Pre Baby Bunching, I used to look at drive thrus and wonder who was so lazy that they couldn't actually get out of the car and walk their happy butts inside the restaurant to get a hamburger. Now I know who - Baby Bunchers.
As you all know, there is no popping in to do a "quick" errand with your Bunch in tow. It's a minimum of 10-15 minutes spent assembling the stroller, unbuckling people from car seat harnesses and re-buckling them into stroller harnesses, and then figuring out how to attach your purse, bag of items to be returned, reusable grocery bags, etc. so that you have two hands free to steer your monstrous stroller through the door without mowing down a fellow patron. And that's before you even get into the store - then you gotta listen to your Bunch yammer throughout the errand and then reverse the whole cycle on the way out. It's enough to make anyone want to shop exclusively on Amazon.com. And with three children in five years, it pretty much put me on an errand hiatus.
Somewhere along the line, I realized that the logical solution to this problem is to frequent establishments with drive thrus. I am embarrassed to admit that there are two business that I use pretty much ONLY because they have drive thrus - one of them is even over-priced and takes forever to serve me, but darned if it isn't a drive thru that serves something besides hamburgers. I'm convinced that if more businesses discovered the wonders of the drive thru, they'd have a built-in market in Baby Bunchers!
Thanks to my aggressive ability to scope out drive thrus, my errand running capacity has slowly expanded and I am now able to do the following:
- send my kids to school (I love you, carpool line!)
- drop off and pick up dry cleaning
- get a newspaper (because you can get them at Starbucks)
- bank - even after hours because i recently discovered the ATM deposit!
- eat Chick-Fil-A 100 times a week because it is one of the few fast food places that has a drive thru and doesn't repulse me
- eat BBQ once in awhile because the sit-down BBQ joint down the street put in a drive thru
- pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy
- drop off Goodwill donations
- conduct any business transactions that involve my church, since I can pull up into the covered entrance and ring the doorbell for the receptionist
I'm well aware that many major restaurant chains now have curbside service, but somehow I am so used to having those establishments be off-limits because my Bunch acts like farm animals at a zoo in restaurants that I never seem to use them.
Now here's a list of places that I WISH had drive thrus:
- Number one is far and away the grocery store. I miss you, Webvan.
- The post office. Mine actually does have a drive thru. For stamps only. From 11 am to 11:15 am. On weekdays only. When it's not closed for construction. Because God forbid the US Postal Service offer customer service.
- A returns-only drive thru at TJ Maxx and Old Navy
- Home Depot
- And most importantly, the liquor store.
They do have drive thru liquor stores. You probably just don't live in the right place. I've seen them driving through small towns all over. Just google it and see!
Posted by: Rachel O. | Apr 30, 2009 at 09:27 AM
They def do have drive-through liquor stores...though I think here you can't get HARD liquor there, just like beer and crap.
No use, that is.
You know...you can usually ask your mailman to bring you stamps with a note! Or you can order them online.
Posted by: JessPond | Apr 30, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Yes, the should definitely bring back the drive through liquor store. I know they have them in some states but nothing here in georgia!
Posted by: Krystyn | Apr 30, 2009 at 12:29 PM
i believe in FL they have the drive thru liquor stores...i too fall victim to drive thru, pharmacy, dunkin donuts, i really wish SUBWAY had drive thru b/c it would offer something different than the nuggets and burger. also if you could go and just get MILK,EGGS and BREAD at grocery drive thru that would be wonderful.
SUBWAY are you reading ????
Posted by: feener | Apr 30, 2009 at 01:08 PM
I totally agree that a Subway with a drive thru would have my business!
I've seen drive thru liquor stores in the New Orleans area. Also they used to have, and maybe they still do have, drive thru frozen margarita places there. I guess if they don't put the straw in for you they consider it a closed container...
Posted by: Suzanne | Apr 30, 2009 at 03:35 PM
The coolest drive through liquor store I ever saw was in Australia. You drove into the store, literally, like being inside a car wash. Awesome.
Posted by: Andrea | Apr 30, 2009 at 05:43 PM
Being able to get a few staples, like milk, eggs, bread, and juice would be great. I don't care if it would be a limited selection. Another place that needs a drive-thru is Babies R Us- for diapers. Actually, any store that carries diapers that wants to have a drive-thru for them would be awesome.
We used to go to a drive-thru Japanese place in NC. It was awesome. You had to wait a few minutes after placing your order, but it was something different than the usual fast food fare.
Posted by: Shell | Apr 30, 2009 at 08:04 PM
the drive through options really depend on your location. In AZ I could get any "convenience store" items at a corner drive-thru. In NC, one of the Subways had a drive thru (although I really prefer to watch the assembly process for some odd reason) and here in VA you can order your groceries online with Harris Teeter and then pick them up curbside 4 hours later. Now, don't all you bunchers start flocking to NoVa just for our grocery services. ;)
Posted by: Carol Amie | Apr 30, 2009 at 08:37 PM
Seriously, the rest of the world has drive thru liquor stores? Damn my Bible Belt location!
Posted by: Cara Fox | Apr 30, 2009 at 10:49 PM
I grew up in a small town in Texas... it boasted a drive thru liquor store where you'd drive in (like in a carwash), place your order...and they'd even pack it on ice in a cooler for you. Surprisingly, it somehow went out of business?!
Posted by: Heather | Apr 30, 2009 at 11:43 PM
Excellent list!
Where I lived in Tampa had a drive-thru liquor store. Our Starbucks have drive-thrus.
I twice got curbside service at a baby clothes resale shop. Brilliant.
Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: RookieMom Heather | May 01, 2009 at 12:45 AM
Amen! Drive thrus are the greatest. My other favorite thing is our home delivery milk service which has a great list of other items. I was never a "convenience" person, but with 2 babies, I'm appreciative.
Posted by: Knowles | May 01, 2009 at 05:57 PM
I just moved from Florida to South Carolina, and I was so happy to see that all of the Subways were do have Drive Thrus!!!! That was a perk.
I totally agree with you on the post office, and making returns at TJ Maxx or Marshalls. That would be fabulous. It's such a task to do those things. We usually only get one thing done a day in this household with a 3 month old and a 20 month old.
Posted by: Daphne | May 02, 2009 at 09:08 AM
Have you tried online grocery shopping? It is the BEST! Saves money on the impulse buys and it is delivered right to your door. They even pack the food in dry-ice in case you aren't at home.
Ahhhh.....
Posted by: Kristy Snyder | May 02, 2009 at 10:52 AM
I love the Starbucks drive thru! I use it when I have forgotten a teacher gift or something. I can drive thru on the way to school and buy a gift card!
Posted by: Jen | May 02, 2009 at 08:42 PM
I'm sure you can get some kind of online grocery shopping. Safeway does in in California. I just wish Trader Joes offered this service. In the UK, all the major supermarkets do online ordering, and delivery even late at night. This is my sister's (mom of three also) lifeline.
Posted by: geekymummy | May 04, 2009 at 11:53 AM
I really can't believe more places haven't thought of this. I think there should be some 5 item or less deal at the grocery for drive through....like when you just need milk or eggs and don't really care what brand or type. i did have a friend who told me one time she drove through Wendy's and ordered 10 milks just to get her through til morning!
Harris Teeter has drive up. Order your food online and drive up and then put it in the car for you. That comes pretty close.
Posted by: Linda | May 08, 2009 at 02:04 PM
i too live for drive thrus and my husband is constantly shocked when i arrange my errands and drive well out of the way so that i can do it all in drive thrus. i am pretty sure that the people at dunkin donutes and chick fil drive thrus recognize me. express grocery store drive thru would be amazing, but i recently discovered several local grocery stores that have online shopping. shop online and they deliver it to your door later that day!
Posted by: Meryloe | Aug 06, 2009 at 11:28 AM
There definitely needs to be a drive-thru were moms can pick up some essential baby items without having to drag their kids out of the car; sleeping or not. It should include the staples such as milk, bread, and eggs as well as diapers, formula and baby food. I'm thinking of starting one. If anyone has any suggestions let me know.
Posted by: Jenni | Jan 08, 2011 at 04:20 PM