July 24: National Drive-Thru Day

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 1930s.

The first recorded use of a bank using a drive up window teller was the Grand National Bank of St. Louis, Missouri in 1930. The drive up teller only allowed deposits at that time period.

Drive through service in the U.S became popular in the restaurant industry in the 1940s.  California sunshine and a love affair with automobiles spurred the growth of roadside businesses catering specifically to motorists after WW II.

Today drive thru service is offered in a wide array of industries – everything from alcohol, postal services, coffee, prescriptions, marriages (mostly in Las Vegas), funeral homes and dry cleaners.

Celebrate this invention and enjoy the beat of the Drive Thru Rap:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWTYyx6PLZY

Which drive thru service do you use most often?