Start your engine, buckle up, and head over to your nearest and dearest fast food establishment for a holiday that’s truly worth celebrating, National Drive-Thru Day. Recognized annually on July 24, it’s a day that honors one of life’s simplest and most underappreciated pleasures: the convenience of eating on the go.
Ever since the very first one opened in 1947, the humble drive-thru has worked its way into the hearts and arteries of millions of multitaskers who appreciate the experience of dining out without ever having to leave the car. We can certainly appreciate anything that involves not leaving the car. (And food. We appreciate food.)
Ease and convenience are inherent to the drive-thru experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s something to be taken lightly. There are all manner of potential pitfalls and hazards awaiting drivers who approach the order station ill prepared.
We’re here to help you navigate such unforeseen challenges. With that in mind, here’s a few suggested items to grab to help you (please) pull around to the next window safely and comfortably.
Lift Kit
Drive-thru lanes can often be a haven for discarded bits of litter, most of which is highly unlikely to do any damage to the underside of your vehicle, but why even take chances? Install a high-quality lift kit and rest comfortably while you drive over that suspiciously pointy cardboard box.
Sound Deadeners
“No ma’am, I asked for NO honey mustard in my crispy chicken fun pack.” Drive-thru order stations aren’t exactly known for their audio quality, and order mistakes are always a risk. Make sure you hear them and they hear you by reducing unwanted cabin noise with sound deadening materials designed for the job—lest you find yourself doing the dreaded sauce scrape of sadness.
Curb Feelers
Have you ever curbed your rims making that turn after the order station? Don’t lie, you know you have. Installing some curb feelers is a simple fix to prevent curb rash from happening the next time you’re a little overly excited for that juicy, mouthwatering cheeseburger.
Floor Mats
It’s always a dangerous game, grabbing the giant fountain soda from the person at the drive-thru window. Is the lid on tight? Is it leaking? Hope for the best but plan for the worst by investing in a set of all-weather floor mats.
Mr. Heater Seat Warmer
You may not have the warming trays that fast food restaurants have access to, but that hardly means you don’t have options. With an empty passenger seat and one of these, you have your very own DIY warming “station” designed to provide up to five hours of heat! Not that the cheese sauce for your nachos is likely to last that long, but just in case.
Welding Gloves
Would you like fries with that? What a silly question. Who doesn’t want fries, with “that” or all on their own? That said, one thing nobody wants is the sensation of bare-hand touching fries that just came straight from the frier. Give those sensitive fingers a break and save the burning pain for the roof of your mouth, where it belongs.
French Fry Holder
Don’t forget to make sure you have a place to set those fries down when you’re ready to drive again.
Steering Wheel Cover
You just ate fries. Are you really just going to put those greasy hands directly on your steering wheel? You probably shouldn’t. Throw on a steering wheel cover and make sure your wheel stays pristine.
Leather Cleaner & Conditioner
You already touched the wheel?! The humanity…
Cooler
Imagine this: you make it through the main course only to find that the prized finale of your meal, a fudge brownie sundae, has melted all over the bag. It’s a scenario that would prompt even the best among us to climb back into bed and wait for tomorrow to come. Don’t let it happen to you. Keep your frozen desert cool and drip free with a cooler designed for the job.
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