For millions of Americans, grabbing breakfast or coffee from a fast-food drive-thru is an ordinary part of the morning routine — but not long ago, ordering a meal without leaving the car was a novelty.So how did the drive-thru go from a novel idea to an everyday staple?Convenience and an "on-the-go" lifestyle are two big factors, according to Capri Cafaro, the creator, executive producer and host of "America the Bountiful."MORE AMERICANS NOW EAT IN THEIR CARS THAN EVER BEFORE AS EXPERT REVEALS WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT MODERN LIFECafaro spoke with Fox News Digital about how and why the drive-thru, particularly drive-thru breakfast, became a daily ritual for many Americans.The modern drive-thru is reflective of America's convenience and on-the-go lifestyle.(Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)There is some debate over which restaurant pioneered the drive-thru concept.West Coast chain In-N-Out Burger is widely credited with creating the first drive-thru, debuting a two-way intercom drive-thru system in California in 1948.AMERICA'S LATE-NIGHT FAST-FOOD CULTURE MAY BE MAKING A COMEBACK — HERE'S WHYHowever, Cafaro and other news publications, maintain that Springfield, Mo., restaurant Red's Giant Hamburg (the word "hamburger" reportedly didn't fit on the sign) actually introduced the drive-thru concept in 1947, narrowly beating In-N-Out.Regardless of which establishment first created it, the drive-thru emerged at a time when Americans' relationship with the automobile was rapidly changing.In-N-Out is said to have introduced the drive-thru concept in 1948, although a food historian claims it was started a year earlier at a Missouri restaurant.
(Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)During the mid-20th century, the country saw a surge in automobile usage due to the growth of suburbs and the rise of highways, particularly the interstate system and Route 66, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in November.More people took to the roads, not just ...