Which McDonald’s restaurant first used a drive-through window in 1975?

McDonald’s first drive-through window opened at a restaurant in Sierra Vista, Arizona, in 1975.

The location was near Fort Huachuca, a U.S. Army installation, and the drive-through was created partly to serve soldiers who could not leave their vehicles while wearing military uniforms. The innovation added a new service point to McDonald’s familiar restaurant format.

Drive-through service later became central to the company’s convenience-focused identity. It changed how customers interacted with the brand and influenced restaurant layouts, signs, menu boards, and advertising language.

The Sierra Vista milestone is sometimes confused with the first McDonald’s restaurant, the first franchise, or the first restaurant with Golden Arches. Those are separate events. The 1975 Arizona opening specifically marks the beginning of McDonald’s drive-through history.