Overlooked drive-thru customer: Fido

One out of every six U.S. households orders something for the family dog when they buy a quick-service meal through a drive-thru or takeout window, according to a new study.

The source, Relevation Research, estimates that 1 billion to-go orders annually have something included for the pooch.

The favorite source is McDonald’s, followed by Burger King and Wendy’s, the Barrington, Ill., researcher found. Starbucks scored low in the pup preference ratings, despite the inclusion of items specifically for dogs on the menu.

One of every three dog owners has the pooch with them during a visit to the drive-thru. In those instances, the propensity to order for the pet is significantly higher, with four out of five popping for a treat.

Once again, millennials skew the consumption numbers. They tend to buy more of the human meals for their dogs. Males from all age brackets are twice as likely to buy a burger for the canine than a woman is.

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