Fast food frequencies

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Joe1123

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OK, it's a little weird, but I wouldn't mind plugging in some fast food frequencies to listen in. I remember getting them over my scanner back in the old days. Can you still pick these places up? There are a bunch of them right down the road from me. Where would I look for the frequencies? Didn't see anything here, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. I'm in Monroe County, NY. Thanks.
 

KB7MIB

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That is an old list. I once had a list of every fast food drive through frequency pair within a couple miles radius myself.

Today, most of them are using propriety digital technology in the 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and/or 5.6 GHz bands. They're unmonitorable now. (They may be using DECT 6.0, like modern cordless phones, but I don't know if a cordless phone could be modified to listen in.)

You might get lucky and find one or two that are still monitorable, but don't be too disappointed if you don't.

John
Peoria, AZ
 

flythunderbird

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It might be slim pickings on the drive-throughs ... most of them have gone to spread spectrum headset systems, which can't be monitored by scanners. But give it a try - you never know what you might find. Here's a list of common itinerant and business frequencies that are/were used by drive-throughs:

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Common_Itinerant_and_Business

You might even try just turning on the close call/signal stalker function on your scanner and seeing what it captures.

Another thing you might consider is scanning other retail establishments ... they often use the same range of frequencies, even FRS radios in some cases.

I had a lot of fun listening to fast food joints back in the day!
 

DHAS12

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The only fast food drive thru left to listen to in my area is Wendys on 457.5125. All the others have moved on to digital or other bands. You might get lucky though and find something.
 

NParkNJ

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I can currently monitor the Wendy’s in Pompton Lakes, NJ. 464.0125/469.0125

No tone(CTCSS/DPL).

464 is the window(where employees are),

And 469 is drive up order screen.

Actually was surprised in range. Heard them all the way from Wayne.

I’ve tried listening to McDonald’s, BK, Starbucks, all to no avail.

Tried CC, custom search, individual bands. No luck. I’m guessing something higher up in the frequency range, or FHSS.


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captainmax1

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There's a longtime Burger King down here that still uses the old analog frequencies. Not too many left that are audible but keeping an analog radio running on the slide, you might come across anything as I do.
 

NParkNJ

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There's a longtime Burger King down here that still uses the old analog frequencies. Not too many left that are audible but keeping an analog radio running on the slide, you might come across anything as I do.



What’s the frequency(ies) for it? I’ll see if they work at any of the BK’s here. Or if it’s something similar.


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pinballwiz86

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Ah..good memories of my first scanner. I would drive around town trying to see if I could pick up any drive thru frequencies. There was only one that I could pick up. But it was a STRONG signal! I could receive it from my house which was 2 miles away from the KFC. Sadly, the KFC is not there anymore. The new fast food place replaced the equipment and all is silent. Such is the state of things.
 

krokus

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Today, most of them are using propriety digital technology in the 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and/or 5.6 GHz bands. They're unmonitorable now. (They may be using DECT 6.0, like modern cordless phones, but I don't know if a cordless phone could be modified to listen in.)

At a McD's near me, I saw the system they are using, and used some Google Fu. It is a headset system made for drive-thru use, with intercom, and is digital. (IIRC, operates on 2.4GHz.)

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Greg4748

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Hey I am in Greece NY! Any luck?

OK, it's a little weird, but I wouldn't mind plugging in some fast food frequencies to listen in. I remember getting them over my scanner back in the old days. Can you still pick these places up? There are a bunch of them right down the road from me. Where would I look for the frequencies? Didn't see anything here, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. I'm in Monroe County, NY. Thanks.

Hey I'm in monroe county my self in Greece Near West Ridge rd. Any luck finding those frequencies? I was just wondering the same thing as your post. Greg8548@gmail.com
 

ac316scu

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The McDonalds by me is still running an analog system. As soon as I pull into the parking lot my close call picks it up. Next time I'm there I'll see what the frequency is.

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RadioDitch

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At a McD's near me, I saw the system they are using, and used some Google Fu. It is a headset system made for drive-thru use, with intercom, and is digital. (IIRC, operates on 2.4GHz.)

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Any idea what flavor of digital?
 

NParkNJ

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Hey all, I’ll go to some area FF places, and see what I can scope out. Someone here requested some stuff in Wayne.

So far, I’ve only ever been able to listen to Wendy’s. I have confirmed frequencies, and I’ll check for a PL/DPL, and add them here in a bit.


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W1KNE

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Some fast food places aren't even taking the order locally. A whole series of Wendy's in New Hampshire are using a type of VOIP technology where the speaker goes to a call center in North Carolina, and the prisoner at the call center enters in the order via a terminal, which gets transmitted the store. The article I read on it, said that because they have people with headphone dedicated to listening to the audio of the drive through customer, the number of mistakes per order are less than the standard type.

Long gone are the days of the Radio Shack VHF 154.600 transmitters, and taking your own order through the speaker.
 

NParkNJ

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Alright. Got some info.

Sorry as I forgot this is the NY section. That said, for those of you that are near the NJ border, this could be of use to you.

Maybe try these out at Wendy’s up there.

For the Pompton Lakes, NJ Wendy’s location.

Drive-up order screen:

469.0125 PL(CTCSS)- 131.8

You can hear the orderer, and the store employee on this one.


In-store(cashier)-

464.0125 PL(CTCSS)- 146.2

You’ll only hear the person in the store taking the order with this one.


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