Faith Enokian, a senior at the University of South Alabama, adores visiting drive-throughs. She frequents them at least eight times per week, sometimes just for food, and sometimes for TikTok content. The first two-way speaker that founders of In-N-Out Burger set up in 1948 began shaping the nation’s food culture, and the drive-through has never been as essential as it is now.

First sparked during the pandemic, the necessity to stay safe kept people in their cars to get Covid-19 testing, celebrate milestones, and even vote. Reports show that drive-through traffic climbed by 30 percent between 2019 and 2022, while dining in-person at fast food restaurants dropped by 47 percent.

To meet the burgeoning demand, the fast-food industry is embracing change. From smaller dining rooms to adjusting mobile menus to individual customers, the industry is undergoing rapid evolution. Paper cups zipping from drive-through kitchens to customers, drawn by magnetic conveyors, are part of this change.

Following the pandemic, people returned to society with a lesser inclination of interacting with strangers. This attitude is reflected in the increased popularity of drive-throughs. The article discusses how the drive-through experience has become smoother and faster, which further endears it to the public, as well as the social factors at play that have propelled the rise of the drive-through.

Restaurants are ‘optimizing’ the drive-through experience to cater to customers who enjoy customizing orders on an app, expect speed, and seek a memorable experience. Drive-through culture is growing more creative and is reflected in the multitude of videos exploring the drive-through experience on social media.

High-end restaurants that once targeted urban customers with farm-fresh ingredients have joined the trend, such as Shake Shack, and Sweetgreen. People like Faith Enokian, who adore drive-throughs, and Caitlin Campbell, who enjoys the concept of limited engagement, are part of the growing trend in drive-through culture.