Tucker bans new drive-thru restaurants | What you need to know

TUCKER, Ga. - The Tucker City Council approved a zoning amendment that bans new drive-through restaurants in several districts and tightens where the use is allowed elsewhere, permanently replacing a temporary moratorium that began in February.

The backstory:

Since February, Tucker has been under a moratorium on approving new drive-through facilities to allow officials time to review zoning policies. That moratorium expired with Monday night’s vote.

What we know:

Under the change, drive-through restaurants are now a prohibited use in the areas around downtown Tucker, the Northlake area, along Lawrenceville Highway, and other mixed-use districts. In other areas, a new drive-through restaurants now require a special land use permit, which previously was not required.

The ordinance also updates definitions for "drive-through facility" and "drive-through restaurant," reflecting staff concerns about proliferation and the need to align development with the city’s comprehensive plan and special zoning districts. 

What they're saying:

Supporters of tighter rules cited congestion, particularly along Lawrenceville Highway, where vehicles in drive-through queues can spill into travel lanes. City leaders framed the changes as part of a broader effort to promote walkable neighborhoods while balancing commercial growth with mobility and safety.

Public comment showed divisions. A Tucker resident said, "You’ve had a McDonald’s and a Wendy’s pushed further away towards residential, away from the highway, that failed, right? You saw a, I think there was a Hardee’s over on Mountain Industrial in front of the school system. It failed because it wasn’t further down in those high commercial areas."

Council member Vinh Nguyen said, "Plenty of examples of cities, countries, states that don’t have any drive-thru, they work just fine. They have McDonald’s, they have Burger King, you go to Europe, anywhere, you will see they do not need drive-throughs to operate."

What's next:

The ordinance immediately replaces the expired moratorium, setting new rules for future drive-through proposals.