This was true pre-covid but I could give a single fuck about window times anymore. Not one. As long as it’s not slammed we have to go forward with them. We are too short staffed as it is so I have to give them while everyone is here.

Honestly, every store is different.. At my store it’s the same way, which is fine but it often leaves us without any lunch breaks.. it sucks.. You’re idea is good tho.. maybe talk to your SM and SSVs abt it :)

5 year SSV here. I have worked at a few stores who have done this. My store personally only does this if we have call outs/severely understaffed and will be running a three person peak. As far as policy goes this is made up by your DM. Our DM’s goal is 45sec peak drive times so it’s recommended not to. However, by state workers law, you can not work more than 6 consecutive hours without a 30 minute meal. So if you are being sent an hour in and you come back and have to work 6+ more hours you can absolutely fight that.

My personal recommendation is to first have a conversation with your SM and just explain to that the difficulties and see what they can do to help.

255 partner here, SSV for a year and in my experience that is an across the board policy...but at times regarded as more "ideal circumstances/suggestion"
Main thing I have found that helped me clarify it:
the DCR ALWAYS sets each person's 'break' and/or 'meal' times at defaulted point of their shift based on time worked....ex. 5 hr shift, break time set to 1/2 way point or about 2.5hrs in.....or 7hr shift break set to 2ish hrs in and meal set at 3.5 or 4hrs in.

Couple problems with that default printing, namely it doesn't account for how many OTHER partners have same times or how much overlap of the total number of the breaks and meals if they were ran exactly as printed.
Take today for example: due to holiday hours for today, very few of us even had meals anyway but that also meant we had 6 of us that needed 10min breaks within a 5hr shift each. It had EVERY SINGLE PERSON set to take their break at the exact same 20 min window (roughly 3 in first 10min, 2 more 5mins later and 1 final one 5mins after that)......can you see how well that would go?....yeah noooo

That being said, your idea does show for thought and problem solving so I'd definitely put it forward to managers. Kudos to you for not only recognizing there being an issue but also working to provide feedback of possible solution as well!
And yes, no break during peak times can be tiresome and irritating when getting a break after just getting in and having to make it the rest of shift without.

It typical for openers to take lunches first. My 8 hour shifts start at 3:30am and I typically take my lunch sometime between 5-6 am so that I’m back in time for peak.

You can talk to your manager, but they’re not going to add labor just so breaks can be taken during peak.