Drive-Thru Speeds May Be Slowing Down, But Sales Certainly Aren’t

The 21st annual drive-thru study released by SeeLevel HX tested 10 major restaurant brands and nearly 1,500 drive-thrus to find that speed of service in the QSR segment has slowed from 356.80 seconds in 2020 to 382.39 seconds in 2021 — nearly half a minute year-over-year. Meanwhile, according to a recent The NPD Group study, drive-thru volume is booming, up a whopping 11% in August 2021 compared to August 2019 and representing 41% of off-premises visits in the month. 

Both of these trends may in large part be due to the higher off-premise demand following the pandemic, and as the increased wait times show, a boost in drive-thru volume doesn’t come without a price. Long drive-thru lines at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, for example, are causing traffic problems, and the brand’s CEO recently told The Atlanta Business Chronicle 30% of its drive-thru customers leave because of those kinds of wait times. 

Declining order accuracy may also be attributing to longer wait times. According to the SeeLevel HX study, 15% of all orders had inaccuracies in 2021, compared to only 13% in 2020. The study also points out that inaccurate orders took over a minute longer to complete than accurate orders.

SeeLevel HX CEO Lisa van Kesteren said in a statement that some of the pandemic-fueled issues impacting QSR drive-thru efficiency include “a tight labor market, supply chain challenges and inflation.” 

To improve drive-thru operations, some QSR chains are reducing their dine-in hours and adapting their labor, while others are rolling out new technological features or cutting down on their menus. Burger King introduced a revamped store design where drive-thru guests have their order delivered from the suspended kitchen via a conveyor belt system, for example, and McDonald's is testing voice ordering technology to increase order accuracy. Overall, research from TD Bank found that 38% of franchisees limited their menu options to support drive-thru operations in 2020, while 38% added drive-thru capabilities.

Taco Bell recently announced its “Taco Bell Defy” store model, which was specifically designed in partnership with franchisee Border Foods and Minneapolis-based Vertical Works Inc. to create a frictionless drive-thru experience. Three out of four drive-thru lanes will be dedicated to mobile or delivery order pick-ups, with digital check-in screens, a proprietary contactless lift system and two-way audio and video technology. According to the SeeLevel HX's study, order confirmation boards can increase drive-thru speeds by an average of 34 seconds. 

Although a recent study conducted by QSR Magazine found guests were comfortable spending a bit more time in the drive-thru lane compared to 2020, new technology, revamped store models and streamlined menus can help restaurant brands stand out by curbing the type of labor-induced speed and accuracy issues operators are running into as demand climbs.