com/science/environment/video/major-american-city-bans-drive-thrus  In theory I can see where this would be a good thing.  That said it's probably 30 years to late and reactively chasing a problem that won't be a problem much longer.  Many newer gas cars shut off when stopped and electric vehicles are not only here, but will gain marketshare quickly.  Seems like they should have enacted an ordinance where you are ticketed for having your car running while stopped in a drive-thru.

Beyond that, I think reduced accessibility for handicapped and older people is not a good thing.  Hopefully there's an exemption for pharmacies because forcing sick people into the story with everyone else also has it's own costs.  The back of envelope math in the video also didn't include the impact of larger parking lots impacting the availability of land for housing in urban areas or additional establishments that generate revenue for a city.  Seems to me that developing real estate and investing in buildings that will be obsolete in a couple of decades is very short sighted.

My town has a ban already on drive thrus for the past 25 years at least. We have none now and never will as they want to keep that small town feel.   

 

[Cjw_55106]

Let’s ban red lights too...and remote car starters. 

 

[identikit]

Insanity.

Another one.

 

[General Malaise]

Look, we didn't climb to the top of the obesity charts by accident.  If we want to remain #1 in the world, we simply cannot outlaw drive-thrus.

 

[grateful zed]

at taco bell they wont serve you after hours at the window unless you are in a car.

 

[Don Quixote]

Before having a kid, I hated drive thru’s. But a drive thru with a sleeping toddler in the back (ETA or even one that is awake) is a life saver.

 

[General Malaise]

 ...electric vehicles are not only here, but will gain marketshare quickly.  

Seems to me that developing real estate and investing in buildings that will be obsolete in a couple of decades is very short sighted.

1. I wish I shared your optimism over EV, but the adoption rate is slower than anticipated, no?

2.  You should talk to the Texas Rangers....cannot believe they built a new stadium 24 years after opening the Ballpark In Arlington.  Cray

 

[BassNBrew]

1. I wish I shared your optimism over EV, but the adoption rate is slower than anticipated, no?

2.  You should talk to the Texas Rangers....cannot believe they built a new stadium 24 years after opening the Ballpark In Arlington.  Cray

You may well be correct.  In theory EVs should be much cheaper than vehicles with gas engines, transmissions, and exhaust system.  Once a couple of more players get established, it will be like cell phone or computer adoption.

 

[DallasDMac]

Please, no. The number of people I would have to wait behind when I walk inside to grab a to-go order would increase ten-fold.

 

[Osaurus]

Please, no. The number of people I would have to wait behind when I walk inside to grab a to-go order would increase ten-fold.

 I sometimes go to a PDQ up the road for a salad and the drive thru is usually 10+ cars deep. The lobby maybe has one person ordering at the counter.

How about folks parking in the fire lane in front of strip mall restaurants? There’s a special place in hell for them imo. 

 

[Mario Kart]

How much is too much to order while in a drive thru? I could see $20-$30 range as being the peak maximum however, I have seen a few in the $40 range. That is, "get out of your car and walk in," kind of money to order from inside.

 

[eoMMan]

Hell no.

 

[Gr00vus]

Seems like the increasing amount of delivery services might make drive thrus somewhat obsolete anyway. That's probably a good thing, as I figure the delivery services, if fully loaded, would be more efficient and result in less pollution than each individual using the drive through to get their own food. Of course the delivery only covers trips to known locations, and I don't know which is a more convenient service if you're already in transit.

In a perfect world, we probably wouldn't have drive thrus, all things considered.

 

[Chaos Commish]

I'd prefer a city that passes a law insisting all future restaurants have drive thrus. 

 

[Dan Lambskin]

From my cold, dead hands

 

[CurlyNight]

Drive thrus help the elderly and disabled. 

 

[cheese]

Before having a kid, I hated drive thru’s. But a drive thru with a sleeping toddler in the back (ETA or even one that is awake) is a life saver.

Ya- As a person who is regularly hauling around 3 toddlers and never cooks, I can name you pretty much every place (especially non-fast food) around that has drive thru or curbside pickup. 

The last car I bought shuts off when you stop.  Isn't that the new standard?  I don't really know, but seems like that would phase out a lot of this problem anyway. 

 

[drunken slob]

How about folks parking in the fire lane in front of strip mall restaurants? There’s a special place in hell for them imo.