# Drive-ins



## tvdxer

Does your country have "drive-in" banks, restaurants, etc.?

This is a very common feature in the United States, where at many banks, pharmacies, and (fast food) restaurants one can simply drive their vehicle up to a window (or to a chute) and make a deposit, order and get fast food, get their prescription, etc. without even getting out of their car.

I've always thought of this as a truly American thing, but I know they have them in Canada, but am not sure about in Europe.  I did see at least one or two in Costa Rica.

Do fast food places like McDonalds and Burger King have drive-ins in your country?  How about banks and credit unions?  Do pharmacies?  Anything else?

(Personally, I do not care much for these, and prefer to park and enter the store)​


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## *Cowgirl*

In the south US we usually call them drive-throughs. Here a drive-in is a outdoor movie theater in which you watch the movie from you car.


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## BasedowLives

*Cowgirl* said:
			
		

> In the south US we usually call them drive-throughs. Here a drive-in is a outdoor movie theater in which you watch the movie from you car.



same for midwest i guess.  

drive ins are places where you watch movies.


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## Alberto77

Never heard of a similar place in Europe, in the countries where I have been... in Italy as well.
ciao
alb


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## GenJen54

For clarification,

HERE is a photo of a _*drive-thru*_ window at a bank.  As tvdxer noted, drive-thru windows are also popular in the US at fast-food restaurants, coffee joints, pharmacies and in Las Vegas, even wedding chapels!

*Drive-ins* are places such as movie theatres or some chains of fast-food restaurants where you actually "park your car."  There is a very popular fast-food "drive-in" chain which is headquartered in my city. 

At any of these restaurants, drivers pull their car up to a console, place their order, then wait for a "car-hop" to bring their food out to them.  Customers can either eat their food at the restaurant (in their car), or take it with them.

THIS is a photo of a car pulled up to a console at  a "drive-in" restaurant.

HERE is a photo of a "car-hop" delivering food to someone's car at a drive-in restaurant.  

This type of restaurant was popularized in the 1950s.  In those days, some carhops actually wore roller skates to deliver the food.  Some still do today.


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## belén

The only ones that have succedeed in Spain are the McDonalds drive in, here called "McAuto"

Cheers,
Belén


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## Hakro

In Finland:
Generally drive-in services are very rare, probably because of the weather conditions.
Some fast food places, yes. No more drive-in banks. At least two pharmacies. One 'mobile' drive-in movie, i.e. a big truck with a screen. Drive-in churches every now and then, mostly for motorcyclists. 
A novelty: Drive-in service for leaving tax declaration.
Another novelty: Drive-in movie for ski-doos, unique in the world.

"Drive-in" seems to be often used in connection with dog contests but I couldn't really understand what it means.

While searching these in the web I learned that in Germany there are several drive-in brothels!


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## lampiao

Like belen said, McDonald's brought that concept. I don't remember seeing any drive through other than at a McDonald's restaurant


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## BasedowLives

I watched the german movie Goodbye Lenin not too long ago and they had a drive thru burgerking, so evidently that exists in Germany.


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## tvdxer

Well, I'm pretty sure this would be a "drive-thru" (in Germany):

http://www.davidson.edu/academic/german/gallery/laden/mcdonald/Copy%20of%20McD004d.jpg

This is the site it came from...full of various "daily life" and "mundane" type pictures of German life...very interesting!


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## danielfranco

And just when you thought things couldn't get any stranger in Texas...
When I used to live down in the Valley, close to the border, I saw in both the American and the Mexican side of it some *drive-thru BEER stores*!!!
I'm sure they didn't mean to imply that you should drink and drive, no way, right?


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## KateNicole

There is a drive-thru liquor store in Kenosha, daniel.  I still think it's odd!


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## Brioche

_Drive-in_ in Australia can mean a drive-in movie theatre, and it can also mean _drive-through_.

Most taverns/hotels in Australia have a _drive-in bottle department_ = drive-through liquor store.

Most KFC, McDonald's etc have a drive through.

I haven't come across any drive-in/drive-through banks in Australia.


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## tvdxer

Let me make a very big clarification: by "drive-in", I meant "drive-through" or "drive-thru".  For some reason, I use these words interchangeably, which can definitely lead to confusion.  Sorry.

("Drive-in", as others have said, usually refers to old outdoor movie theaters where one would park their car in front of a screen and listen through a speaker outside or a car radio).


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## luis masci

The only place I've seen "drive-in" in Argentina is in highway toll boxes


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## Henryk

Yep, in Germany there are lots of drive-ins. (Here it's called Drive-In)
But I cannot recall ever having seen Burger King offering such a service. McDonalds is famous for that.



> While searching these in the web I learned that in Germany there are several drive-in brothels!


I suppose they are either Berlin or Hamburg.


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## Vanda

_Drive-ins_ here began - thanks to American movies - as drive-in movie theater, ONLY  that noboby wants to see you entering this kind of drive-in... Well, let´s put it this way: it´s a place where couples go to - not really* just* watch a movie- but , ahem, do things they´d better do other places. 
Again, thanks to McDonald´s we began having our drive-thrus. Now, spread in big cities, there are many types of drive-thru; others than McDonald´s , maybe drugstores and other services. 
Anyway, despite all drive-thrus,  the _drive-ins_ flourish in big and small places as a cheaper alternative for motels (ok, motel here is not the same as motel in the USA, let´s say)!


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## badgrammar

Heck, Daniel, I just got back from visiting the folks down in the Lone Star state, and in their little town of maybe 2000 residents, there's not one but two drive-thru liquor stores.  In neighboring Austin, there's atleast a couple dozen within city limits!  You do everything in your car there, why get out?  I went to the local one twice during my visit for my favorite margarita mix!

In France, there are the fast-food "MacDrives", but the only other thing you drive through here would be the service station.  Maybe out in the more modern 'burbs you have banks offering that now, I don't know.




			
				danielfranco said:
			
		

> And just when you thought things couldn't get any stranger in Texas...
> When I used to live down in the Valley, close to the border, I saw in both the American and the Mexican side of it some *drive-thru BEER stores*!!!
> I'm sure they didn't mean to imply that you should drink and drive, no way, right?


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## Josh_

I've never thought of a drive-through liquor store as strange as they are very common in Wyoming (where I grew up) and have even been to one a time or two. And until this discussion I thought they were common throughout the US and thus would not be strange to Americans. But come to think of it, I don't think they have them here in Michigan. I've never taken the time to notice. I wonder how many states have them. My guess is that more rural areas have them.


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## tvdxer

In Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin (Twin Ports), we have a broad selection of liquor stores, perhaps broader than need be, but I don't believe any have drive-throughs, lol.


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## sudhanuj_mv

hello ,
i am from new delhi , india . we have a drive-in in mumbai , but not a 
single one in new delhi .
to search for a drive-in in my city of which i might not be knowing , i 
spent some time in surfing over the net for a drive-in in my city . 
although , i did not find any drive-ins's located in new delhi . but i 
sure did find a new approach for drive-ins's about which i read at mobmov dot org.
they are already present in the usa , canada and australia . other 
upcoming venues are in germany , brazil , indonesia and other places .
i have written to them showing my desire for starting a delhi chapter 
and they have response was very encouraging .
the best part about them is they are free and they inform us about the 
shows held every fortnight .
hope you all enjoy the experince , as i am waiting to start my own 
drive-in chapter .
happy mobbing .
sudhanuj


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## nokeeffe99

In Ireland there are very few drive-ins apart from McDonalds (who spell them "Drive-thru", i.e. the American spelling!!)

I really don't see the point of them. I remember stopping at one on during a long drive in the United States. I was really glad of the opportunity to get out of the car and do something different, however most of the other customers were content to eat in their cars.


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## Krümelmonster

I'm living in the southern part of Germany and here almost every Mc Donalds and Burger King has a "Drive-in". (I didn't know that in Eastern Germany Buger Kings don't have that, Henryk)
But I never saw a drive-thru bank or pharmacy and also don't know about brothel Drive-Ins


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## danielfranco

Oh, wait! I just remembered that Las Vegas has a drive-thru wedding chapel! Just to give a new dimension to the phrase "rushed marriaged", I suppose!
Laters!


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## cuchuflete

Praise to the automobile:  It's not just for weddings.

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache...+"drive-in+religion"&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1


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## Bettie

Hi, in my city in Mexico we have drive thru for the American fast food, McDonalds, Burguer King, KFC, Checkers, but no pharmacies of Banks, but yes one convenience store.


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