A drive-up is something you can use or access while staying in your car. At a drive-up window at a bank, you pull your car alongside the window, complete your transaction, and drive away without ever getting out. Fast-food restaurants have drive-up windows where you can order and pick up food. Some libraries even have drive-up book returns where you can drop off books from your car.

The term describes both the window or service point itself and the kind of service being offered. You might say “I used the drive-up at the pharmacy” or “This bank has drive-up service.” Sometimes people use drive-through to mean the same thing, though drive-up often suggests pulling up alongside something, while drive-through suggests driving all the way through a lane.

Drive-ups became popular in the mid-1900s when cars became common and people wanted faster, more convenient service. They're especially useful when you're in a hurry, have small children in the car, or when the weather is terrible and you'd rather not go inside.