drive-through

American  

[drahyv-throo] / ˈdraɪvˌθru /

Informal, drive-thru

noun

1. the act of driving through a specified locality or place, especially driving into a place of business, completing a transaction from one's car, and driving out.

   a quick drive-through of Beverly Hills;

   The bank has outside tellers' windows to accept deposits by drive-through.

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adjective

1. designed to accommodate or arranged for a drive-through.

   This gas station has a drive-through car wash.

Etymology

Origin of drive-through

First recorded in 1970–75; noun and adjectival use of verb phrase drive through

Example Sentences

Dairy Queen began a test with technology company Presto to bring a drive-through chatbot to a handful of its U.S. stores last year, said Kevin Baartman, the company’s executive vice president of information technology.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Back in 1966, Longleat Safari Park opened the first drive-through safari outside of Africa with lions roaming the Wiltshire countryside.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Citing a recent report from Revenue Management Solutions that examined purchases from 2022 to 2026, they said a $1 increase in gas prices can translate to roughly six fewer drive-through customers a day.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

The friend who shows up with a Frosty and a sleeve of fries because you were already at the drive-through.

From Salon • Jan. 19, 2026

Nan and I always did a drive-through in a new town, but our Hope Springs exploration didn’t last long because there wasn’t much to drive through.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry