For many Americans, grabbing fast food means making one quick decision before even ordering: go inside or hit the drive-thru? According to a CivicScience poll of more than 20K respondents, among those who eat fast food, 64% say they usually use the drive-thru, while 36% say they prefer going inside the restaurant.

Preferences are fairly consistent across generations, though Gen X adults are the most likely to favor the drive-thru, while Baby Boomers and Gen Z show a slight preference for going inside. Men are significantly more likely than women to go into the restaurant, whereas women are more likely to use the drive-thru. Middle-income households are the most likely to prefer the drive-thru, while those earning under $50K annually are more likely to go inside. Regionally, those living in the South are most likely to go inside, while Midwesterners show the strongest preference for the drive-thru.

But demographics aren’t the only thing separating drive-thru users from dine-in customers. CivicScience data reveal several notable differences in food preferences and habits:

• Ranch vs. Italian: Those who use the drive-thru are five points more likely to say they prefer ranch dressing over Italian dressing.
• Best fries: A majority (53%) of drive-thru users say McDonald’s has the best fries, compared to 47% of those who usually go inside.
• Late-night food: Those who go inside the restaurant are more likely to say their favorite late-night option is eating food from their fridge, while drive-thru users are more likely to choose fast food.
• Favorite junk food: Those who go inside lead in favoring ice cream as their favorite junk food, whereas drive-thru users are more likely to choose chips.
• Eating in the car: 43% of drive-thru users say they allow others to eat in their car, compared to 32% of those who typically go inside the restaurant.

Whether it’s convenience, habit, or simply avoiding the line inside, most Americans appear to prefer the drive-thru experience. But the data suggest that this small everyday choice also connects to broader food habits, preferences, and even how comfortable people are treating their car like a dining room.

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This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights.