Best U.S. Cities for Drive-Thru

For drive-thru fans, Indianapolis should be the top of the list of U.S. cities to visit, as it comes out on top as the Drive-Thru Capital of America, according to a new report from Chrysler Capital. With a high score of 68.5 out of a possible 100 based on access to drive-thru restaurants, drive-in cinemas, number of gas stations and overall traffic congestion, the city is a must-visit for those looking for the ultimate drive-thru experience. 

San Antonio, Texas, follows closely behind Indianapolis in second place with a score of 66.3. As well as the drive-thru restaurants and drive-in cinemas the city offers, San Antonio is also home to a drive-thru zoo experience, where visitors can explore the Asian Rainforest, Wild Australia and Big Cat Valley all from the comfort of their car.

Louisville (62.2), Phoenix (61.4) and Las Vegas (61.3) also make it into the top five cities for drive-thru activities in the U.S.

The five best cities for drive-thrus in the U.S. are:

Rank

City

State

Total Score

1

Indianapolis

Indiana

68.5

2

San Antonio

Texas

66.3

3

Louisville

Kentucky

62.2

4

Phoenix

Arizona

61.4

5

Las Vegas

Nevada

61.3

Which cities are home to the best drive-thru and drive-in entertainment?

When it comes to drive-thru activities, we can also think about the vast variety of drive-thru restaurants available. In terms of the best cities for drive-thru restaurants alone, Phoenix is top of the list, scoring full marks (25.0) for the number of restaurants it has in the local area. Greek, Chinese, Mexican, Asian, Thai and Cantonese cuisines, amongst others, feature within the 400+ drive-thru restaurants located there.

San Antonio follows in second (21.2) for this metric, with reports indicating that the number of drive-thru restaurants in the city has seen a swift increase as businesses found new ways to operate at the start of the pandemic. 

In addition to taking the top score overall, Indianapolis also scores full marks for its number of drive-in cinemas, with Louisville, Columbus and Detroit all coming tied with a score of 21.9.