The Weird Things People Order at Fast-Food Drive-Thrus
By Kristin Hunt
Credit: DUSTIN DOWNING/THRILLIST
If you’re a waiter or bartender, you’ve seen your fair share of horrors (which you can find chronicles of here and here). But the brave souls manning the headset at fast-food chains aren’t any safer, even if they have a wall separating them from the customers. With the help of several Redditors and a rogue live source, we unearthed some of the most horrific and hilarious things ever ordered in a drive-thru lane. Remember, folks: McDonald’s does not cater weddings.
More: Chain Restaurant Workers Reveal What You Should Never Order
Credit: FLICKR/SIMON D
The 12-Splenda coffee
“I worked at Dunkin’ Donuts in high school and the weirdest drive-thru request I ever got was a large iced coffee filled 1/3 of the way with half and half and with 12 Splendas. Never mind that it’s the most nauseatingly asinine coffee order I’ve ever heard, I also had to open and pour 12 individual Splenda packets. That order held up the entire line.” – Sarah A.
5 McChickens, hold the chicken
“I used to work at a McDonalds and one time I had a chick order five McChickens… without the chicken patty. Just five sandwiches with mayo and lettuce. She then sat right down and ate all of them as I looked on horrified.” – wixom92
Canadian lamb
"My roommate works at Tim Hortons, and told me that someone came through the drive-thru the other day asking for a lamb sandwich.” – Laurotica
Cheese, please
“Some guy in drive thru wanted a slice of cheese. Just by itself.” – nkolmj
More: The Healthiest Order at Every Major Fast-Food Chain
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What’s in the box?
"My mate works at McDonald’s. I got a call from him a while ago at like 11pm. He’d just finished serving a customer, and he said he had to tell someone. This customer had asked for a Bacon Double Cheeseburger or something, but without the bacon, the cheese, the relish, the burger, or the bread. My friend said ’… so you don’t want anything?’ The guy replied, ‘No, I want a Bacon Double Cheeseburger, but I don’t want the bacon, the cheese, the relish, the burger, or the bread.’ Apparently the guy was completely serious. My friend gave him an empty burger box, the guy paid full price for the burger, took the box and left the restaurant.” – banginchoonz
Dog treats
"When I worked at Arby’s, there was a guy who came through the drive thru regularly who would order a roast beef sandwich, no bun. He gave the roast beef to his chihuahua. There was a vegetarian who’d come to McDonald’s when I worked there and order a Big Mac with no meat, but extra tomatoes. I tried it once and it was pretty tasty.” – IfWishezWereFishez
Horse treats
“I work in a fast food outlet in Ireland. One night at approximately 2am a middle aged man arrived into the shop very drunk. Not only that but he was on top of a horse he had stolen from a nearby field. He arrived up to the counter and demanded ‘A portion of chips there, and something for the horse!’. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life.” – chromaticharmony
Kids’ (condiment) cup
“I worked at a Burger King when I was a teen in the 90’s and an upperclassmen girl I knew ordered a kid’s size cup of mayonnaise with her small Whopper Jr. meal. Not only is mayo bad for you, but BK’s mayo is some other worldly type of jiggly jello/lard substance that’s much, much worse.” – TrenBandon
More: How to Squeeze the Absolute Most Out of $5 at Wendy’s, Chipotle, and More
Credit: FLICKR/YOUNG SOK YUN
Pasta by Dave Thomas
"When I worked at Wendy’s, a man came through the drive through and ordered a ‘Large Spaghetti’” – TheGiraffeRider
Mega munchies
"Not me personally but a buddy of mine at Jack in the Box had a guy order 70 tacos and 45 chicken sandwiches.” – Philster08
Raw onions
“Couple of occasions at In-N-Out: 1. Girl with her boyfriend orders a cheeseburger, extra whole grilled onions, no lettuce, extra tomato, extra spread on the top bun, medium rare, with an extra toasted bun. Also, a double double animal style well done ketchup Inst, protein style with animal fries ketchup instead with raw chopped onion instead of grilled. 2. The other day a guy thought he could come through and order over 40 cheeseburgers during the rush. We had him come inside to wait for it. 3. In the dining room, guy wanted a double double with all types of onions (whole grilled, grilled, raw, raw chopped) extra everything. Literally impossible to wrap, too big.” – samblamthankyoumam
Christmas tea
“On Christmas day, someone ordered 30 large Unsweet teas (at a McDonalds). On a normal day, we sell a dozen or two (not including half-unsweet tea orders). Because of the sheer absurdity, and the fact it was Christmas day, that is probably the most memorable order I have ever seen.” – TehWildMan_
Double cheeseburger, chicken, or fish?
“99 double cheeseburgers from McDonalds for a wedding reception. They were serious.”– universitygirlsays
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