Drive through restaurants as we know them have been around since the
late 1940s, and Americans have always been particularly fond of the convenient eateries. In 2011, Americans made a staggering
12.4 billion visits to drive through restaurants. That in and of itself is surprising, but it becomes even more interesting when you consider the results of a new survey conducted by
Relevant Research. Their study estimates that one in six American households order not just for themselves at drive through restaurants, but also for their dogs.
According to
Restaurant Business Online's review of Relevant Research's results, the number one drive through source is McDonald's, followed by Burger King and Wendy's. The study also notes that one out of three dog owners have their pets with them in the drive through, and in those cases, a whopping four of five opt to buy their canine friend a treat. Interestingly, men seem twice as likely to buy their dog a burger than are woman. The most surprising thing about the study is that Starbucks scored fairly low, even though they actually have items specifically for dogs on their menu.
If you own a restaurant and do a lot of business to-go, it might be a good idea to consider adding one or two dog friendly options to your menu! What do you think, is it strange to buy your dog a treat at a fast food drive through, or do you share with your pooch when you partake? Let us know what you think via Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.
Source:
Restaurant Business Online
Image Credit (Flickr)
Tablebases.com
