Can You Bike Through A Fast Food Drive Thru?

Whether it was a late-night fast food craving or just musing in your mind, surely many of us have wondered how necessary the "drive" part of a drive-thru is. For those without a car, biking through the drive-thru lane would seem like a logical alternative.

Unfortunately, most drive-thru lanes don't allow bikes as a substitute for a car. Major chains like McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's have made it clear that you cannot order in the drive-thru lane on foot, and the policy for cycling is pretty much the same. There have been some arguments made against these policies.

In fact, in 2019, McDonald's, Wendy's, and Taco Bell all faced ADA lawsuits for lacking accommodations in their Drive-thru lanes for people with visual impairments that cannot operate motor vehicles at night. Legal battles aside, the reasoning behind most fast food restaurants denying service in drive-thru lanes to those without a car is generally because of safety concerns.

While each business is allowed to have its policies, McDonald's lays out exactly why it doesn't allow bikes in its drive-thru lane on its website. "The drive-thru facility is designed for motor vehicles and, on balance, we are concerned that use by cyclists could compromise their safety," writes the golden arches on its site.

McDonald's further explains that cyclists in the drive-thru lane would be a safety risk because they would be too close to motor vehicles, have limited visibility because of the sharp turns in the drive-thru lane, and would have less control over their bikes as they juggle carrying their food orders. Most other fast food chains don't even address this question, but it's probably safe to say they have similar reasoning.

Portillo's, a popular Midwestern fast food chain, denied service at the drive-thru to a Chicago cyclist because they were not in a car. In 2018, a horseback rider was also denied service at a Starbucks in Arizona. Yet, in 2022, a McDonald's in Kansas allowed a cowboy and their horse to wait in line and receive their order at the Drive-thru. The rider did dismount from the horse to receive their coffee, but regardless, we doubt there's an engine attached to the saddle.

The official policy of most drive-thru lanes is likely not cyclist-friendly, but there's always a possibility your local restaurant will look the other way. If you decide to chance it, be prepared to just park your bike and go inside the restaurant, if denied. You might also want to make sure your bike has a basket, or bring a backpack so that you can maintain full control of your bicycle when you ride off with your food.