Fast food drive-throughs can be an experience in frustration. I went to my favorite popular chain for dinner today. Last week there was no line at the drive-through, but this week, same time of day, everybody wanted to eat there. The queue of waiting cars was at least ten deep.
That’s okay: it’s food and I’m not a dude (in other words, I can wait in line and not fume about it).
This establishment has a two-lane drive-up system in which you can take the left or right fork to shorten the line, pull up to one of the squawk boxes to place your order, and magically they manage to handle the chaos well.
While waiting to choose your fork, the polite thing to do is wait in the single line until you approach the spot, but a car that came in from the main road acted as if they planned to go around to the other side of the restaurant, but instead cut in line and entered the right fork. I ended up behind them, so you know it didn’t make their wait any faster.
Once the orders are placed, cars merge into a single line again to pay and pick up their orders, and this is where it gets interesting. Many fast food places have two windows: pay and pick-up. But this one has a third option: if your order takes longer to handle, you may be asked to pull ahead to a spot which will enable those behind you to leave with their faster prepared food.
Today, I got sent to what I call the purgatory window. It’s the no zone spot of delayed fulfilment.
While waiting at various locations’ purgatory windows, I’ve noticed what an empty experience it is. While the pay and pick-up windows let you see the bustle of employee activity or signage, hear the beeps of soda and ice cream machines and sounds from their computer terminals, the purgatory window is devoid of any sensory joy. Often the view inside is of the building’s switch boxes, an emergency exit door, or piled boxes of stock which had no place to go elsewhere.
I don’t know why my adding lettuce to a burger consigns me to the purgatory window, but I’m glad they pay extra attention to get my food right. What might make the wait better is some type of bonus, like a different message board or a sign. Waiting for food is tough at any restaurant, so pick-up could use the extra boost to keep it relevant.
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