Drive-thru orders taking longer to fulfill, less accurate than last year: study

You want fries with that shake? Give it an extra 26 seconds, if you’re ordering from a drive-thru.

This year, customers are waiting longer—and getting more inaccurate orders—at drive-thrus, according to a new study from SeeLevel HX.

• The average total time to receive an order was 382 seconds in 2021, up from 356 seconds in 2020.
• 15% of orders were inaccurate this year, compared to 13% last year.
• An inaccurate order added 71 seconds to total wait time.

Getting it right: Chick-fil-A topped the survey for accuracy, followed by Taco Bel. Arby’s, Burger King, and Carl’s Jr. were all tied for third.

Order up: QSRs are struggling with a host of challenges as the pandemic continues, from staffing to inflation, noted Lisa van Kesteren, CEO of SeeLevel HX, in a statement.

“To prevent brand vulnerability, restaurants would be better served by compromising in some areas in order to consistently deliver a rewarding drive-thru experience,” Kesteren said. “We’re already seeing this with the top QSRs limiting indoor dining and reducing store hours.”

• Taco Bell, for example, in March said it would expand its Go Mobile remodel, which features two drive-thru lanes and smaller dining spaces. (It’s even working on a concept with four drive-thru lanes.)—KM