Buying a Big Mac at the drive-thru in downtown Dallas may soon be a thing of the past.
City officials appear prepared to deny renewal of a special use permit for a McDonald's in the city center. We are not surprised that this is an issue being discussed. Downtowns have been changing for a while now, and drive-thrus are not part of the walkable urban model most of us want for our central cities.
However, we are asking city officials to be flexible regarding this drive-thru. This isn't just about what we want downtown to be, it's about what downtown will become. And it's not just about who lives downtown, it's also about who works here. Yes, over the past decade, the central business district has transformed into the central living district. And most people who choose to live downtown want a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly location. But downtown is also the workplace for many people who take advantage of easy, low-cost places to eat at odd hours. That includes thousands of hotel workers who travel to and from downtown before dawn and after dark. Downtown Dallas has 35 hotels, said Jennifer Scripps, CEO of Downtown Dallas. We worry that in the name of urban progress, a firm no from the city will leave these workers without convenient and affordable food options.
The city could propose alternatives, such as allowing drive-through operations before or after regular business hours. This would solve concerns about traffic congestion and at the same time help many shift workers.
McDonald's has operated the drive-thru with a special use permit since 2000, the Dallas Business Journal reported. Back when “Downtown is Dead” was the catchphrase, there was no fight over drive-thrus.
That tagline hasn't been true for years. Downtown currently has 14,800 residents, but will soon reach 20,000, Scripps said. With the AT&T Discovery District, new parks, and an increase in hotels and restaurants, the area is benefiting from tourism with a surge in business and weekend leisure travelers. This changing landscape will only continue when the Greyhound bus stop across the street from McDonald's closes later this year and the new Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is rebuilt.
Melissa Kingston, who represents Downtown District 14 on the City Planning Commission, said she would not recommend renewing the special use permit. She last recommended reopening in 2021 to give the restaurant time to transition to a different model, she said. The voting date has not yet been determined, but it is expected to be held sometime this year.
Naturally, franchisees who have started a social media campaign do not want to change their existing business model.
That's a difficult decision. It's time for a change. But that change can be managed in a way that softens the impact on the people we believe downtown people rely on and rely on for convenient, inexpensive snacks.
Drive-thrus won't be a long-term part of downtown's future. But while this area of downtown changes, it makes sense to give people a little more time to adapt. It's a small consideration for people traveling to and from work while we stay at home.
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