Author: Jonathan Maze
Date: June 22, 2022
Link: https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/chick-fil-testing-new-mobile-order-drive-thru
Chick-fil-A, whose drive-thrus have become legendary for their long lines and noteworthy innovations, is giving customers who don’t want to leave their car another option: Mobile orders.
The Atlanta-based chicken chain said on Wednesday that it is testing what it calls “Drive-Thru Express” lanes that are targeted at mobile order customers.
The idea is to give customers the option to order ahead and get their food from their cars while helping employees serve customers more efficiently.
Chick-fil-A said that its express lane has been shown to decrease the wait time “significantly” because customers order ahead and paid, so they spend less time waiting.
The company also said that most customers that used the option used it again on their next visit.
Customers of the chain who want to pick up their orders through the “Drive-Thru Express” lane choose that option on their mobile app when they order, though that has to be a location with one available. They then follow signs to the lane, use the app to scan a QR code and then pull around to receive their order from an employee.
“We see this as a way to serve customers more effectively and give them more control over their experience,” Lassiter said. “The lengthiest part of our drive-thru ordering process is the brief wait to get your order taken. The express lane cuts down ordering and payment time significantly.”
Analysis:
I find it interesting that Chick-fil-A, a restaurant already known for its impeccable service experience, organization, and speed, is implementing an even faster way to pick up their food. Essentially, Chick-fil-A created a curbside pickup drive-thru lane to help speed up the process for those who already have ordered ahead of time. This tells me how vital curbside pickup is even to an already booming company like Chick-fil-A.
