National Drive-Thru Day on July 24 celebrates the fact we can pick up and eat a meal without having to leave the comfort of our car. We may take it for granted but eating in our cars is a privilege that would have sounded bonkers had you suggested it a hundred years ago. With that in mind, this day is for celebrating those establishments who allow us to take multitasking to a whole new level. Pick your favorite drive-thru and go grab yourself a bite to eat.
History of National Drive-Thru Day
The first drive-thru is believed to have been at Red’s Giant Hamburg on Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri in 1947. In 1948 the original In-N Out Burger opened a drive-thru, which is now the longest surviving drive-thru in the U.S.
In 1951 Jack in the Box created the first drive-thru chain to try and capitalize on the rapidly growing automobile culture. The first store was in San Diego and was drive-thru only, offering customers the chance to grab a hamburger for 18¢.
You may think of drive-thru and instantly think of McDonald’s. Well, you may be a little surprised to know that it was 1975 when they opened their first drive-thru. McDonald’s already had over 3,000 stores worldwide at the time and were well on their way to becoming the global leader in fast-food.
The drive-thru became so popular that it started to influence car design. In 1983 the cupholder as we know started to appear in cars. National Drive-Thru Day was created in 2002 and was founded by the original drive-thru chain, Jack in the Box.