Drive Thrus and Health: Quick and Convenient Or Unhealthy?

Drive Thrus and Health

Did you know that going through the drive thru naked is illegal?

In 2012, Brian Coldin, a Bracebridge naturist, who was found guilty of “partial nudity that offended public order” for incidents that occurred in 2008 and 2009 as he went through a drive thru.

And apparently in some places, it may be difficult to get served while on horseback.  Phil Corman was initially refused his double double at a Lethbridge coffee drive thru while riding his horse.  Eventually he received an apology and his double double.

Today is National Drive Thru Day and while it is not recommended to go through the drive thru naked, or especially naked on a horse, we know that many of us will go through at least one drive thru today.

The first restaurant to have a drive thru was in 1947, called Red's Giant Hamburg, which was in Springfield, Missouri. However, the first business establishment to have a drive through option was not a restaurant, but a bank. The City Center Bank in Syracuse, New York, opened a drive-thru in 1928 for the convenience of busy bank customers. Today, you can buy your milk at a drive thru, get married and even have a wake for a dead love one.  In California, you can stay in the comfort of your car to view the body of a friend or family member.

Drive Thrus and Health: National Drive Thru Day

Drive thrus can stir up a huge amount of emotion: anticipation, impatience, frustration.  Have you experienced drive thru rage?  A 54-year-old woman in Barrie, has been accused of purposefully reversing her car into another automobile at a Tim Hortons drive thru after the motorist behind her accused her of holding up the line.

Sometimes we see random acts of kindness in our drive thrus.  In one Tim Hortons in Winnipeg, one person decided to pay it forward and paid for the person's order behind them.  228 orders later the chain stopped. Very Nice and Very Canadian.

According to one observer, "Eating out is no longer a special event, but a practical alternative to eating at home when no one feels like shopping or cooking.  Cooking ‘from scratch’ at home is generally reserved for special meals, not the every day. Most meals are now planned spontaneously. Decisions about ‘what’s for dinner?’ reflect a solution to an equation that involves three variables: 1) what’s on hand in the fridge, cupboard or freezer, 2) the time available to cook and eat and 3) the urgency of hunger.

Sitting down together at a table is becoming less and less common. Multi-tasking now extends to meals – eating, whether alone or with family, often is an accompaniment to another activity such as the computer or TV, texting, or reading, not an event unto itself."

Drive Thrus and Health: Eating Out Stats:

• According to a poll conducted by Ipsos Reid for Tim Hortons, 40% of Canadians eat out for lunch.
• Even though 47% bring lunches to work, 17% actually leave that brown bag behind and still go out.
• 60% of Canadians prefer a hot lunch.
• My Canuck Buck study conducted by Visa Canada suggests that 60% of us like to eat out during the week.
• On average, the cost of buying a lunch is $8.80 or $44/week and over $2,200/year.
• Spending $2 a day on bagels will cost you $520 a year.
• $2.75 on a cup of coffee a day, it will cost you $715 a year.
• $1.50 on chips or candy will cost you $390 a year.
• A Daily Mail study suggests that adults work an extra 16 days a year thanks to skipping lunch breaks.
• According to NPD Group research, in 10 years, it's expected that:
  • Canadian baby boomers will eat more convenience foods, including more chips, while people born after 1993 will be skipping more meals.
  • The top food groups expected to increase in importance are salty/savoury snacks, which include cheese, and easy meals, such as yogurt or snack bars.
  • Members of Generation X, or those born between 1967 and 1975, are expected to increase consumption across several categories, including simple breakfast foods (ready-to-eat or boxed cereals), centre-of-plate protein like beef, chicken, fish, pork
    and sausages and yogurt and snack bars.
  • The post-millennial group is also expected to munch on more salads while eating fewer salty and savoury snack foods.

Beverly's Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Nation Drive Thru Day:

• Drive thru foods are not all bad.  It is possible to make some wise choices, but it can be difficult, especially on drink choices.  What parents eat and drink sets an example for what children eat and drink into the future. Opting for water or milk is one important choice.  Researchers in one study found that mothers who drink milk have daughters who also drink more milk and less pop.  While drinking regular water boosts metabolism by helping you feel full, ice water can also help burn larger amounts of calories as it takes work for your body to return back to normal temperature after drinking ice water. One WebMD study found that drinking two cups of water increased a person's metabolism by 30% for over 30 minutes.

• Keep in mind that when people choose drive thrus over parking their vehicle, the vehicle idles for some time. The time spent with the vehicle idling has a negative effect on the environment.  According to Natural Resources of Canada, if every Canadian motorist avoided their vehicle idling for three minutes a day, more than 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide would be kept from entering the atmosphere.

• Look at ways for making convenient, healthy meals at home that can be used while on-the-go.  Make a plan for the week.  go on-line to look up healthy suggestions.  Have everyone in the household decide on the menu for the week.

• Examine your life and do a rhythm check.  Are you pushing and rushing most of the time?  If so, consider altering your drive thru behaviour slightly to allow yourself the opportunity to slow down, take your time eating, socialize and enjoy the 'whole' meal experience.

Drive Thrus and Health: Fun thoughts around drive thrus

Why are there parking spots for Drive-Thru Customers Only? If they are driving thru then they shouldn't need to park.

When you order black coffee at a fast food restaurant why do they always ask you if you want cream and sugar with it?

Why do people nod their heads when answering yes or no at a drive-thru speaker?

Contact Beverly about hosting a mental health workshop for your teams on how to build resilience. Learn relaxation strategies, and discover coping tips to deal with stress, change and crisis!

If you have some strategies to share – comment on this posting!

Additional Resources:

Snack Foods

Water: A Necessity In Maintaining Mental Health

Food, Mood And Stress

National Ice Cream Day

National Snack Food Month

Food, Glorious Food

Use Less Salt Day