You know how the Golden Arches all have the tagline underneath that says something like “Billions and billions of burgers sold?†I think Ronald McDonald can attribute about 89% of those bazillions not to their deliciousness (although I will admit that I do love them!) but to the simple fact that to get one, you do not have to get the kids out of the car.
Is it a coincidence that McDonald’s became a super-power right around the time that the ol’ “Stay in your seats, kids, I’ll only be gone a minute†line became a reason for children’s services to come beating down your door? I think not.
Whoever invented the drive-thru window should go down in history right along with Ben Franklin and Thomas Edison. It’s pretty much the best idea ever – I just go up to this little window, tell them what I want and they hand it to me. Genius! But the thing that makes them so great – say it with me – you do not have to get the kids out of the car.
Honestly I don’t know why more people don’t get on the bandwagon. It seems so simple. So if there are any entrepreneurs out there, listen up. The key to success? A drive-thru window.
Think about how much simpler life would be if more businesses had drive-thrus.
Need to buy stamps or mail a letter? Stop by your friendly drive-thru post office. While we’re talking government agencies, how about a drive-thru library?
Need some Tylenol, sunscreen, antibiotics and tampons? Pull up to the window at the local drug store.
Here in Ohio we are lucky (or dumb) enough to have fun little drive thru places where you can get pop, chips and beer. I never realized what a luxury that was until the other day when I remembered on the way home from the grocery that I still needed a bag of ice. Kate was, of course, conked out in the car seat, so I just zoomed through the “Ice House.†Sure, it was a little strange having some lady hand me a 25-pound bag of ice through the window of my Corolla, but Kate stayed asleep, so who am I to complain? Imagine if I could have picked up everything I had gotten at the grocery store at the Ice House?
I think the real gold mine, though, would be drive-thru locations catering to families. Because, as I may have mentioned, the main benefit to the whole concept is that you don’t have to get the kids out of the car. Picture this: you pull inside a building that looks like a car wash, but instead of foam and brushes, you see an array of diapers, wipes and baby food. You can find anything you and your baby might need… and you don’t have to get the kids out of the car.
Did I mention this utopia is open 24 hours a day? Yes… that’s it. And they’re not only open but they really want you to come in on major holidays. But what if we combined that with the dream drive-thrus we already talked about? That would be perfect.
So if you want to be the next McDonald’s, it’s pretty easy. Just build a 24-hour drive thru Post-Office-Library-Pharmacy-Ice-Pop-Chips-Diapers-Wipes-Baby-Food Store.
And don’t forget the beer.
