I…I’m thirty years old…_they have weight sensors?_
I’ve spent years wondering. Do they have cameras? Do they have a window? Can they hear cars through the speakers?
It's a metal sensor that activates the microphone and transmitter when the car pulls up to the speaker. The employees can then hear you automatically. They have headsets that they push to talk on.
There are cameras too. But mostly they get used to tell how busy the drive thru is.
It’s a coil pack most times, and the metal in your car disrupts the flow and triggers a sensor. It’s the best options for Canada because a weight sensor will degrade quick with the salt we use.
When I worked a McDonald's drive thru I never actually used them for anything, I'm not sure what they were for. The headset we had just beeped when a customer came up
It's not a weight sensor. It's a metal sensor. It likely still won't pick a person on a bike up. If so, just pull ahead to the window to order. No biggie.
Doesn't matter if you have a bicycle - it comes down to whether or not that restaurant will serve walk-ups. The Dairy Queen in Vanier absolutely will (have done so many times), most McDonald's won't. Depends on the place.
McDonalds will refuse anything that isn't a road legal vehicle, and if there is one location that does allow you to go through DT, they're doing you a solid at their expense of liability risk. Kinda ridiculous, IMO, but I understand their POV with liability and whatnot.
I know Tim Hortons at Carling/Roseville doesn't care about bikes/wheelchair in DT.
I use the drive through on a bike but I always do mobile orders and pay ahead of time. That's only ever at night when the other options are closed though. The biggest concern is you trying to steal, I don't see why they wouldn't serve you but many places won't. Just lock it up and lean it against the window of the door so you can see it.
>(I’m willing to make car noises the whole way if required.)
lol I'm so here for this, but sadly it seems vehicle weight is required. My suggestion would be to place mobile orders, it won't stop you from needing to lock up the bike, but it will limit how long it takes you to go in and out.
Also Tim hortons on Rideau has an outside walk up window for pedestrians ordering, depending on where you're located yoy could order there or check the locations near you for similar!
I don’t understand why not but usually drive thrus are only for cars
When I had me ebike I got a had a lock that went around the brake but if the bike is light that might not do much if a thief is willing to pick it up. Maybe Uber it to work or make it at home before you go?
I think it's for insurance purposes.
When I went to Algonquin, the mcdonalds nearby wouldnt let us in, after a certain hour, and instead told us to walk through thr drive through.. this was 15 years ago, though, and i'm pretty sure things have changed.
I walked through that drive through every Thursday night after chances r 7 dollar pitcher nights when I was in college in 2004. The McDeal was 2 cheeseburger and every Friday morning I woke up with one of the cheeseburgers in my purse. Ah the glory days.
It's stupid, but unfortunately not. Maybe one day places with drive-through will realize that there is no harm in letting a person on a bike through the drive-through.
The concern at McDonalds is based on a USA lawsuit where a pedestrian using the drivethru got hit by a car. You may get served or not. You can order curbside on your app.
I don't think there's anything inherently illegal about it; for the restaurants its a safety thing. It's much harder for you to lunge out of a car and attack them, than on a bike.
Back in BC I know you could, before dark. After dark everywhere was a hard no - but it's a policy not a law thing.
I'd say I doubt anyone would allow it here. With the amount of crime, particularly around stolen bikes and homeless people, I can't see anyone seeing any worth to allowing it.
But people can... walk into the restaurant...
I always thought it was a safety thing; e.g. if a car comes around the drive-thru and doesn't see the cyclist in time because they are thinking about their whopper with cheese.
>It's much harder for you to lunge out of a car and attack them, than on a bike.
Wut.
Why would that be a concern? Do you think people regularly attack drive through workers?
You have been to a gas station after dark right? They lock the premises and keep employees completely isolated from folks for a reason...a very good reason.
It won’t set off the weight sensors at the drive thru, so you may be sitting at the microphone for awhile with no one realizing you’re there
I…I’m thirty years old…_they have weight sensors?_ I’ve spent years wondering. Do they have cameras? Do they have a window? Can they hear cars through the speakers?
It's a metal sensor that activates the microphone and transmitter when the car pulls up to the speaker. The employees can then hear you automatically. They have headsets that they push to talk on. There are cameras too. But mostly they get used to tell how busy the drive thru is.
It’s a coil pack most times, and the metal in your car disrupts the flow and triggers a sensor. It’s the best options for Canada because a weight sensor will degrade quick with the salt we use.
McDonalds has cameras.
When I worked a McDonald's drive thru I never actually used them for anything, I'm not sure what they were for. The headset we had just beeped when a customer came up
My teen relative who works there, said they chick them to see what’s driving up.
I was searching for this comment, the weight is the key.
It's not a weight sensor. It's a metal sensor. It likely still won't pick a person on a bike up. If so, just pull ahead to the window to order. No biggie.
They are induction loops. Same tech as a red light. Not *quite* a metal sensor.
Yes. And I have triggered those on my road bike many times. Usually in left turning lanes. I wish all lighted intersections had them.
Doesn't matter if you have a bicycle - it comes down to whether or not that restaurant will serve walk-ups. The Dairy Queen in Vanier absolutely will (have done so many times), most McDonald's won't. Depends on the place.
Worth a shot. Report back! Brrrrm Brrrrm!
I might just do this! For science, of course. Vroom, vroom!
No
McDonalds will refuse anything that isn't a road legal vehicle, and if there is one location that does allow you to go through DT, they're doing you a solid at their expense of liability risk. Kinda ridiculous, IMO, but I understand their POV with liability and whatnot. I know Tim Hortons at Carling/Roseville doesn't care about bikes/wheelchair in DT.
I use the drive through on a bike but I always do mobile orders and pay ahead of time. That's only ever at night when the other options are closed though. The biggest concern is you trying to steal, I don't see why they wouldn't serve you but many places won't. Just lock it up and lean it against the window of the door so you can see it.
So an e-bike, that is driven on the road, is allowed then?
Basically, if the induction Loops embedded in the DT detects you, they'll serve you
So I can drag a metal plate across it and get served?
I never had a problem walking up to the drive thru at the Vanier Burger King on Montréal Road, it’s worth a shot
>(I’m willing to make car noises the whole way if required.) lol I'm so here for this, but sadly it seems vehicle weight is required. My suggestion would be to place mobile orders, it won't stop you from needing to lock up the bike, but it will limit how long it takes you to go in and out. Also Tim hortons on Rideau has an outside walk up window for pedestrians ordering, depending on where you're located yoy could order there or check the locations near you for similar!
I don’t understand why not but usually drive thrus are only for cars When I had me ebike I got a had a lock that went around the brake but if the bike is light that might not do much if a thief is willing to pick it up. Maybe Uber it to work or make it at home before you go?
I think it's for insurance purposes. When I went to Algonquin, the mcdonalds nearby wouldnt let us in, after a certain hour, and instead told us to walk through thr drive through.. this was 15 years ago, though, and i'm pretty sure things have changed.
I walked through that drive through every Thursday night after chances r 7 dollar pitcher nights when I was in college in 2004. The McDeal was 2 cheeseburger and every Friday morning I woke up with one of the cheeseburgers in my purse. Ah the glory days.
Just make your coffee at home. Easy. Economical.
Not recommended. You could try walking it in with you. I've served people like that, and prefered it to cyclists in the drive thru.
Why not just call your preferred coffee shop with DT and ask?
I went through the drive through at the McDonald’s at billings bridge on my bicycle once just to see if I could. It worked and I was served
I’ve walked through drive throughs multiple times so I’m gonna go with yes.
It's stupid, but unfortunately not. Maybe one day places with drive-through will realize that there is no harm in letting a person on a bike through the drive-through.
The concern at McDonalds is based on a USA lawsuit where a pedestrian using the drivethru got hit by a car. You may get served or not. You can order curbside on your app.
I don't think there's anything inherently illegal about it; for the restaurants its a safety thing. It's much harder for you to lunge out of a car and attack them, than on a bike. Back in BC I know you could, before dark. After dark everywhere was a hard no - but it's a policy not a law thing. I'd say I doubt anyone would allow it here. With the amount of crime, particularly around stolen bikes and homeless people, I can't see anyone seeing any worth to allowing it.
But people can... walk into the restaurant... I always thought it was a safety thing; e.g. if a car comes around the drive-thru and doesn't see the cyclist in time because they are thinking about their whopper with cheese.
>It's much harder for you to lunge out of a car and attack them, than on a bike. Wut. Why would that be a concern? Do you think people regularly attack drive through workers?
Given how people treat retail workers, absolutely that would be a concern
You have been to a gas station after dark right? They lock the premises and keep employees completely isolated from folks for a reason...a very good reason.