Middle-East's first drive-thru bank opens in Dubai

We've all heard of drive-thru wedding ceremonies, drive-thru burger joints and even drive-thru funeral parlours. Now, Dubai has its very own drive-thru bank. Al Hilal, an Abu-Dhabi based Islamic bank, launched the Middle East's first "money-station" this week at its new Jumeirah bank on Dubai's Al Wasl Road. The customer simply drives into a lane, speaks to the teller onscreen and then inserts cash, application forms or cheques into a specially designed plastic capsule and presses send. The transparent capsule then shoots - sci-fi style - up a transparent tube to the teller. You can then bop along to the radio while your transaction is dealt with and wait until the capsule shoots back down the tube with your receipts, cash or new bank card in it. Crazy, but true. It's the first service of it's kind in the Middle East, with the tube-banking concept inspired by similar services in the US, but is Dubai, or even the UAE, ready for such a concept? "Dubai is a city that has always been at the forefront of innovation and this is another innovation that fits very well within its DNA " says Mohamed Berro, the group chief executive of Al Hilal bank. "Customers can carry out complete banking transactions without getting out of the car. With three drive-thru lanes to choose from and the option to still go into the bank if you want a face-to-face meeting, this should avoid any queues. And for those worried about security, Mr Berro says the risk of having your transaction interrupted by a hardened criminal are about as high as they would be at any ATM, plus there will be security on hand outside the bank. As someone with two young children, I can certainly see huge advantages with something like this. Imagine not having to unload and then reload the children while you pay in cheques or apply for a car loan. Sounds like bliss to me. And, of course, in a very competitive consumer banking market, it makes sense for Al Hilal to have a gimmick like this up its sleeve.