Why do fast food restraunts have two windows for drive thru?

Question

everytime i go to mcdonalds arbys or burger busy or not they are only usin the second

Answer 1

Because two windows speed up the service. At McDonalds, for example, there are three official DT positions. Order Takes (takes orders and money; occassionally this job is given to two people), Runner(bags orders), and Passer (hands food, drinks, and condiments out window). During slow periods(or when the restaurant is short-staffed), there are generally fewer people working, so they go down to one window and the Order Taker is also the passer. Occassionally, the Order Taker/Passer is also the Runner, and this can cause very slow service. The target time for DT service at McDonalds is 3 1/2 minutes. This means that if the Order Taker is also passer and runner, they have to take your order, take your payment, make you drinks, fries, ice cream, etc., and bag and hand out your order in 3 1/2 minutes. This is almost impossible to do. If there is any problem with a customer(like needing a refund), or if pop syrup runs out, or if there's a wait on a chicken product, the whole line has to wait and it slows it down a lot.

So the short answer to your question is: for speed and effeciency.

Answer 2

one window is for paying and the other is to pick up your food

Answer 3

You pay on the first, get the food at the second; it makes the line go faster. The faster it goes, the more cars get through, the more money in less time.

Answer 4

I think the general concept behind this is to keep the lines moving, it is suppose to be for a faster checkout.  If you notice some cashiers are not fast enough to handle taking the money for your purchase and sending your order out.  It gets to be a bit difficult for them and it takes longer too, especially with the cashiers that wait until they run out of change, and yes you are the lucky one that has to wait.

Answer 5

The idea of two windows is to make the service faster. The problem is the lack of people that wants to work in fast food, so they don't have enough employees to take care of the drive thru at all times.

Answer 6

because their not really that fast, and need to waste a little time!

Answer 7

Cuz 1 is to pay for it and the other is to get your food

just so there's not so Meany people around one window

Answer 8

They are suppose to use the first window for orders and payments.  The second window is for pick-up.  Fast food places that don't get a crowd usually just use one window.  If you are waiting a long time in your car to get to the window, write that number down that's on the window that says "if you have comments...call..." and let them know to open up 2 windows at that restaurant.

Answer 9

2 windows will make it faster, however it also makes the cost of doing business higher because the owner is paying an extra person. so maybe the managers at your restraints are trying to save a dollar

Answer 10

When the drive-through line is really slow and long they will use the second window. The idea is to collected the money at one window and deliver the food at the next.

This two step process makes you feel like something is happening during a long wait. Also once you pay you are totally unlikely to break out of line and leave.

Answer 11

One is for paying and the other is for your food. Restaurant workers are supposed to wash their hands when they handle money prior to handling food, so it gives you the illusion that the guy who took your dirty money is not going to touch your food.

Answer 12

Having one cashier window (where you pay) and one "present" window (where you get the food) expedites the process.  Fast food restaurants do a majority of their business through the drive through.  They have a target TTL (total time lapsed) which is the time it takes from when you place the order until you get the food.  The shorter these times the more efficient they are being.  By dividing your transaction at 2 windows they are both creating an efficient flow of staff through the restaurant and buying a little more time to prepare your food--for example McDonald's makes each order fresh it doesn't sit around, so this does give them a bit more time.  In some cases, however, a restaurant may choose not to use the 2nd window if they are slow, or short staffed.

Answer 13

the first one's for payment and the second's for getting your food ..... but the first window, as you mentioned, is never put to use ...

sometimes though, if you have a small order they ask you to pay at the first window and give your stuff at the first one as well ....

that happens when i get a junior chicken sandwich or a double cheeseburger