Nearly half of Americans would avoid stores without drive-thrus: poll

Nearly half of Americans would avoid going to a store that didn’t have a drive-thru (47%), according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults found that twice as many people prefer the drive-thru to going in-store (28% vs. 14%).

And a third of those who prefer drive-thrus said they will “always” choose that option when it’s available (32%).

Results showed that people are using the drive-thru for a multitude of reasons, most commonly for coffee (63%) or fast food (60%), at least three times a week.

Some are even visiting the drive-thru to get their pharmaceutical (13%) and bank needs at least once a week (20%).

Unsurprisingly, people are most likely to show up at the drive-thru around mid-morning — between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. (35%), with 12:55 p.m. being the average time respondents recall sitting at the window.

Interestingly, more than a quarter of Americans think coffee drive-thrus should be open past midnight into the early morning hours (27%) and a similar percentage said the same about fast food restaurants (26%).

Conducted by OnePoll for Dutch Bros, the survey also looked at the personality differences between those who prefer drive-thrus versus going in-store and found that 77% of people who prefer drive-thrus consider themselves to be patient.

Surprisingly, these respondents are less likely to feel anxious when talking to store employees than those who prefer to go in-store (6% vs. 28%).

In fact, they’re even more likely to feel confident about talking to employees in-store (31% vs. 24%).

Those who prefer to go in-store are more likely to be introverted than extroverted (63% vs. 34%), while drive-thru-goers’ personalities are the opposite (44% introverted vs. 53% extroverted).

“Drive-thrus can be intimidating when you’re not familiar with the place, which has made connecting with customers even more of a priority for us,” said Charles Swindler, senior vice president of brand at Dutch Bros. “Here, everyone should feel like they are getting a fun experience along with a great drink, all from the front seat of their car!”  

What is it about the drive-thru that appeals to so many Americans? Three in five can’t deny it tends to be the faster option (61%).

Those who prefer drive-thrus also appreciate the comfort of staying in their car (61%) and avoiding long lines (52%).

But going in-store has its perks, too, like avoiding long lines of cars (72%), getting to see what you want in person (64%) and stretching your legs and walking around (62%).

Drive-thrus just can’t be beaten, though, as two-thirds of respondents said they get better service than when going in-store (69%).

Results also showed that looks do matter here, as a majority of those surveyed admit that they’d judge the quality of a store by their drive-thru (68%). Similarly, 44% said they’ve actively skipped out on a boring-looking drive-thru.

For a more exciting experience, Americans said they’d appreciate colorful artwork or artistic decorations (56%) or the ability to play interactive games or activities from inside the car (56%).

Fifty-three percent also said music would make the experience more fun, along with a unique way to request or receive an order (46%).

“An early-morning experience at a drive-thru can make or break your day,” Swindler said. “But that doesn’t have to be your entire day — whether you’re having a good or bad day, a delicious pick-me-up can easily make it a better one!”