Drive-Thru Time
The total elapsed time from when a vehicle enters the drive-thru lane to when it exits with food, measured in seconds. Industry benchmarks vary but often target under 4 minutes.
Related Terms
Speed of Service
The time elapsed from when a customer places an order to when they receive their food. A critical operational metric that directly impacts customer satisfaction and throughput.
Throughput
The number of customers or orders served per hour, a measure of operational efficiency and capacity utilization.
Queue Management
Systems and strategies for managing customer wait times and flow, including digital ordering, mobile check-in, and drive-thru optimization.
Related Articles
Dunkin and BARK Add Donation Tiers and a Dog Drive-Thru
The 2026 toy collection offers three donation levels and an online-only item, alongside a scheduled one-day Quincy dog drive-thru.
Marketing & GrowthOmilia extends Taco Bell deal after reaching 890-plus drive-thrus
Omilia reports more than 890 live Taco Bell locations across 38 states. Earlier Yum and NVIDIA announcements describe different scopes and deployment stages.
Technology & InnovationRestaurant365’s AI Launch Has Two Different Adoption Timelines
A May 12 availability map separates current tools from early-access projects. Employee records and reporting definitions will shape the work behind either choice.
Technology & InnovationSquare’s drive-thru early access links orders, kitchens and handoff
The new product is in early access, with broader summer availability planned. Modified orders and busy handoffs offer concrete tests for prospective operators.
Technology & InnovationHuey Magoo’s estimates 40% lower development costs for compact drive-thru
Huey Magoo’s estimates 40% lower development costs. Its proposed footprint still requires a site plan and a comparison of complete project budgets.
Operations & Management