Why so few drive-through takeaways?

Why so few drive-through takeaways?

Author
Discussion

Dave200

3,584 posts

219 months

Monday 30th July 2012
quotequote all
Good lord! How cr*p is the Italian and Indian food that you normally eat, if you'd be prepared to accept the kind of thing from a drive-through?

Surely the thousands of delivery takeaways in the UK would make this completely redundant...

Edinburger

10,403 posts

167 months

Monday 30th July 2012
quotequote all
srob said:
I'm with those that wouldn't want the risk of a radioactive hue to my car seats from any spillages! The possibility of phoning through and ordering and being able to pick up a takeaway without having to park up and walk if it's pouring would be good though. Our local ones deliver, but living alone I can never justifying the minimum charge frown

On a similar note, a drive through cash point is what I'd like. I can't see it'd be any less secure than an ordinary one, and if anything safer for those using it! I'm usually on my way somewhere if I need cash, so it makes sense to be able to just call in.

I used to like the drive-through off licences in Australia too smile
I agree on drive-through ATMs, again lots in the US.

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Monday 30th July 2012
quotequote all
I am surprised that the likes of Taco Bell hasn't made it in the UK

rix

2,776 posts

189 months

Monday 30th July 2012
quotequote all
craigjm said:
I am surprised that the likes of Taco Bell hasn't made it in the UK
They're coming...

Pretty sure there's one at Lakeside so bound to be more in the pipeline!

markcoznottz

7,155 posts

223 months

Monday 30th July 2012
quotequote all
rix said:
They're coming...

Pretty sure there's one at Lakeside so bound to be more in the pipeline!
Yep on my list of places to try. Iv always wondered why mc d's don't do say, pizza, but they do burgers, and sell loads, pizzas are a pound each at lidl, and cook themselves near enough.

I remember pizza hut did a pasta bake couple of years back, was a foil tray of pasta and bolognaise, was nothing special and diss appeared pretty quickly.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

269 months

Monday 30th July 2012
quotequote all
craigjm said:
I am surprised that the likes of Taco Bell hasn't made it in the UK
Why?

It's st in America, it'll be even more st here.

Hugo a Gogo

23,378 posts

232 months

Tuesday 31st July 2012
quotequote all
markcoznottz said:
Yep on my list of places to try. Iv always wondered why mc d's don't do say, pizza, but they do burgers, and sell loads, pizzas are a pound each at lidl, and cook themselves near enough.
McDs did do a trial of pizzas in London about 92-93? they were about 5", not too bad, but it didn't seem to catch on

craigjm

17,909 posts

199 months

Tuesday 31st July 2012
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Why?

It's st in America, it'll be even more st here.
I know but there is so much competition in the US that we just don't get here. Drive thru here is basically McD BK or KFC and thats it

Landlord

12,689 posts

256 months

Tuesday 31st July 2012
quotequote all
My guess would be the cost of the property - one that's big enough to have space for cars to drive-thru and park etc. would necessitate a VERY busy place. That's why McDonalds etc can do it. They're busy. I'm not sure enough people would love the idea of a drive-thru curry place/whatever enough to do it frequently enough to make it viable.

It'd need to be in a place central to a LOT of people/houses - which would probably mean a decent drive for most people... which would mean a "fk it, let's get it delivered" type decision.

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Tuesday 31st July 2012
quotequote all
srob said:
I'm with those that wouldn't want the risk of a radioactive hue to my car seats from any spillages! The possibility of phoning through and ordering and being able to pick up a takeaway without having to park up and walk if it's pouring would be good though. Our local ones deliver, but living alone I can never justifying the minimum charge frown
Order for two and have a breakfast curry the next day

srob

11,566 posts

237 months

Wednesday 1st August 2012
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Cotty said:
Order for two and have a breakfast curry the next day
That's what my brother does hehe


Puggit

48,355 posts

247 months

Wednesday 1st August 2012
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Popped in to Fleet Services on the M3 yesterday and there's a very new looking Starbucks 'drive-thru' - needless to say no one is using it as it's in a daft place!

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Thursday 2nd August 2012
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rix said:
craigjm said:
I am surprised that the likes of Taco Bell hasn't made it in the UK
They're coming...

Pretty sure there's one at Lakeside so bound to be more in the pipeline!
Already here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taco_Bell

SmoothCriminal

5,047 posts

198 months

Thursday 2nd August 2012
quotequote all
Cotty said:
rix said:
craigjm said:
I am surprised that the likes of Taco Bell hasn't made it in the UK
They're coming...

Pretty sure there's one at Lakeside so bound to be more in the pipeline!
Already here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taco_Bell
The novelty factor was good at the start but now iTs rubbish no wonder it didn't work first time round

JM

3,170 posts

205 months

Thursday 2nd August 2012
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Edinburger said:
Why don't we have any drive-through coffee outlets?

In the US you can barely drive five miles without passing one.

Over here we need to park for a decent coffee or service station for barely drinkable guff.
There's a drive through Costa at Dunbarton just of the dual carriageway A82 to Loch Lomond.




JM

3,170 posts

205 months

Thursday 2nd August 2012
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mattdaniels said:
I don't know what the exact shelf life of a burger is, but I bet it's a lot longer than pasta.
I'm pretty sure the burgers can only be kept for a short period of time, then have to be binned.
Maybe something like 15 mins, max.

I'm sure I saw it on some fly-on-the-wall or undercover boss type TV show.

Gaffer

7,156 posts

276 months

Friday 3rd August 2012
quotequote all
There used to be a curry drive through in Preston called Curry in a Hurry.

Claire

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 3rd August 2012
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markcoznottz said:
Yep on my list of places to try. Iv always wondered why mc d's don't do say, pizza,
They did..ovens and all..but didn't take off.

Ian Lancs

1,126 posts

165 months

Friday 3rd August 2012
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Gaffer said:
There used to be a curry drive through in Preston called Curry in a Hurry.

Claire
Was it actually a drive thru? I only ever ordered and collected but you had to go in (not that it was worth it - always seemed to be on the same level as a supermarket microwave meal. Was always better going to somewhere like King Karai or Dilshad)

Alex L

2,575 posts

253 months

Saturday 4th August 2012
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Landlord said:
My guess would be the cost of the property - one that's big enough to have space for cars to drive-thru and park etc. would necessitate a VERY busy place. That's why McDonalds etc can do it. They're busy. I'm not sure enough people would love the idea of a drive-thru curry place/whatever enough to do it frequently enough to make it viable.

It'd need to be in a place central to a LOT of people/houses - which would probably mean a decent drive for most people... which would mean a "fk it, let's get it delivered" type decision.
Exactly and even McDonalds struggle to make it stack up.

More drive thrus are coming, there's a Boots chemist in Colchester and Costa Coffee are increasing the number of DTs but it's a slow process for operational reasons