When the owner of R. Bernard Funeral Services bought an old bank building in southeast Memphis, he found an unusual use for the drive-thru window.
The funeral home will use the window to offer grieving loved ones the chance to pay their last respects conveniently from their car. Guests drive up and view the body through a bullet-proof window.
The owner of the funeral home said, "It helps out those that lack (physical) mobility, those who don't feel like the hassle of parking cars and getting out or those who are scared to come into a funeral home. A lot of funeral homes creep people out.”
On the West Coast, Robert L. Adams Mortuary in Compton, CA advertises drive-thru viewings. In the Midwest, Paradise Funeral Chapel in Saginaw, Michigan, started offering drive-thru visitations in 2014.
They use the service two to three times a week. In Memphis, six families have selected the drive-thru option since January. The service is part of the funeral packages and offered at no additional charge.
Some folks said they find the idea of a drive-thru viewing disrespectful. A funeral home owner in Jackson, Tennessee said, "In my opinion, I don't think the body should be put on display like a new car."
Source: 12News