See what the McDonald’s drive-thru could look like in the future

McDonald’s hopes that a drive-thru lane with a food conveyor belt, a delivery room and a shelf where people can pick up their orders will make life easier for customers on the go.

The features are being tested at a restaurant near Fort Worth, Texas, the hamburger chain announced Thursday.

Fast service is crucial for fast food restaurants because customers can abandon a brand after experiencing long wait times.

Moving customers quickly through the drive-thru is especially important because people who see a long line of cars might visit a competitor.

Drive-thru times were 45 seconds slower on average in 2022 compared to 2019 across industry-leading networks, according to this year’s Drive-Thru Report from QSR and Intouch Insight.

“As our customers’ needs continue to change, we are committed to finding new ways to serve them faster and easier than ever before,” said Max Carmona, senior director of global restaurant design and development at McDonald’s, in announcement about the new concept.

The test restaurant is smaller than most locations, designed specifically for customers who want takeout. Inside, there are take-out ordering kiosks, as well as pick-up shelves and delivery rooms.

Outside, customers will see dedicated parking spaces for curbside pickup as well as delivery drivers.

The pre-order banner is for customers who have placed their orders using the McDonald’s mobile app prior to arrival. Once there, they can make their way to the dedicated lane, where someone at a pick-up booth will confirm the order. From there, customers pick up their orders on a food and beverage conveyor belt.

Reducing drive-thru times

While drive-thru times are slower than in 2019, they’ve improved from last year, when worker shortages and an increase in demand for drive-thru, delivery and takeout orders have left the restaurant’s operations at a standstill. disorder.

Restaurants want to move in the right direction. To that end, several chains are exploring new drive-thru options.

Taco Bell in June unveiled a concept restaurant with four drive-thru lanes and orders delivered via a “vertical elevator” from the kitchen. Burger King explored the triple ride lanes and burger collection lockers.

Applebee’s experimented with a drive-thru window for the first time last year. McDonald’s first announced plans to improve its drive-thru in 2020.

In addition to adding drive-thru lanes and making ordering easier, restaurants are investing in technology designed to make the experience smoother, including digital menus and AI-enabled voice ordering.