Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Drive-Thru

The drive-thru is the ulitmate in convenience. You can get what you want without ever having to leave your car. No fuss, no muss.

Just place your order into the speaker, drive forward, hand your money to the person at the window and drive off with your food. In my estimation, this is the only way to do fast food. I don't eat it very often but when I break down and make a run for the border, I don't feel as bad about it if I go to the drive thru. I'm protected in the car, no one can see me ordering my tacos. Yes I am aware that someone could see my car but I pretend they can't.

Now the drive-thru wedding, I don't really understand. Are you in that much of a hurry to get married, that you can't get out of the car? Are you like Bonnie and Clyde, on the run from the law and need to be prepared for a get away at a moments notice? Or is it the kitsch value? I just don't know.

When I heard that Starbucks had installed drive-thru windows on some of their locations I didn't really understand that either. I mean I get it in theory. If you are a commuter and are in a hurry you can pull into the drive thru and get your venti, non-fat latte faster than if you went into the store.

But I never really needed coffee that badly that I couldn't get out of the car for it. My commute was only 15 minutes and there was a coffee shop in my building, so I could wait for my morning cup. Or if I really had to have it before I left, I'd make a pot when I first got up. It just seems easier.

Plus to me the best part of coffee is savoring it. I like the ambiance of the coffee house. I like to see the people. I like to smell the fresh coffee. Coffee just tastes better that way.

So I've never felt the need to visit a drive-thru for my coffee fix. Until yesterday. Yesterday there was no nap and there was a cranky toddler to deal with. I figured we'd head to the store to pick up a few things. As most parents know, the car has magical sleep inducing properties so I was also hoping for a nap.

Of course she fell asleep within 10 minutes of being in the car. We didn't make it to the store but that's okay because Bubs could pick up the stuff on the way home. But now what? If we go home, she is likely to wake up on the transfer and that would be bad. It was snowing so I didn't want to aimlessly drive around. I wanted to go somewhere, but where?

Then it hit me, the Starbucks drive thru. Genius. I could get my salted caramel hot chocolate and kill some time. (If you haven't had a salted caramel hot chocolate you must run to your local Starbucks and get one. Its that good. No its better than good, its amazing. But I digress.) This was the perfect use of the coffee drive-thru and I was glad there was one when I needed it.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Starbucks drive thru is also nice at 6 a.m. in your jammies, slippers and robe!

Kate Coveny Hood said...

Drive thru windows saved my life when I had newborn twins. I rarely touch fast food, but that maternity leave included many a stop at the McDonalds drive thu for fries and diet coke.

Anonymous said...

I think I might need to go to Starbucks RIGHT NOW to try that. Sadly, though, the closest drive-thru one is by the dreaded mall and I try to avoid at all costs...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx said...

salted? really?!

bernthis said...

The Wells Fargo bank near me is now open on Sundays. I'm thrilled but if a place were to ever have a drive through window that I could appreciate it would be there.

Kari said...

Oh, you have just made my day! I recently gave up on Starbucks hot chocolate in favor of Peets, because I like their peppermint hot cocoa better.

But to hear of a salted caramel version at Starbucks - I'm back baby!!!

Z said...

I'm jealous ... I'd totally love to do an occasional drive-thu, but for that, I'd need a car.