HM Wilkins Imperial: Between July 5th and August 6th, drive-thru efficiency dropped by around 26 seconds in the United States due to an increase in customer demand and a decrease in staff numbers.
Analysts at HM Wilkins Imperial say the seemingly small delay makes a significant impact on customer interest and could threaten longevity for drive-thru restaurants.
During the pandemic, the drive-thru became considerably more popular amongst Americans avoiding exposure to the virus. Analysts at HM Wilkins Imperial estimated that around 52% of fast-food restaurant purchases were made through drive-thrus in August, about 10% higher than pre-pandemic quantities. While restaurant-goers felt safer in their vehicles, the surge in customers took a dangerous turn for the drive-thrus when paired with the industry’s struggle to recruit staff. A slightly longer wait can ward off regular customers and ultimately cause drive-thrus to suffer.
“A swifter drive-thru customer experience is, of course, a major gain for fast-food eateries,” says an analyst at HM Wilkins Imperial. “A customer’s choice of drive-thru can come down to a few less seconds and a shorter line of cars.”
Fast-food restaurants are caught between a rock and a hard place. They are resistant to relinquish prospective drive-thru sales but overwhelming their systems and subsequently losing customers is of equal concern. As a result, restaurants are trying to expand their technology and increase their number of lanes and pickup choices.
“The issue largely comes down to restaurant staffing and reflects the industry-wide battle for restaurants to find an adequate number of staff” says a senior economist at HM Wilkins Imperial with regards to the fast-food industry’s current dilemma. “The quit rate in hospitality reached 6.6% in September. Within the current labor moment, many fast-food workers are new and inexperienced, which is only adding to the problem.” Restaurants are pushing to find solutions, with certain restaurants instating an order-ahead option and others considering closing the dining area to focus on the drive-thru.
