Upscale Fast Food Kind Of Takes The Fun Out Of Drive-Thrus

If you like using the drive-thru when you get hungry, you probably value the speed and convenience of the process. Last year, the average time spent in a drive-thru was 6 minutes and 13 seconds per visit. You can get what you want, when you want, without even leaving your vehicle.

Another reason drive-thru service also encourages impulse buying. The entire setup of a drive-thru is structured around point-of-purchase buying and facilitating guilty pleasure snacking. In a drive-thru line, the customer is already making a purchase, so if a flashy new food item catches their eye, it can be a fun, in-the-moment decision that they wouldn't make if they thought about it for too long.

However, when upscale drive-thrus enter the picture, they can diminish that fun. The experience is no longer a chance to quickly indulge in an emotional decision for a rewarding bite of comfort food. Instead, it becomes a calculated strategy mapped out for a fine dining experience — without the atmosphere. Instead of the convenience enhancing the thrill, it can rob the moment of its intrinsic whimsy.

The pandemic changed the way we think and do things. In some ways, it was a catalyst that forced much-needed change. In other ways, it gave establishments a reason to jump to a new operating strategy with little-to-no questions asked. This was particularly true in the restaurant industry, where dispensing food became the primary focus, and the whole dining-in experience became non-essential.

In the restaurant business, table turnover is key to making a profit. The less time someone sits at a table, the more money the restaurant can make. Traditionally, fine dining is a balance of giving the customer enough time to enjoy their meal but not so much that it cuts into the restaurant's profits. In short, the drive-thru model can benefit a restaurant's bottom line, whether it serves fast food or features upscale menu items.

Before using a drive-thru, ask yourself if you want the convenience more than the experience. Your answer will let you know the best course of action.