Drive-thru or park it? What's best for the environment & fuel economy?

[Toucano]

I've received conflicting information about this question which falls into two arguments.

1. Every minute of idling you can eliminate is good for the environment and your fuel economy. At the pharmacy, bank, restaurant, etc. parking the car and walking in is the "greenest" thing to do. The little bit of exercise is a bonus.

2. Starting and stopping the engine of the car releases more carbons and takes more fuel than idling for a couple of minutes. Unless the line is really long, you're better off using the drive-thru.

Anyone care to weigh in?

[unpossibles]

1. I've heard that idling uses more gas than starting if for more than a minute

although that is old info, and may not be accurate. Most likely, newer cars start fairly efficiently. Constant starting could also be bad for other wear parts, like the starter motor.

[LiberalFighter]

2. Except when does a drive thru take just a couple of minutes?

[Toucano]

3. For fast food restaurants, the average wait time is 192.5 seconds.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_50_39/ai_n15950991

So that does speak to the first argument being more accurate.

[LiberalFighter]

11. Gee most time if I go thru drive thru it takes longer than that.

And that's when the line is short. I am waiting for the person to take my order. I am waiting in some cases for the person to take my money.
I am waiting at least a minute if not much more when I reach the pick up window.

All that takes more than 3 minutes. Bordering closer to 10 minutes.

[frazzled]

4. Except in a hybrid car

When you idle in a hybrid the gas engine shuts off and you are working on the electric battery only. This has an effect not only on fuel but on emissions--I believe you are emitting zero emissions while idling.

[soothsayer]

5. starting and stopping cars with CARBURETORS used more gas. Fuel injected cars don't.

Look at hybrid cars. They turn off their engines at stop lights. If idling were more efficient they wouldn't use an 'idle stop' feature.

[tridim]

6. I always shut down the engine if I can tell the drive thru is slow

Sometimes it's possible to just coast through the entire line.

Sonic (my fave) is really cool because if the driver line is long, you can just park in the drive up bays and shut down the car while waiting for your food.

[jdadd]

7. I know in Germany

In the larger Citys (Frankfurt,Munich,) they require you to shut off your engine when stopped at traffic lights. I think this is more for the benefit of pedestrians.

[taterguy]

8. Depends on the vehicle :)

[TlalocW]

9. I was always told if the wait is going to be over 2 minutes

Shut off the car. Also, on really cold days, I don't let the car "warm up" more than a minute because driving it will get the heat and everything working faster.

TlalocW

[ramapo]

10. I hate drive-thrus

For the most part, people idle for more than a minute and waste fuel while polluting the air.

Even worse, the drive-thru just enforces the overall lazy factor. Park the car, smell the air, get out of the steel cocoon.

[yurbud]

12. either. If you are going to a fast food restaurant, you will die sooner and therefore release less

pollutants since you will have a shorter life to do your polluting.

[Toucano]

13. That's a very good way of looking at it. :) n/t