Big changes might be coming to Culver City's fast-food restaurants, but not everyone is happy about it. Some members of the Southern California community are calling for a ban on new drive-thrus, citing concerns over worsening traffic, poor air quality and dangers to pedestrians and cyclists. The debate began when fast-food chain In-n-Out Burger announced plans for a new restaurant in Culver City near a busy intersection, including a drive-thru. Officials in Culver City approved a temporary 45-day delay on new drive-thru permits and said they were drafting a permanent citywide ban, igniting a heated debate over whether environmental concerns are being pushed too far. If passed, the drive-thru ban would not apply to the city’s eight existing restaurants - only new ones. The proposal comes after an online petition opposing the In-N-Out drive-thru earned hundreds of signatures, with organizers arguing the development would become a magnet for traffic while harming neighborhood air quality. 'Density is inevitable, and development is inevitable. We want to be proactive and smart about it,' Culver City resident Vanessa Martin told Fox 11 Los Angeles.

Supporters of the ban claim the drive-thru would clash with Culver City's long-term vision of becoming a more walkable and bike-friendly community. 'More walkable, bikeable, safer streets for people of all modes, and drive-throughs are the antithesis of that,' said Culver City council member Bubba Fish. But industry experts argue drive-thrus are important not only for fast-food businesses but also for parents with young children, older customers and people with disabilities who may struggle to enter restaurants. 'You’re essentially banning quick-service restaurants without specifically stating that,' said California Restaurant Association president Jot Condie, calling the potential ban 'shortsighted.' And without a drive-thru, a restaurant's business model could suffer.

According to the American Planning Association, about 70 percent of fast-food sales come through drive-thru lanes, making them essential for many storefronts. For some locals, having a drive-thru is also just an easy and quick alternative to entering a restaurant. One Reddit user said, 'I wouldn't be opposed to this if there was just better parking.' 'The alternative is a bigger parking lot which is arguably a worse use of space, more chaotic and more likely to result in accidents than their highly organized and efficient drive-thrus,' another Reddit user noted. Another added that 'in principle,' banning drive-thrus sounds great.

In practice, however, it would only cause problems for businesses and locals. 'Building enough parking for all these establishments that want to come into your city isn’t practical even if they rely on a bunch of their revenue from delivery,' they said. The proposed In-N-Out would be the first newly approved drive-thru in Culver City since 1997, featuring more than 60 parking spaces and a drive-thru that would accommodate over two dozen vehicles. Drive-thru restrictions are not unusual in California - Culver City already prohibits them in its downtown district, while cities including Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo enforced similar bans for decades.

More recently, Carlsbad relaxed its longstanding restrictions to allow some projects to be reviewed individually. The Culver City Council is expected to decide whether to extend its temporary moratorium while staff complete work on the proposed ordinance. Any permanent ban would still require additional public review before a final vote. In-n-Out continues to be a favorite fast food spot of West Coast locals, with the company announcing new restaurants coming to New Mexico in 2027. As of 2026, In-N-Out has already expanded significantly, with more than 430 locations across California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, Washington and Tennessee.