Drive Thru

Drive Thru

Year: 2007

Runtime: 82 mins

Language: English

Directors: Brendan Cowles, Shane Kuhn

ComedyThrillerHorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsCrude humor and satire

When Hella Burger opens, the real danger isn’t the food but a murderous clown lurking behind the counter. A high‑school student uncovers the clown’s deadly plan and races to warn the townspeople, confronting the twisted killer before the fast‑food joint turns into a scene of terror.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Drive Thru (2007)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Drive Thru (2007). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day

The story plays out in a contemporary, modern-day setting. It uses familiar locations like a mall, school, and fast-food restaurant to ground the horror in a recognizable environment. The events unfold in real-time as clues emerge through cameras and everyday teen life.

Location

Hella Burger, High School, Carnival Haunted House, Hospital, Police Station

The film largely unfolds around the Hella Burger restaurant where most killings occur. It also follows the teen world of a nearby high school, with scenes at a carnival haunted house, and visits to a hospital and police station as investigators try to piece together the murders. The juxtaposition of everyday teen life with grisly violence creates a tense, claustrophobic setting.

🏙️ Urban setting 🍔 Fast-food location 🏫 School 🎡 Carnival 🏥 Hospital 🚓 Police station

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:16

Main Characters – Drive Thru (2007)

Meet the key characters of Drive Thru (2007), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Mackenzie Carpenter (Leighton Meester)

A determined high school student who investigates the murders after discovering gruesome evidence on a lost camera. She pieces together the killer's pattern, questions her mother’s secrets, and leads the push to uncover Archie’s identity. Resourceful, brave, and increasingly wary of the truth hiding in her hometown.

🧪 Investigation 🕵️‍♀️ Courage 🧭 Teen protagonist

Fisher Kent (Nicholas D'Agosto)

Mackenzie’s ally who helps uncover the mystery. He experiences trauma from the killings and faces a terrifying confrontation with Archie’s ghost. Loyal but quickly tested by fear and shock as the danger intensifies.

🧭 Ally 🧠 Insight 🗡️ Survivor

Brandon Meeks (Edward DeRuiter)

A friend of the group who becomes one of the early victims. His murder amplifies the sense that the killer is targeting the children of those involved in old wrongs. His death deepens the fear in Mackenzie and her circle.

🔪 Victim ⚰️ Tragedy 🧠 Catalyst

Tony (Haven Lamoureux)

Brash and protective, he confronts Horny at the restaurant and pays the price early in the escalating horror. His impulsive nature underscores the teenagers' willingness to challenge danger.

🗡️ Risk-taker 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Friend 💥 Victim

Brittany (Jessica Landon)

One of Mackenzie’s friends and a girlfriend of Tony, who becomes a victim in the early killings. Her death marks the transition from isolated incidents to a serial threat.

💔 Friend 🩸 Victim 😱 Fear

Tiffany (Nicole Cavazos)

Another close friend of Mackenzie’s who is killed during the drive-thru carnage. Her death reinforces the sense that no one is safe.

🫀 Victim 👀 Witness 🕯️ Tragedy

Jack Benjamin (John Gilbert)

Owner of Hella Burger and father of Archie Benjamin. He becomes a suspect as investigative clues surface, but is ultimately unable to stop the killings.

🏪 Owner 🧩 Suspect 🕵️‍♀️ Unhelpful ally

Archie Benjamin / Horny the Clown (Van De La Plante)

The killer whose body was burned in a past incident. His vengeful spirit returns as Horny the Clown, committing deadly acts and terrifying the town. He embodies a generational grudge and supernatural menace that fuels the film’s horror.

👻 Ghost 🎭 Clown 🔥 Vengeance

Marcia Carpenter (Melora Hardin)

Mackenzie’s mother who reveals the town’s dark backstory and helps confront Archie’s spirit. She ultimately acts to save her daughter, shooting Archie and aiding in the escape.

👩‍👧 Mother 🛡️ Protector 🗡️ Survivor

Lenny Schwartz (Sean Whalen)

The janitor who stumbles upon crucial evidence and becomes a casualty of the killer’s rampage. His discovery underscores how ordinary figures can intersect with horror.

🧼 Janitor 🩺 Witness 🔪 Victim

Val Espinoza (Sita Young)

Mackenzie’s friend who is attacked in the locker room, her murder serves as a turning point in the investigation and escalation of fear.

👧 Friend 🧭 Target ⚠️ Victim

Chad Baldwin (Tyler King)

A teen who and his girlfriend Tina McCandless are killed by Horny at the carnival, highlighting the expansion of the killer’s reach beyond the school.

💑 Couple 🔪 Victims 🎡 Stage

Tina McCandless (Maliabeth Johnson)

Chad's girlfriend and a victim in the carnage, symbolizing the indiscriminate nature of the killer’s rampage.

💔 Victim 🫀 Tragedy 👁️‍🗨️ Witness

Robbie, The Hella-Burger Manager (Morgan Spurlock)

Manager of Hella Burger who provides the backdrop of the restaurant world where the violence erupts. Not a direct killer, but integral to the setting.

🏪 Manager 🗣️ Informant 🧭 Setting

Detective Brenda Chase (Lola Glaudini)

Detective in charge of investigating the murders, skeptical of the suspects, and often at odds with the killer’s apparent occult threat. Works with Crockers to close the case.

👮 Detective 🧭 Investigator 🗡️ Blocking

Detective Dwayne Crockers (Larry Joe Campbell)

A second detective who pursues the killer and carries the investigation through the twists and red herrings. He becomes entangled in the case as the body count rises.

👮 Detective 🧭 Investigator 🧷 Skeptic

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:16

Major Themes – Drive Thru (2007)

Explore the central themes of Drive Thru (2007), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🩸 Revenge

A past wrong—the murder of Archie’s son and the arson that burned him—sets off a cycle of vengeance. The killer returns to target the children of those responsible, turning the present into a reckoning for past actions. The film uses the supernatural threat to explore how guilt, anger, and retaliation can haunt generations.

👻 Supernatural

Archie Benjamin’s spirit manifests as Horny the Clown, blurring the line between killer and ghost. The possession and spectral vengeance shape the murders, driving the characters to confront a haunting that transcends death. The haunted environment compounds fear as the living try to outsmart an unseen force.

😨 Fear

The teens must navigate a sudden, deadly threat that turns familiar spaces into traps. Suspense builds as friends disappear, clues surface, and trust erodes among allies and investigators. Survival hinges on deciphering the past while avoiding the killer in a relentless, escalating chase.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:16

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Drive Thru Summary

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Drive Thru Summary

Drive Thru Timeline

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Drive Thru Timeline

Drive Thru Spoiler-Free Summary

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Drive Thru Spoiler-Free Summary

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