I almost always walk up. The service in the drive thru at the bank is awful! If your waiting in a line the wait can be 10 minutes or even more. The only time i use the drive thru is if i have the kids in the car and one is sleeping. Funny thing is i get quicker service in the McD's drive thru then at the bank.

I don't like drive thrus of any kind.

I usually get much faster service at the drive up tellers than going inside. My bank (usually) puts enough tellers to the drive up to handle things, plus generally speaking, the transactions are simpler at the drive up rather than inside so they move quicker. Good tellers can and will work on more than one if there's a holdup on something at the window, where inside they never will. And also, for some reason I seem to do a lot of my banking when the lobby is closed!

That said, if there's a wait, I shut off my engine. Also if I know it'll take them a while to handle my transaction or if I have to get things ready, I shut off the engine (year round). So there's no significant gas difference for me.

Hello cynic,

Did I hear you correctly ... "hold-up" ... at your bank?

While you're at the window ... or someone else?

I hope that you don't need to make use of your insurance!

ole joyful

All of banking is don on-line. We dont even have a local bank.

I use the pharmacy drive-thru for filling prescriptions. I think it saves money because you aren't making random purchases while you are waiting inside. It keeps the kids happier too because, they don't develop as many 'wants'.

"It keeps the kids happier too because, they don't develop as many 'wants'."

???

Kids can be successfully taught to not focus on 'wants' when they are in the store. AND they can still be happy!
OR will you avoid stores with them forever?????

I check the line - if there's more than 2 cars , I'll go inside.

LOL Ed, I didn't notice that while I was typing! Leave it to you to notice!! Kind of like how these days you have to be extra careful greeting your buddy "Jack" at the airport or on a plane, sure don't want to yell out "Hi Jack!!"

I don't avoid the stores with the kids most of the time. Let's face it, if they see stuff, they want it and they will ask for it. It doesn't mean I cave in. Most of the time I use it as an opportunity to explain that they can save up their money if they really want something. If I'm in line for the pharmacy like I mentioned, it most likely means someone is sick which also means shorter fuses. If we are in the store, it means killing time during a wait which means we look at toys or candy. I don't care how well behaved a child normally is, if they are even mildly sick any little thing could cause a meltdown. Just because a child is sick doesnt mean I have the option of leaving them home with another adult.

Adults can be just as bad. Have you ever seen adults that can't shop without a soft drink in their hand? They buy extra junk because hey it was only a few bucks and it looked neat or 'might' come in handy some time. Reduce the temptations and you reduce the money spent. Kids and adult are trainable, but it takes time.

My experience shows me that it is faster to go in than drive thru. The manager of one McD's told me 78% of their total business is drive through. Except for Sat or Sun morning the drive thru is busier than inside.

I haven't had McDonald's hamburger in so long I have fergotten some of whats in em...

Big Mac® Bun:
Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, soybean oil, canola oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of each of the following: sesame seed, salt, wheat gluten, calcium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, monocalcium phosphate, ammonium chloride, calcium carbonate, baking soda, soy flour, dough conditioners (may contain one or more of the following: distilled monoglycerides, DATEM, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, enzymes, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, guar gum, mono-and diglycerides, calcium peroxide), calcium propionate & sodium propionate (preservatives), soy lecithin. CONTAINS: WHEAT AND SOY
Beef Patty:
100% pure USDA inspected beef; no additives, no fillers, no extenders. Prepared with grill seasoning (salt, black pepper).

Big Mac® Sauce:
Soybean oil, pickle relish [diced pickles, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, calcium chloride, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), spice extractives, polysorbate 80], distilled vinegar, water, egg yolks, high fructose corn syrup, onion powder, mustard seed, salt, spices, propylene glycol alginate, sodium benzoate (preservative), mustard bran, sugar, garlic powder, vegetable protein (hydrolyzed corn, soy and wheat), caramel color, extractives of paprika, soy lecithin, turmeric (color), calcium disodium EDTA (protect flavor). CONTAINS: WHEAT, EGG AND SOY

At least you can get on the internet there and look for cures for what ails ya.

Here is a link that might be useful: McDonalds Wireless Connections

Yeah, you can get online there, but it'll cost ya!
"several convenient connection options: on-line credit card payment, subscriptions, prepaid cards, or (sometimes) promotional coupons"

Found that out a few weeks ago. Needed to look up a phone # and some other info while out of town a few weeks back and thought I'd just do it at McD's. No I didn't want to subscribe or pay for it. Went across the street and got online and got what I needed.

Any time you use your car,it's burning oil. Shut the engine off and you are doing just that little bit to curtail global warming. But, man,when it's cold outside I do like those drive-thrus.