A Systems Perspective on Drive-Through Trip Generation in Transportation Planning

Drive-through establishments are becoming increasingly prominent in urban transport systems; however, their impacts on traffic generation, spatial form, and sustainability remain insufficiently understood. Conventional trip generation manuals often rely on static predictors, such as gross floor area, which can misrepresent demand in high-turnover, convenience-driven contexts and fail to capture operational, behavioral, and environmental effects. This knowledge gap underscores the need for an integrated framework that supports both effective planning and congestion mitigation, particularly in cities experiencing rapid motorization and shifting mobility behaviors. This study investigated the evolving dynamics in trip generation associated with drive-through services and their influence on urban development patterns. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a systematic literature review, meta-analysis of queue data, cross-comparison of trip generation rates from international and Asian datasets, and case-based scenario modeling. The results revealed that drive-throughs intensify high-frequency, impulse-driven vehicle trips, thereby causing congestion, reducing pedestrian accessibility, and reinforcing auto-centric land use configurations, while also enhancing consumer convenience and commercial efficiency. This study contributes to the literature by synthesizing inconsistencies in regional datasets; introducing a systems-based framework that integrates structural, behavioral, and environmental determinants with road network topology; and outlining policy applications that align trip generation with zoning, design standards, and sustainable infrastructure planning.