h a l f b a k e r y
No, not that kind of baked.
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I got this idea today when I was taking money at the drive-thru and an elderly man, who had driven up too far from the window, commented: "Ya'll need to move that building over this way a little bit." That's when the idea hit me.
I propose that the window, counter, and a few feet of floor be
on a moveable platform. When the window is opened, the floor/window automatically telescopes the perfect distance, right out to the car. Imagine a telescoping camper.
An ultra-sonic detector would keep the window from bumping into the car. The floor/window would start to slide back in again when the window was closed, or when the car started to move again, as a safety feature. If a hasty attendant opens the window before the car comes to a complete stop, the system would wait to until it was stopped to move. The seal would be a folding accordion type deal, like used on passenger trains to connect cars.
RV slideout
http://www.barkermf...de_out_systems.html
[lurch, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]
Drive-Thru Bank Transaction Drawer
http://alliancesecu...p.com/products.html
Click on the Deal Drawer button from the site home page. Loads relatively slowly. [jurist, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]
[link]
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As you point out, [fogfreak], this isn't exactly new technology. Captain Piccard of the Enterprise would simply say, "Make it so". |
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I'm sure increased sales will justify the nominal physical cost within the very first year. But, as a sidenote, consider losing the "seal" portion of your description: A tight, weatherproof seal is not necessary to complete the food for money transaction and I personally think it would be more intimidating than encouraging to a profitable exchange. |
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Might it be cheaper to have a conveyor belt outside the window,and scooch cars toward you on that, instead? Though admittedly, there would be drawbacks:
1: Even the tiniest nudges would leave you open to whiplash- and spilled-hot-beverage-lawsuits.
2: Soon, most american cars will actually weigh more than a McDonalds restaurant, thus making it cheaper to, "Move that building," as your dazzlingly stupid customer suggested.
3: It wouldn't have the same "Bond villain secret lair" panache. |
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instead of a open window thing to take transactions, for the small amout of crap drivers, have a door. |
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teller person can just simply move their arse to the car. perhaps a surcharge for the inconvinence |
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I honestly thought this involved Helter-Skelter. |
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[wobbly] We're talking about a foot, not a yard. |
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Shouldn't be any more difficult than a slideout on an RV (see link) |
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Thanks, [lurch], that's what I was talking about. |
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So, this window would be navigable much the same as a jetway at (insert your local airport here)? Very Bakable... |
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As mentioned... the technology exists, but as much as I'm aware of, the application does not. |
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Of course, banks with drive-thru window operations solved this problem very simply several decades ago. [Link] I don't know why the exact same extendible drawer device wouldn't work for a fast food operation. In fact, in a reverse engineering of this concept, I know of a Tim Horton's Restaurant with a drive-thru window that went out of business and subsequently became a small satellite bank branch with a drive-thru window. |
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I feel the urge to post the obligatory "why are Americans too lazy to get out of their cars?" comment, but will desist as it is an old, old argument. |
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//A tight, weatherproof seal is not necessary to complete the food for money transaction// |
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Not according to Mukluk, my Innuit friend. He's seen some of those Southern hunters get awfully lonely. |
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I was also tempted to make a comment similar to [suctionpad]'s, but then it occurred to me that this might well speed up the servicing of drive-thrus. (When people pull up too far from the window, often they fumble with their money or try to get out of the car, gumming up the works). |
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Anyhow, since cars idling in drive-thrus contribute to greenhouse gases without getting anywhere, anything that speeds up the process is a good thing for us all. + |
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