drive-thru

British

noun

1. a takeaway restaurant, bank, etc designed so that customers can use it without leaving their cars
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a drive-thru restaurant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

drive-thru

A $1 increase in gas prices can lead to around six fewer drive-thru customers a day, a recent analysis found.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026

The company aims to open approximately 400 net new U.S. stores annually, focusing on smaller formats and drive-thru options.

From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026

“They should have a great seat for any occasion, and they should provide customers access to a high-quality Mobile Order and Pay experience and a drive-thru where possible.”

From Slate ● Dec. 22, 2025

“Dutch Bros Coffee is a fun-loving, mind-blowing drive-thru coffee company,” the company’s release said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2025

We pull from the drive-thru into a parking space, and we watch the traffic go up and down the main strip while we eat.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023