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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

Rangel claims Green was a “known vagrant” who “roamed freely around the exterior areas” of the restaurant and “remained in and around the drive-thru lane for at least ten minutes,” according to the lawsuit.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 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

They drove downtown, to the gas station/Taco Hell, where they ordered at the drive-thru.

From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green

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