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Drive Thru Dining
updated: Jul 20, 2011, 7:35 PM

Where are the best drive thrus in town? Mostly curious about Carpinteria through Goleta. Seems most fast food joints are sit down places.

Places People Are Talking About:

Zizzo's	Carl's Jr	IN-N-OUT Burger
McDonalds	The Habit

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 194806	2011-07-20 07:47 PM
in n out burger
COMMENT 194811	2011-07-20 07:52 PM
Fairview near Hollister is a Mc Donalds, and Cliff and Carrillo also has a Mc Donalds. On Calle Real, in goleta, there is a Carls Junior. At Hollister and Storke there is a jack in the box...lots of places have quick take out too...
COMMENT 194812	2011-07-20 07:57 PM
on TURNPIKE!
COMMENT 194815P	2011-07-20 08:02 PM
in goleta!!
COMMENT 194817	2011-07-20 08:12 PM
Driveins should be outlawed.
COMMENT 194818	2011-07-20 08:13 PM
The banks on upper State that keep getting robbed
COMMENT 194821P	2011-07-20 08:19 PM
Nothing in Carp, try wendys old town goleta
COMMENT 194822	2011-07-20 08:27 PM
817 - yes, those horrible drive-in movie theaters are a menace to our quiet little town! In-n-Out is the best for sure. Jack In The Box on upper State?
COMMENT 194832	2011-07-20 08:55 PM
It's funny, the Japanese think we are disgusting because we eat in our cars. They would not care to find a stow away french fry between the seats weeks later.
COMMENT 194837	2011-07-20 09:26 PM
817, Why?
MTNDRIVER	2011-07-20 10:05 PM
Wasn't there a moratorium on drive-thrus some time ago? Something about all those cars waiting in line with their engines running? I've seen the line at In 'n' Out at Turnpike about 15 cars long before. Faster to park it and go inside. And your car doesn't end up smelling of onions if you eat inside, either.
COMMENT 194844P	2011-07-20 10:35 PM
I've never gotten the In-n-Out Burger obsession. I guess you need to have grown up in L.A. There was a ban on them at one time and they are still banned in Santa Barbara city limits. Not sure how it came to pass that the County started allowing them.
COMMENT 194845P	2011-07-20 10:38 PM
Carl's Jr on calle real in Goleta. In-N-Out is a nightmare of a wait. Don't even try to go there on your lunch hour.
COMMENT 194846P	2011-07-20 10:40 PM
There's a Burger King on upper State st.
COMMENT 194867	2011-07-21 07:05 AM
I'm at the Taco Bell, I'm at the Pizza Hut I'm at the combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.
COMMENT 194868	2011-07-21 07:10 AM
Best Drive Thru's; Radio Shack Rite Aid Pharmacy Garage, 3700 Block of Hitchcock The Frame Shop Just make sure your insurance is paid up first!
COMMENT 194871	2011-07-21 07:18 AM
There is no accounting for taste.
COMMENT 194873	2011-07-21 07:22 AM
868 -- don't forget the Stop and Shop!
COMMENT 194875	2011-07-21 07:24 AM
In & Out Burger (Turnpike and Calle Real); Jack in the Box (E. Haley in SB) and Hollister (near KMart in Goleta); Carl's Jr on Calle Real in Goleta, Burger King on upper State St. So. Santa Barbara County doesn't approve much of drive-throughs. You can buy food & eat in your car at almost every fast food place - Taco Bell is one of my favorites.
COMMENT 194887	2011-07-21 07:45 AM
867- Haha!!! I LOVE that song! Couldn't help myself not to turn it up while at the one in Buellton. 844- I grew up in LA and find it to be more of an appreciation than an obsession. Let me know where else you can get something comparable to their burgers (grilled cheese no onions for me please!) and fries smothered in spread. I consider it to be a special treat every once in a while. I do know people who despise the fries though... more for me! :)
COMMENT 194890	2011-07-21 07:51 AM
Zizzo's in IV (for coffee)
COMMENT 194913	2011-07-21 08:45 AM
SB City won't allow any new drive thru's to be built but if you take over an existing one its ok. Don't understand the SB snobbery against drive thru's, its not like there would be one on every block if not for that law. I don't eat fast food anyway so it doesn't bother me, but to me its just another ridiculous SB thing where we're trying too hard to not be a big city. Although I don't mind the ban on billboards, that's fine by me.
COMMENT 194924P	2011-07-21 08:58 AM
If it's a drive thru I drive by.
COMMENT 194939	2011-07-21 09:19 AM
844P: I grew up on the east coast - I love In & Out, my bf likes it, his best friend loves it, and I know my family likes to go there when they come out. No, it's not just an LA thing. It's good food made fresh. The fries aren't my favorite fry (but much better smothered in spread, or animal style), but I love the grilled cheese (no tomato).
COMMENT 194947P	2011-07-21 09:35 AM
In a recent test McDonalds was found to have the most preservatives in the meat. In and Out came out with the best scores.
COMMENT 194955	2011-07-21 09:51 AM
I miss White Castle. Somehow, I can't see one opening here. 24 hour murder burgers. With jalapenos.
ABOMB	2011-07-21 09:56 AM
Now that I have a baby, I wish there were more drive-thrus in town because they are super convenient and I don't have to take my little one out of the car. What I really wish we had was a Starbucks drive-thru!
RAYGOLD	2011-07-21 10:08 AM
Unfortunately many do not appreciate the convenience that a parent would find in having drive through food places, banks, etc. They also do not appreciate those that may have a hard time getting around but can drive a car. They want to tell private enterprise that they can not do something rather than let the free markets dictate whether folks would appreciate drive-through facilities. I know they have never had 2 small children in car seats and realize the hassle it is to do their banking or to get a meal.
COMMENT 194973	2011-07-21 10:30 AM
There's a drive thru at McD's on the Mesa. Jack in the Box on Milpas, and likely a few others. I vote for drive thru Starbucks too!!!
COMMENT 195003	2011-07-21 11:40 AM
I feel your pain as we don't have ANY drive thrus in San Luis Obispo. I'm a vegetarian but I like the convenience of being able to drive through for a cold drink etc. In my meat eating days In and Out was my fave. Ask for pickles. They have the best pickles but they don't put them on their burgers unless you have. Oooo...and a neopolitan shake. Mmmmm...
COMMENT 195019	2011-07-21 12:31 PM
In N Out might be popular and I must say the burgers are tasty, but they sure do skimp on the meat. You have to get a Double Double just to have any.
COMMENT 195041	2011-07-21 01:00 PM
I've switched from In & Out to Wendy's in Goleta (Hollister) they have a great burger and seasoned fries. mmm, I'm getting hungry.
COMMENT 195049P	2011-07-21 01:30 PM
867: Where is there a Pizza Hut? I didn't know we had any after the one on De La Vina closed.
COMMENT 195070P	2011-07-21 02:28 PM
I think that Carl's Jr that opened recently right at the Reynolds off-ramp in Carp is a drive-thru. It isn't easy to get to though...you have to turn left on Carp Ave then left again into a poorly signed, long driveway. My favorite drive-thrus (for service and ease) are Carl's Jr on Calle Real in Goleta and Wendy's in Old Town Goleta. Both are FAST, and these two have the best fast food (including the best fries). McDonald's on Fairview in Goleta and Burger King on Upper State both have pretty efficient drive thrus. My list of worst drive-thrus has one huge name at the top, and the rest are way down the bottom. IN 'N OUT BURGER SUCKS. Unless you like waiting 30+ minutes for absolutely the worst hamburger and fries that you will ever eat. Just mind-blowingly horrible. If you have never been there, save yourself the double stomach ache that you will get, first from waiting forever in line and then from digesting their swill. Don't listen to the brainwashed faithful...they wouldn't know a good burger if it was shoved down their throat. Other BAD drive-thrus (for service and ease only): --every single Jack-in-the-Box. Park and go in. Trust me. --McDonalds on the Mesa. Perhaps the WORST service of any fast-food restaurant NOT named In-n-Out.
COMMENT 195077P	2011-07-21 02:41 PM
Beavis and Butt-head go to a drive-in theater, and blow up the drive-thru bathrooms in episode 18. Classic.
COMMENT 195084P	2011-07-21 03:12 PM
I miss the drive-thru Dunkin Donuts of the east coast. And the drive-thru liquor stores in the south.
COMMENT 195085	2011-07-21 03:16 PM
70P, I can't believe you eat at those other places but slander In and Out. I guess service and ease are more important to some than quality.
COMMENT 195089	2011-07-21 03:44 PM
As a mom to 2 young kids, I wish there were more drive through options! It is so difficult to get them in and out of cars and keep them from crying too (the people who don't want drive-thrus would probably be the same ones giving the stink-eye to a mother with crying kids). Not to mention when the kids pass out asleep in the car and you're starving! We need more for banks, pharmacies and STARBUCKS! Zizzo's for coffee is ok, but not Starbucks. The Zizzo's pastries are NOT good. Oh, they aren't in IV either - it's Storke near Phelps. Love In n Out and haven't had to wait more than 15 mins at peak lunchtimes.
MTNDRIVER	2011-07-21 04:24 PM
@913, it's not about snobbery, it's about air pollution! Cars idling while people are waiting waiting for their food (or at the bank drive-ups) are wasting fuel and spewing exhaust. I don't think engines don't run as efficiently at idle speeds, either. My personal bias is that cars are for transportation, not for waiting in lines.
COMMENT 195111P	2011-07-21 05:09 PM
195085 - yes, quick and easy service is the WHOLE POINT of a drive thru, which you NEVER get at In 'n Out during normal meal times. As far as quality goes, I think I made myself clear when I said that In 'n Out's food STINKS. Their fries are tasteless and their burgers aren't much better. I would happily eat a Wendy's double or a Carl's Super Star over In 'n Out any day. One of my new favorites is McDonalds Quarter Pounder with leaf lettuce and tomato added. Keep in mind we are only talking about Drive Thrus. There are plenty of other non-Drive Thru establishments with much better burgers. And Burger Bus ain't one of them.
COMMENT 195112P	2011-07-21 05:11 PM
I agree with 070P. If In-n-Out's food was good, I'd get it. But the food is unbelievably bad. I'd rather go to The Habit and get a real burger and fries than go than sit in a line at In-n-Out any day. That said, I do get the convenience issue for parents and other folks. I've had health issues before that made drive-throughs convenient during that time. I'm not against them, I just don't get the whole cult of In-n-Out thing.
COMMENT 195139	2011-07-21 06:26 PM
I love how people want to ban drive-thrus due to "too many idling vehicles". Multiply all the cars in the world by all the stop signs and stoplights and railroad crossings and crosswalks in the world and I think it's easy to see that drive-thrus account for less than .000000000000000000000000000001% of all vehicle idling and their impact on air quality and/or carbon emissions equates to less than zero for all intents and purposes. People just like to ban stuff so they feel important and like they're "making a difference" even when they're not.
COMMENT 195146	2011-07-21 06:37 PM
Its actually more pollution to stop and start the car again then it is just to idle in a drive through! do your homework before you make comments....
COMMENT 195200P	2011-07-21 10:09 PM
Right on, 146!
COMMENT 195314P	2011-07-22 09:49 AM
844P: In n Out Burger was the ONE fast-food place that got a pretty good "review" in the book Fast Food Nation. It's family owned, they treat their employees well, the quality control of their food from slaughter (sorry!) to bun is better than any of the other burger drive throughs; whole potatoes are cut and cooked right behind the counter. It's the ONLY fast-food burger place my family goes to.
COMMENT 195333P	2011-07-22 10:20 AM
146, the general rule of thumb is that if you are going to be idling for more than 30 seconds, it's better to turn off your car and restart. Many drive-thrus involve a longer wait than 30 seconds. That being said, I love drive thrus. : )
COMMENT 222690P	2011-10-14 12:07 PM
In-N-Out Burger is the exact reason that there are laws against drive-thrus in Santa Barbara. The line is very long all the time and all those cars have their engines running constantly. The poor employee who has to stand in the lot next to this air pollution taking orders is probably suffering lung damage every shift he/she works.