It may have started off with motorists picking up a bite on the way to work or grabbing a snack between destinations, but the drive-thru business has expanded far beyond the restaurant industry.
Rising gas prices have not put a damper on the convenience of the drive-thru; from an auto-friendly art gallery to a chapel for drivers, you may never need to leave your car again.
The Liquor Store Drive-Thru
Drinking and driving takes on a whole different meaning with the with the liquor store drive-thru.
Purchasing your liquor at a drive-thru has become a common concept throughout the U.S., although it is not legal in every state.
The stores have created some controversy among those who argue that purchasing your liquor in a drive-thru only makes it easier to drink while driving.
The Voting Poll Drive-Thru
To make voting even more simple than it is with an absentee ballot, there is a concept known as drive-thru voting.
The voting machines were engineered to meet disability requirements so voters can cast their ballots without leaving their vehicles.
The convenient concept has been adopted in several counties throughout California and Oregon.
The Funeral Parlor Drive-Thru
Funeral homes are hardly anyone's favorite place to visit.
And now, you don't even have to leave your car.
In Los Angeles, the Robert L. Adams Mortuary displays the deceased in a glass window where loved ones can pay their respects from the street.
The idea is to serve the masses, and the concept is said to work well for public figures.
The Emergency Room Drive-Thru
Taking a trip to the emergency room can be stressful when you're feeling ill, but Stanford Hospital is making the experience better by tending to patients in the parking lot.
The drive-though option originated in 2004 during the SARS epidemic. The idea was to allow physicians to see as many patients as possible without risking the spread of infectious disease to others.
During a test run, Stanford Hospital found that the average time it took for physicians to visit a patient in the drive-through option was 26 minutes, whereas the average time for a standard hospital visit was 90 minutes.
The Strip Club Drive-Thru
There was a drive-thru in Pennsylvania that offered adult entertainment through a diamond shaped peephole. Visitors of Climax Gentleman's Club could also purchase private dances.
The club closed in 2009 when the owner died.
The Wedding Drive-Thru
For those who want to get married on a whim, it can't get much quicker than a drive-thru "I do."
Las Vegas' Tunnel of Love started offering drive-thru ceremonies when the owners wanted an option to accommodate handicapped couples.
But Vegas isn't the only place for people who want to tie the knot in a mobile ceremony. With a marriage license, a witness and a little cash, Mother Earth Goddess in Florida and Lydon Chapel in Massachusetts also offer couples a matrimonial drive-thru service.
The Prayer Booth Drive-Thru
Those who need a quick word of encouragement while on the go can drive by a prayer booth and receive some one-on-one time with a pastor.
In Los Angeles, The Main Place Christian Fellowship offers advice and prayers from a drive-thru booth, while Houston's Succeed in Life Center offers the same service from the street.
The Art Show Drive-Thru
Feeling artsy while going mobile? Stop by an art gallery without leaving your vehicle.
In Vancouver, there was a drive-thru program at the Contemporary Art Gallery that allowed viewers to access artwork through a window.
In England, visitors can enjoy graffiti art by driving through the exhibition.
And in Massachusetts, the Museum of Bad Art teamed up with RoJo's Car Wash to deliver a drive thru art gallery with the added perks of a car wash.
The Sex Shop Drive-Thru
At Pleasures, a sex toy shop in Huntsville, Al., customers can enjoy the convenience of three drive-though lanes for their brown bag purchases.
Under an existing anti-obscenity law, Alabama still follows a ban against sex toys unless purchases are made for medical, scientific or educational purposes.
Pleasures' customers are required to fill out a medical questionnaire describing the health reasons behind their purchases.
Tree Drive-Thru
Want to drive through nature? There is no better way to do so than to drive through an actual tree.
In Northern California, there are a few huge trees to choose from for your big drive-thru. Before 1969, it was even possible to drive through a tree while on a highway, but the Giant Sequoia fell over that year.
Law Firm Drive-Thru
In 2010, personal injury and malpractice specialists The Kocian Law Group opened up a new office in a former Kenny Rogers Roasters -- and decided to keep the drive-thru window. A paralegal operates the window, hands out documents and answers questions.
The story came to us from Above the Law, where Elie Mystal had the following take:
We all knew it would come to this eventually...I’d tell law students to try to summer at Kocian. Even if they don’t give you an offer, the drive-thru experience could prove invaluable during your next career.
Drive-Thru Politician
A politician in northeastern Pennsylvania, State Rep. Kevin Murphy, has a drive-thru in his office for his constituents to drop by and see him. The Democrat says he personally staffs the drive-through most Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Source: Houston Chronicle
Drive-Thru Sex (so far only in Europe)
This hasn't happened in America yet, but Las Vegas, take note: police chiefs in Switzerland are planning to build a series of drive-in "sex-boxes" -- an idea imported from Germany - to enable prostitutes to conduct their business without disturbing the neighborhood.
Source: UK Metro
Drive-Thru Bar
In what may be the worst ever idea for a drive-thru, throughout Louisiana, you can order a redbull and vodka "daiquiri" at one of many drive-through daiquiri shops.
They manage to get around Louisiana's open container laws by fixing a piece of tape over the straw hole and serving you the straw "on the side."
Source: Guardian
There's plenty to see without leaving your car
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