Pandemic Revs Up Drive-Thru Design Innovations

In 2017, Arby's realized its production line was no longer working. Its menu had grown complex with the addition of new proteins and having sandwiches done in one station was creating too much crossover and opportunities for error, John Kelly, Arby's chief operating officer, said. It tested a line where everything moves from one line to an expeditor area where team members then serve guests. And it worked. Sandwich construction improved as did the overall team experience. 

The pandemic only emphasized the need for more accurate and faster orders and the company continues to roll out these production lines, which can be adapted to any size restaurant, across its system. 

With dining rooms closed, Arby's has been servicing 50% more cars at lunch and seeing a 50% volume increase overall with many customers completing large orders, Kelly said. 

"We're not only going to be faster and more accurate at our drive-thrus, but we're going to be extremely bus[y] as well," Kelly said. 

The QSR shifted labor that would have been devoted to the dining room to the drive-thru, creating more checks and balances to ensure accuracy, Kelly said. The company is also planning to place employees outdoors to take orders to optimize production speed when the weather is nice, he said.

But improving throughput and labor isn't the only way Arby's and other QSRs have been innovating at the drive-thru. The pandemic accelerated a need for digital menu boards, artificial intelligence, expanding drive-thrus into dual lanes and adding drive-thru only units where available. Many other fast food restaurants like Wendy's, Taco Bell, Del Taco, Burger King, KFC and McDonald's have also shown interest in developing many of these concepts.