Waco, TX zoning: where a drive-thru restaurant is allowed
Is a drive-thru allowed in Waco, TX?
A drive-thru restaurant is allowed by right (no conditional use permit, special exception or rezoning) in these zoning districts: C-3, C-4, C-5.
It needs a conditional or special use approval in: C-1, C-2, M-2, O-3.
It is not allowed in 14 districts: M-1, M-3, O-1, O-2, R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-2, R-3A, R-3B, R-3C, R-3D, R-3E, R-E.
3 districts are not confirmed yet.
Drive-thru restaurant rule by zoning district
| District | Drive-thru restaurant | What the code says | Section | Source | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-1 | Conditional | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' = S (special permit) in O-3, C-1, C-2, M-2. Special permit (council) required. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| C-2 | Conditional | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' = S (special permit) in O-3, C-1, C-2, M-2. Special permit (council) required. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| C-3 | By right | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' = P in C-3, C-4, C-5. Permitted; general site/parking standards apply. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table (Zoneomics chapter_9) | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| C-4 | By right | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' = P in C-3, C-4, C-5. Permitted; general site/parking standards apply. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table (Zoneomics chapter_9) | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| C-5 | By right | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' = P in C-3, C-4, C-5. Permitted; general site/parking standards apply. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table (Zoneomics chapter_9) | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| F-1 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 | |
| M-1 | Not allowed | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' cell blank in O-1, O-2, M-1, M-3. Not allowed. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| M-2 | Conditional | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' = S (special permit) in O-3, C-1, C-2, M-2. Special permit (council) required. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| M-3 | Not allowed | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' cell blank in O-1, O-2, M-1, M-3. Not allowed. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| O-1 | Not allowed | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' cell blank in O-1, O-2, M-1, M-3. Not allowed. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| O-2 | Not allowed | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' cell blank in O-1, O-2, M-1, M-3. Not allowed. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| O-3 | Conditional | Use table: 'Restaurants (drive-in or with drive-in window)' = S (special permit) in O-3, C-1, C-2, M-2. Special permit (council) required. | Waco Code Ch. 28 zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| PUD | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 | |
| R-1A | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-1B | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-1C | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-2 | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-3A | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-3B | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-3C | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-3D | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-3E | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| R-E | Not allowed | Drive-in restaurant not allowed in residential districts. Residential district. | Waco zoning use table | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
| STATE | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | zoneomics.com | 2026-11-15 |
"By right" means permitted with site plan and building permit review only. Overlay districts, planned developments (PD/PUD) and conditions attached to a past rezoning can change the answer for a single parcel.
Official zoning map layer
To find the district for a parcel, query the jurisdiction's own GIS zoning layer: https://gis.wacotx.gov/server/rest/services/Zoning/FeatureServer/63 (district field: ZONING)
City of Waco zoning (gis.wacotx.gov Zoning FeatureServer layer 63, field ZONING).
Sources
How to confirm before you buy
- Look up the parcel on the official zoning map to get its district and any overlay.
- Open the code section linked in the table and read the use table and the drive-thru standards.
- Call the planning office and ask whether a drive-thru restaurant needs anything beyond site plan review at that address.
Why this library exists
I'm Luke Smith. I find land for drive-thru brands like 7 Brew, Ellianos Coffee and Starbucks, sign the tenant, build the shop and sell it as a net lease property. Every deal starts with the same question: is the use allowed here without a rezoning? Getting that answer takes too long, so we read the codes (with AI research help), and I publish what we find with a link back to every source so you can check it yourself.
If you have a site that fits a drive-thru, or you want to learn how these deals are put together, join the free Reverse Deal Finder community on Skool, see cap rates and land prices by brand, or call 1-760-392-1525. Brokers welcome: I pay commissions.