McDonald's opened its first drive-through restaurant in 1975.
The restaurant was in Sierra Vista, Arizona, near Fort Huachuca. It was designed to serve soldiers who could not easily leave their vehicles while wearing military clothing, making the drive-through especially practical for that location.
Drive-through service later became a central part of McDonald's operating model. It allowed customers to order and collect food without entering the restaurant, supporting fast service and making roadside locations more convenient for motorists.
The 1975 opening is sometimes confused with McDonald's earlier drive-in or carhop history. McDonald's restaurants had served customers in parking areas before, but the Sierra Vista site is widely identified as the company's first dedicated drive-through operation.