Buzz
Drive-through windows have become an integral part of fast-food chains’ business models, alongside burgers, fries, and shakes. Brands like McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and many others utilize speakers and sliding windows to keep customers moving while satisfying their cravings.
However, McDonald’s' very first drive-through wasn’t initially intended for the general public. It was created to address a logistical issue for military personnel.
As reported by AZCentral.com, McDonald's launched its first drive-through window on January 24, 1975, in Sierra Vista, Arizona. While some smaller fast-food chains had already embraced the concept, McDonald's had primarily focused on takeout and dine-in models at the time.
The situation changed when Sierra Vista franchise owner David Rich discovered that his location was losing significant business due to a military policy. His McDonald’s was just two miles away from Fort Huachuca, but military personnel were unable to stop by for a meal. At the time, the base’s policy prohibited service members from appearing in uniform in public.
Rich came up with a straightforward solution: he extended a wall, added a window, and stationed an employee nearby to take orders from vehicles that pulled up to the building. This setup allowed military members to get their food without leaving their car and without breaching any base rules. The first to use the new drive-through were the base’s post commander and his daughter.
It’s important to note that while Rich was the first to introduce the drive-through, he wasn’t the first McDonald’s operator to envision it. Back in 1974, an Oklahoma City McDonald’s had received corporate approval to create an elaborate drive-through featuring character statues. However, it didn’t open until April 1975, a few months after Rich’s window.
By the end of the 1970s, more than half of McDonald's 5,000 locations had installed drive-throughs. Today, it’s nearly impossible to find a McDonald’s without one, unless it’s situated in a densely packed urban area.
As for the original Sierra Vista location, it was demolished in 1999 and replaced with a new McDonald’s. Some pieces of the original building were auctioned off, and the original drive-through partition is now proudly displayed at the Ethel H. Berger Center in town.
