Inspired by lessons learned from the pandemic, fast-casual restaurants are doubling down on their investments in off-premise technology to reach customers in more targeted, personal ways. Who will win in the battle to compete for the best contactless convenience? Here are five technologies we see ramping up.
NO.1
Line busting
What is it?
A service model where cashiers use a handheld POS to take food orders directly from a line of waiting customers. Staff can walk the line and fulfill orders directly to the kitchen faster.
Benefits
Shorter wait times, increased revenue and customer engagement, better customer experience, higher employee morale
Who’s leading the way?
Chick-fil-A was an early adopter of line busting pre-COVID-19, while Starbucks quickly adopted the technology doing this before the pandemic, while Starbucks introduced the system after taking a huge hit in its third quarter of 2020.
NO.2
Video chat at the drive-thru
What is it?
A software ordering system that allows restaurant staff to communicate with drive-thru customers via tablet remotely
Benefits
By engaging with customers on a more personal level, staff can recommend and upsell more targeted offerings, leading to increased revenue and customer satisfaction. Restaurants can optimize labor by enabling a remote work-force with targeted talent (e.g. multi-lingual).
Who’s leading the way?
Chick-fil-A is using a drive-through video chat kiosk ordering system that allows restaurant employees to take drive-thru orders remotely using iPads. The technology leverages core outdoor display technology enhanced with a two-way audio/video system made up of a noise cancelling microphone array, speaker system and HD camera.
NO.3
Enhanced/expanded curbside pickup
What is it?
Optimizing technologies and infrastructure that make it even easier for customers to pick up food from their cars
Benefits
Less wait times, more efficient fulfillment, better customer experience, increased revenue
Who’s leading the way?
Chipotle has been rolling out its drive-thru lanes for digital ordering only (called “Chipotlanes”). Customers can drive up to a window and leave with a pre-ordered meal in less than a minute. Pizza Hut also recently unveiled its “Hut Lanes”, which are exclusively dedicated to digital drive-thru orders. Many restaurants, such as Panera, are pushing technological advancements from GPS automation to text-based alerts that inform staff once a curbside customer has arrived. Taco Bell’s Go Mobile model, which has one lane for drive-thru and one for mobile order pickup, can detect when guests arrive and suggest the quickest route.
NO.4
Food lockers and ovens
What is it?
Technology that enables the use of ovens and pickup lockers to help produce large amounts of carryout food orders quickly. Customers pick up their food—Amazon locker-style—in designated food lockers using a unique code.
Benefits
Less wait times, streamlined fulfillment, smaller store footprint
Who’s leading the way?
Little Caesars has its Pizza Portal pickup, self-heated lockers that let customers pick up a mobile app order. KFC, Burger King and SmashBurger also have plans to bring food lockers to their restaurants, as well.
NO.5
Artificial intelligence and machine learning
What is it?
Using automated insights and data to perform tasks and make predictions, from voice ordering to kiosks that recognize you.
Benefits
Better customer experience, less labor, increased revenue
Who’s leading the way?
Arby’s is investing in technology that better informs managers how to staff their restaurants as customer traffic fluctuates. Burger King’s Deep Flame machine-learning system uses artificial intelligence at drive-thru digital board menus to suggest foods that are particularly popular in the area that day. The company is also testing Bluetooth technology that can identify loyalty program customers and show their previous orders.
