Please explain to me why my brilliant idea wouldn’t work/doesn’t exist yet

[Dollywilde]

DH and I do do a ‘big shop’ either online or in the big supermarket, once every 10-14 days or so. Though obviously we need to supplement that with top ups of the basics - bread/milk/eggs/salad bits.

I’ve recently had DD (12 weeks old) and suddenly I’ve realised just how hard it is to ‘pop’ into the shops when we’re driving back from somewhere. It’s one thing when we have a quiet day and I can make ‘going to the Co-Op’ the focus with a walk etc but if I’m on the way back from somewhere the idea of parking up, going to the boot, getting out the pram, assembling it, getting DD out of the car seat, going into the shop, getting what we need, then the whole thing in reverse is just exhausting! Also often DD is asleep in the car and I know the whole process will wake her up whereas sometimes I can sneak her into the house without waking (sometimes!)

So here’s my idea: a drive through, but for basic groceries. Obviously I wouldn’t expect to be able to get complex or fancy stuff but you know when you stop at a petrol station after hours and they serve you from the Perspex window and the shop assistant grabs the basics you need? Like that, but a basic shop with multiple windows like the drive through at McDonald’s etc.

There must be a reason why this doesn’t exist yet. Is it that for most people, parking up and getting out of the car isn’t too tricky? But that’s true of McDonalds drive through and they still exist. I’m sure if there was a market for it it would exist... so MN, tell me, why doesn’t it?

Too time consuming for not enough return, I suspect.

Do you mean click and collect...

I guess I would just go via a petrol station with an M&S!

I don’t think there’d be a market for it.

I think there's too many delivery services covering that type of thing. Like Deliveroo I can get a basic Morrisons shop delivered within an hour.

WithTesco click and collect you can ask for help putting things in your car!

Petrol stations do this around here in the night, seems to work quite well

Click and collect.

When I had babies I invented the idea if a drive thru pharmacy so you can leave the child in their car seat. Would be great about now.

I never used to faff about with all that. Either DD went in the sling or I carried the car seat in. Not seeing the issue.

Ahh but with click and collect it needs to be thought ahead, I’m thinking more that moment when you go ‘damn, I need to pick up milk on the way home’.

Deliveroo etc - a good point. I’ve never done it though as the only options around here have £3+ delivery changes and I can’t justify that for a loaf of bread and some bananas...

Petrol stations - I guess that depends if you’re happy to leave baby in the car - I’m really not yet so I just pay at pump when I need petrol.

@Love51 love the idea of the drive through pharmacy!

When I had a baby who would only sleep in the buggy, and wake up and scream if I stopped pushing for a second (insert how the Jeff did I stay sane emoji) I used to wish there was a cafe window where I could quickly order, then walk up the road and come back 5 mins later and collect it

@Dollywilde

Ahh but with click and collect it needs to be thought ahead, I’m thinking more that moment when you go ‘damn, I need to pick up milk on the way home’.

Deliveroo etc - a good point. I’ve never done it though as the only options around here have £3+ delivery changes and I can’t justify that for a loaf of bread and some bananas...

Petrol stations - I guess that depends if you’re happy to leave baby in the car - I’m really not yet so I just pay at pump when I need petrol.

@Love51 love the idea of the drive through pharmacy!

I guess you'll have to do what the rest of us learned to do then! Which is learn to plan ahead! Or get coffee delivery!

You should move to Milton Keynes, then you can have a robot deliver such things to your door www.instagram.com/starshiprobots/

Good point about utilising the sling more, we use it on walks so not sure why I don’t in the supermarket. Possibly a Covid thing? I’m not wild about taking her into the shop at the moment but all snuggled in her bassinet I feel like she’s quite protected.

@devildeepbluesea you must be stronger than me, or have a better car seat, lugging DD around in it makes me feel like my arm’s dropping off, it’s a strictly car to house manoeuvre. Couldn’t manage to drag her around the shop in it!

I developed rheumatoid arthritis in my 30s. I have often wondered this since. “Popping” isn’t really in my repertoire any more (40s). There are so many demographic groups that would benefit from more things being drive through.

In the States that also have drive through banks. Envious of that too.

Where I live ( not UK) we have drive through off licenses.

You just pull up and they put it in the back seat inc soft mixers and bring the card machine out . Could easily add milk bread etc!

It's too expensive. So like the additional fee for ordering from deliveroo, the costs of this would be high for the company providing it. They'd need people to do the running around getting stuff. Plus logistically, for it to be profitable for them and to avoid waste, they'd need cars coming through constantly. Which increases their costs because they'd need space for those cars to wait and/or to have multiple cars being served at once.

Realistically, deliveroo is the best version of this.

@CandyLeBonBon oh I do, I’m not complaining Was more an idle ‘why doesn’t this exist’ thought while trapped under the sleeping child

I’m a hardened meal planner, but sometimes you just need a top up/one thing right?

But yeah. Sling worked sonetimes. If not, they just had to cry for a bit. When you have more than one you end up having to inconvenience them anyway to accommodate your first. It's early days op. I feel your pain but you'll find a way that works for you you.

@MsRinky that is madness! Immediately on Rightmove to check out MK!

[quote Dollywilde]@CandyLeBonBon oh I do, I’m not complaining Was more an idle ‘why doesn’t this exist’ thought while trapped under the sleeping child

I’m a hardened meal planner, but sometimes you just need a top up/one thing right?[/quote]
I wast being snarky, just a bit tongue in cheek. No offence intended

Ahh but with click and collect it needs to be thought ahead, I’m thinking more that moment when you go ‘damn, I need to pick up milk on the way home’.

When petrol stations switch to night window service, you often see that the cashier has gathered the most commonly requested non-fuel items from around the shop, and at yard then around the till.

You could do that in a slightly bigger and more organised basis in the little drive through office. Like a sub shop.

There are drive thru pharmacies in the US

@SpaceOP I guess that makes sense. But I do think that we are an inherently lazy society and actually a lot of people would choose to drive through for a ‘one or two bits’ shop if it were available, and it would become worthwhile. I wonder if it depends on where you live - I think it’d be more utilised on the outskirts of towns etc rather than in zone 2 London. Maybe even just at service stations?

@Dollywilde stick the car seat in a trolley! Even little stores have the odd trolley!