Slowest drive-thru?

[George K]

Chick-fil-A has slowest drive-thru, 2022 fast-food report says

QSR Magazine surveyed more than 1,000 consumers and found the top factors they believed made a fast-food drive-thru great: convenience, speed of service and order accuracy.

QSR noted that while Chick-fil-A was at the bottom of the list for fastest drive-thrus, this was due to one reason and one reason only: the restaurants were significantly busier than their competitors.

Here are the fastest drive-thrus in the U.S. for 2022:

1. Taco Bell (221.99 seconds)
2. Dunkin’ Donuts (238.16 seconds)
3. KFC (239.02 seconds)
4. Arby’s (261.19 seconds)
5. Burger King (266.68 seconds)
6. Hardee’s (272.10 seconds)
7. Wendy’s (275.84 seconds)
8. Carl’s Jr. (289.36 seconds)
9. McDonald’s (291.30 seconds)
10. Chick-fil-A (325.47 seconds)

Average number of cars in drive-thru line:

1. Chick-fil-A: 5.45
2. McDonald’s: 3.13
3. Wendy’s: 2.67
4. Arby’s: 2.28
5. Burger King: 2.19
6. Taco Bell: 2.17
7. Dunkin’ Donuts: 2.11
8. KFC: 1.8
9. Hardee’s: 1.64
10. Carl’s Jr.: 1.63

“This idea that we know in the drive-thru the guest wants speed and accuracy, but they don’t want to feel rushed,” Matt Abercrombie, Chick-fil-A’s senior director of service and hospitality told QSR Magazine.

According to data collected by QSR, Chick-fil-A’s 1,836 U.S. freestanding restaurants averaged annual sales of $8.142 million, with 46% producing figures at or above that figure. One franchise almost made $17.16 million.

[jon-nyc]

It sometimes seems weird how attached people are to drive-thrus.

I’ve been by a Starbucks with 30 cars in line, and almost nobody parked. You run in and out with your coffee and the line has barely moved.

Occasionally McDs is like that too at busy times.

[Catseye3]

@jon-nyc As with so many things in modern life, drive-throughs were developed for the profit of the corporation and NOT for the convenience -- and certainly not the health -- of the customer.

Setting aside that any restaurant featuring drive-through is sucky for your health to begin with, what could be worse than a "convenience" that encourages you to remain flopped and boneless, motionless as a lizard on a rock, in your car?

God forbid you should get out of the car, and walk to the entrance, and stand in line. I mean, you haven't got all day!

True; at the rate you're going, you might not have all year.

[taiwan_girl]

I was really surprised to learn that most of those type of restaurants have the most people going through the drive through vs. going inside.

Until I learned it, I would have said 75% walk-in and 25% drive through. But I guess it is about opposite.

[89th]

@jon-nyc said in Slowest drive-thru?:

I’ve been by a Starbucks with 30 cars in line, and almost nobody parked. You run in and out with your coffee and the line has barely moved.

Me too, except for the rare time when you go in and the in-store service is SO SLOW because they are focusing 90% of their operations to support the drive through volume.

[89th]

Interesting list. In my experience, Chik-fil-a is the fastest... it's remarkable, honestly. Dunkin is also usually really fast 75% of the time (and really slow 25% if they get behind).

[Horace]

Chik fil a is always packed and slow in my experience. So is in-n-out, but they weren't on the list.

[LuFins Dad]

@89th said in Slowest drive-thru?:

@jon-nyc said in Slowest drive-thru?:

I’ve been by a Starbucks with 30 cars in line, and almost nobody parked. You run in and out with your coffee and the line has barely moved.

Me too, except for the rare time when you go in and the in-store service is SO SLOW because they are focusing 90% of their operations to support the drive through volume.

Why wait for an order? They always have free samples out in full sizes, though they are derivative of Coke cans…

Today I am sharing an Americano with Paul!