I worked the drive thru window at a McDonald’s several years ago. I was never told an official policy about non-vehicles through the drive-thru, and it only happened a dozen times over 2 years, but the problems with people coming through with bikes/walking were:

1) Bikes/people don’t activate the weight sensor and so our headsets don’t get a BEEP sound to let us know to say “welcome to McDonald’s, how may I help you” on our headsets

2) Walking to the pick-up window to order was a pain
because the person up there doesn’t enter in order when it’s busy, so you break the “system”

3) They thought they were hilarious for thinking of walking/biking in front of the drive-thru

To be honest, I wasn’t too concerned about our customer’s safety to deny them service if they were at the drive-thru.

The McDonalds near me (urban area with lots of late-night traffic) just opened a 24/7 “Walk-Up” window, probably because they got tired of having drunk people walk through the drive through.

Wait, I remember in the past few years having been served at “drive-thru” windows on bikes and on foot. Usually I’ll walk in (there are these things called “bike locks”) but around here many fast food places close the “dining room” at night and just use the carryout window. But I’m in the advanced brilliant state of KY.

I’ve seen a guy on a mobility scooter going through the drive-thru at a Tim Hortons, so I guess they’re somewhat understanding.

I wouldn’t dismiss the safety claim. FWIW I almost hit some guy sitting there on a 10 speed late a night. You can’t see these bikes, there’s not enough lighting there for non-electric lighted vehicles, etc.

I’m all in favor of a walk-up window, with perhaps a buzzer attached.

via metafilter

“Teens are more apt to eat fast food because it is convenient and typically a social affair.”
- Article: Teen Eating Habits
“More than one-third of all meals are eaten away from home, with the vast majority of these meals taken at fast-food restaurants. Sales in restaurants and bars have nearly tripled since 1980, with nearly $60 billion in annual sales. … Nearly $6 billion is spent by elementary and high schools in the United States on foods served at school. Over $750 million annually is spent on vending machine sales alone, bringing huge dollars into the school coffers. … In 2000 Americans spent $110 billion on fast food – more than was spent on higher education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars. …More than 4,500 U.S. schools today serve Taco Bell products. The American School Food Service says that more than 30 percent of public high schools now sell name-brand fast food. Schools do this because they make more money from it than they would operating their own food services.

On any given day 25 percent of the US adult population visits a fast food restaurant.

Every month 90 percent of every child between 3 – 9 years old visits a McDonald.

American children currently get 25 percent of their total vegetable servings in the form of French fries.

The typical American now consumes 3 hamburgers and 4 portions of fries every week.

A Ronald McDonald survey of US school children showed him to be the second most widely recognized fictional character (96 percent recall). Santa Clause was number one.

In 1990 there were approximately 3,000 McDonalds restaurants outside the USA. Today, there are 119,000 restaurants outside the USA (5 open every day). “
via Fast Food Facts
Quick Facts…
* Athletes achieve peak performance by training and eating a variety of foods.
* Athletes gain most from the amount of carbohydrates stored in the body.
* Fat also provides body fuel; use of fat as fuel depends on the duration of the exercise and the condition of the athlete.
* Exercise may increase the athlete’s need for protein.
* Water is a critical nutrient for athletes. Dehydration can cause muscle cramping and fatigue.
via CSU
Article: Adverse Side-Affects?
“The Hamburger Through Time”
Article: “Teenage Eating Habits”

Article: Fast Food Near Schools
Article: Healthy Fast Food Options

Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with low quality preparation and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away. The term “fast food” was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam-Webster in 1951.[1]

Outlets may be stands or kiosks, which may provide no shelter or seating,[2] or fast food restaurants (also known as quick service restaurants). Franchise operations which are part of restaurant chains have standardized foodstuffs shipped to each restaurant from central locations.[3]

The capital requirements involved in opening up a fast food restaurant are relatively low. Smaller, individually-owned fast food restaurants are becoming much more common throughout the world. Restaurants with much higher sit-in ratios, where customers tend to sit and have their orders brought to them in a seemingly more upscale atmosphere, are known as fast casual restaurants.

Although fast food restaurants are often viewed as a representation of modern technology, the concept of “ready-cooked food to go” is as old as cities themselves; unique variations are historical in various cultures. Ancient Roman cities had bread-and-olive stands, East Asian cultures feature noodle shops. Flatbread and falafel are ubiquitous in the Middle East. Popular Indian “fast” food delicacies include Vada pav, Papri chaat, Bhelpuri, Panipuri and Dahi vada. In the French-speaking nations of West Africa, meanwhile, roadside stands in and around the larger cities continue to sell—as they have done for generations—a range of ready-to-eat, char-grilled meat sticks known locally as “brochettes” (not to be confused with the bread snack of the same name found in Europe).

Fast food outlets are take-away or take-out providers, often with a “drive-through” service which allows customers to order and pick up food from their cars; but most also have a seating area in which customers can eat the food on the premises. People eat there more than five times a week[13] and often, one or more of those five times is at a fast food restaurant.

Nearly from its inception, fast food has been designed to be eaten “on the go”, often does not require traditional cutlery, and is eaten as a finger food. Common menu items at fast food outlets include fish and chips, sandwiches, pitas, hamburgers, fried chicken, french fries, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizza, hot dogs, and ice cream, although many fast food restaurants offer “slower” foods like chili, mashed potatoes, and salads.

In the United States alone, consumers spent about US$110 billion on fast food in 2000 (which increased from US$6 billion in 1970).[14] The National Restaurant Association forecasts that fast food restaurants in the U.S. will reach US$142 billion in sales in 2006, a 5% increase over 2005. In comparison, the full-service restaurant segment of the food industry is expected to generate $173 billion in sales. Fast food has been losing market share to so-called fast casual dining restaurants, which offer more robust and expensive cuisines.

via Wikipedia

A drive-through, or drive-thru, is a type of service provided by a business that allows customers to purchase products without leaving their cars. The format was first pioneered in the United States in the 1940s[1] but has since spread to other countries.

Orders are generally placed using a microphone and picked up in person at the window. A drive-through is different from a drive-in in several ways— The cars create a line and move in one direction in drive-throughs, and do not park, whereas drive-ins allow cars to park next to each other, the food is generally brought to the window by a server, and the customer can remain in the parked car to eat.

Drive-throughs have generally replaced drive-ins in popular culture, and are now found in the vast majority of modern American fast-food chains. Sometimes, a store with a drive-through is referred to as a “drive-through,” or the term is attached to the service, such as, “drive-through restaurant,” or “drive-through bank.”

Pedestrians sometimes attempt to walk through the drive-through to order food after the seated section of a fast-food restaurant has closed. Many establishments refuse drive-through service to pedestrians on the basis of safety and insurance liability. Cyclists are usually refused service with the same justification given.[5]

In the UK and Australia, pedestrians are often served at drive-through windows, if the main body of the restaurant is closed, however this is discouraged during times that the main restaurant is open. Some busy McDonald’s restaurants in particular also provide separate walk-through windows to be used on such occasions, e.g. overnight. This feature is used as a security measure on 24-hour stores.

A drive-through restaurant generally consists of:

* A speaker and microphone, or a window, for customers to order from
* A speaker and microphone or wireless headset system for employees to hear the customer’s order (when a speaker is used)
* One or more free-standing signs listing the menu items, called a menu board
* One or more windows where employees interact with customers by taking the order and money and/or giving the customer the order

Drive-through designs are different from restaurant to restaurant; however, most drive-throughs can accommodate four to six passenger cars or trucks at once (called the queue).[citation needed]

In-n-Out Burger claims to have built the first drive-through restaurant in 1948. Harry and Esther Snyder, the chain’s founders, built their first restaurant in Baldwin Park, California, with a two-way speaker to enable patrons to order directly from their cars without the intermediation of a carhop.[2]

Sierra Vista, Arizona, was the first city to have a McDonald’s drive-through. It first opened its window on January 24, 1975, to be able to feed quickly many of the soldiers coming from Fort Huachuca, a military base located adjacent to the city.[citation needed] The original McDonald’s was closed down and demolished in May 1999 and a new McDonald’s replaced it.

The first drive-through restaurant (a McDonald’s drive-through) in Europe opened at the Nutgrove Shopping Centre in Dublin, Ireland in 1985.[3]

via Wikipedia

This didn’t make the cut but I still like the idea of having a Juicy Couture Bike fashion show. Just think: Beautiful dresses, like prom dresses, something some little bratty girl would love to get her snotty hands on. Skin-and-bone models wearing these dresses, looking utterly disgusting yet entrancing and envious of their tiny beauty. Bulky jewelry that seems much to heavy for their minuscule frames hangs off their protruding shoulders. Scarves and wraps simply drape over them, dwarfing these dolled-up birds. So much make-up on that you’re not sure exactly what you’re looking at. Is she a mannequin? Is she human? Why can’t I look away, she’s hideous yet so de toute beauté.

Now imagine these pretty sticks with bike helmets on. Yes helmets! Their hair wraps around the helmet, suddenly it’s an art piece. Intricate strands wrapped with twigs and ribbon and woven around glittery straps connected to this seemingly simple encasement on her head. See these little tweens, sitting side-saddle on a bike, while their muscular yet just as anorexic escort walks the bicycle down the runway. The wispy little creatures look so unnatural and foreign sitting on such structured and strong carriers. They wear oversized boots that lace and strap up to their bony knees.

So fragile. So engaging.

And all anyone can think is, “This is so glamorous.” Funny how that word means to deceive. Deceive the public. Make them believe that bikes are high fashion. The wheels are the new Gucci purse. This helmet, these knee pads, that bell and reflector, those are your accessories. You must be seen with these items, these fad articles of clothing, and you’ll be considered à la mode.

This sketch doesn’t give my concept justice.

So it didn’t rain this morning. I biked during a class change for the first time and nearly hit about 10 different people. It was kind of fun dodging and swerving around them, but sometimes I got a little nervous when some bloke would be walking in one direction and abruptly change direction on me; I definitely had to turn onto the grass a couple of times. But it was still fun. Maybe that’s why those kids like to bike like maniacs, it just makes the mundane more fun.

So I’ve been riding my bike every day since Friday and I can tell that my endurance, though pathetic it may be, has indeed increased. However I may break my every day riding rule because it may rain tomorrow. I haven’t decided yet. It would be a good opportunity to really understand what it’s like to bike in the rain but at the same time I’m not prepared for such a task. I don’t really want to get pneumonia.

I think for this project I may wait out the rain and get back on my bike afterward, especially since I’m still a novice at this kind of thing. Anywho….

Yesterday DVA showed a few of us a couple of videos of him biking around the city, and I have to say that there is no way I could compete with traffic on a main road. He’s crazy for the stunts he did, weaving in and out of traffic like that. I mean really! He’s crazy. I saw another video of these messengers in New York who do the same thing, I just don’t understand. Clearly. I would like to be enlightened, please. The excitement and joy DVA got out of simply showing us the video really sparked some interest on the matter to me. I want to know why someone would bike around town recklessly like that on purpose. I want to know the purpose.

It’s very curious behavior.

Logan and I rode our bikes to Atlantic Station then to IKEA and then to Tech this evening. It was a lot of fun and i can really see how people can get addicted to riding their bikes everywhere they go, but right now I don’t think it’s very practical. Don’t get me wrong it makes perfect sense for short commutes and local activity, but other than that I think bicycling can be very restricting. When Ted Ullrich talked to us last week he even stated that he has to depend on his friends who have vehicles in order to transport large items. In our society, in our culture, riding a bike as a primary means of transportation just doesn’t work well.

This doesn’t mean that bikes can never have the main stream. If we could set up our community to make ideas such as Zipcars more common and accepted, like U-Haul, then I believe that bikes have a chance. There are other options of course, but I just think that since Zipcars are fairly accepted in Atlanta already that it might not be such a huge leap to take the next step in this arena.

It would be incredible to live in a world established this way, I just don’t know if American culture will accept it.