drive-through

1 of 2

adjective

variants or less commonly drive-thru

drive-through

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly drive-thru
: a drive-through establishment (such as a restaurant or bank)
also : the drive-through window at such an establishment

Examples of drive-through in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
There is little worse than ordering ahead in the fast-food app, and going through the drive-through, only to have a cashier tell you to wait in one of the handicap spots for your order. Leonard Greene, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 Shake Shack will also open a drive-through eatery at 20100 Brookhurst Street in Huntington Beach. Brock Keeling, Orange County Register, 2 Mar. 2024 These were the tests that most Americans were given at drive-through and walk-in testing sites early in the pandemic. Anuradha Rao, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2024 The offer applies to dine-in, carryout and drive-through services. The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 The software also tracks how quickly meals are prepared (what are the busiest times at a store and what causes long lines at drive-through) as well as how much food is wasted. Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 When Dutch Bros opened its first Orange County drive-through on Feb. 9, hundreds of people waiting in line — some in their cars, some at the walk-up window — in the rain for the big day. Brock Keeling, Orange County Register, 23 Feb. 2024 Alejandro Gonzalez was in a dispute over payment for a trailer when an old Toyota Camry pulled up to the drive-through window of Mi Casita Purepecha, his San Bernardino restaurant, on Feb. 1. Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 As part of the project, the developer also applied to build two drive-through restaurants. Theresa Clift, Sacramento Bee, 16 Feb. 2024
Noun
The Easter ham dinner can also be ordered at the drive-through window from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $25, cash only, with no pre-order necessary. Elaine Rewolinski, Journal Sentinel, 24 Mar. 2023 McDonald’s is, in essence, sponsoring the ultimate drive-through, as 200-mph race cars weave through downtown Chicago. Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2023 Campuses became resourceful in trying to commemorate students’ achievements while remaining mindful of public health — organizing drive-through ceremonies, or moving the festivities entirely online. Debbie Truong, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2023 These days, McClure lives even closer to this drive-through destination for burgers, dogs, shakes and a brief respite from the industrial life of East Frederick. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2023 North Richland Hills has a new PJ’s Coffee with a drive-through. Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas News, 17 Mar. 2023 The website also has printable posters that businesses can hang at their drive-through windows or place at tables to explain the ban to customers and employees. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2023 Today, nearly 40 percent of all restaurant traffic is in the drive-through lane, while visits to physical restaurants were 22 percent lower in February 2023 than in 2020, according to Placer.ai. Caitlin Gilbert, Lindsey Bever, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2023 Those include seniors-only hours, drive-through pantries, and expanded home delivery services. Lauren Lee, CNN, 3 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drive-through.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1918, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drive-through was in 1918

Dictionary Entries Near drive-through

Cite this Entry

“Drive-through.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drive-through. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

drive-through

adjective
ˈdrīv-ˌthrü
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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