I want to start a revolution for businesses everywhere to start offering curbside or drive-thru service. There are often times I’d like to quickly run into a store to buy one or two items. However, as a mom with a preschooler and baby, “quickly” rarely works.
There are times I’m lacking just one ingredient for dinner. Sometimes I just have a hankering (is that a real word?!) for chewing gum. Just recently I needed to pick up card-stock and safety pins at an office supply store for an upcoming consignment sale. But, you know what? Besides our weekly grocery store outing, I rarely go into a store when I have kids with me.
[pinit]
A normal person could run in and out of a store in 4 minutes flat. But as a mom with young children, it takes muuuuch longer.
There’s unbuckling, baby-wearing, hand-holding, and sometimes reprimanding. Not to mention the constant teachable moments *ahem* that we don’t buy candy and toys just because they’re sitting by the register. Then there’s the blazing summer heat added to the mix. My kids and I look like a disheveled mess after it all!
It’s just not worth the effort for a couple of items.
It’s certainly not the businesses fault. They don’t know I would have gone in if I didn’t have my kids with me. They don’t know they are loosing the business of moms with small children.
There’s an easy solution though: curbside drop-off or a drive-thru window! I bet their business would double.
Lest you think I’m complaining, let me assure you that I’m not. I just see a need and found a solution. I’m putting it out there and hoping businesses will capitalize on the idea.
The companies will benefit financially.
Moms will benefit by keeping some of their sanity.
I mean why should fast-food chains be the only ones to utilize the drive-thru window?
Question: Am I the only one who see the need for drive-thru or curbside service? When is the last time you passed up buying something you needed because you had kids in the car?
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I have thought of this same thing so many times!
I am also a mom of a toddler and a baby. I rarely go to a store with both kids! Where I live we have one convenient store that offers a drive thru window. Also some dry cleaners have a drive thru. I love the idea I’d get so much done!
I have said the same thing many times since I had my son 2 years ago. I have found that some places will bring things to the curb if you call ahead (the yummy gourmet cupcake place :) and even the place I take my dogs for grooming started advertising curbside service (even if you just don’t want to get out because it’s raining!) after I called ahead several times so I didn’t have to get my son out. Both of these instances are with locally owned business’ and I think that makes a difference too. They want to take care of you so you will come back!
I was just telling my momma friends this very same thing!
Great post! :)
Great idea.
I totally agree!
You are not alone with three under six I will only got if I need a LOT of stuff!
I am celebrating at my house because my baby is starting kindergarten in 3 weeks and I will be doing errands child free. When she wasa a baby I used the Braums drive thru for milk and then they stopped letting you do that. Braums is a fast food restaurant with a fresh market inside – dairy, fresh produce and meats. I LOVED using the drive thru when I had a sleeping baby or not sleeping. Its almost impossible to carry an infant AND a bag of groceries to the car and open the door.
Totally agree! I have been saying the same thing ever since I became a Mom four years ago, and now I have two with number three on the way! Drive thru stores for sure!
Love your post – I so agree!
This is a great idea! So many times I have several errands to run and hate to keep getting my child out of the car 50 times just to go into the store for 5 minutes or so…We’ve both about had it at the end of the errand running..:)
The library where I work has a drive-up window for reserved items. The library closer to my house, where I tend to take my son to browse, does not. If I reserve items at the library close to home, 9 times out of 10 I’ll forget to pick them up because I keep trying to wait until I can just “run out” without the kiddo, which of course doesn’t happen. All libraries should have drive-up windows!
AMEN!
I am a homeschool mom. I am so blessed that I can order library books online and then pick them up at the drive thru window there. It is in a former bank building.
What a blessing! I’m just thankful for the book drop-off outside…perhaps I should suggest the drive through window to my library :)