drive-thru

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Showing 1–18 of 18 articles

Operations & Management

Dillas pairs simpler meal choices with planned prep

The quesadilla chain pairs six core meals with demand forecasts and owner checks on prep.

OCT 30, 2026 · 2 MIN READ

Technology & Innovation

Bojangles extends AI drive-thru deal, plans 100 more sites and line-aware upsells

Bojangles and Hi Auto plan 100 more Bo-Linda sites and a queue-aware upsell feature. What owners can test when it arrives.

OCT 23, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Technology & Innovation

HME's Nitro Vision AI brings cameras to drive-thru timing

How HME maps the queue and configures crew alerts.

OCT 9, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Operations & Management

Faster pickup handoffs led drive-thru gains in 2026 study

Faster pickup handoffs led the study’s service-time gains. Dunkin’ and Chick-fil-A examples show how kitchen work and lane design connect.

OCT 7, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Operations & Management

Chipotle’s 1,500th Chipotlane pairs pickup with kitchen upgrades

Chipotle’s September 29 milestone in Florida shows how pickup lanes fit its restaurant expansion.

OCT 6, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Operations & Management

7 Brew’s $2 protein boost goes nationwide, from coffee to soda

7 Brew expands protein choices alongside coffee brands’ milk and foam.

OCT 2, 2026 · 4 MIN READ

Operations & Management

Presto connects drive-thru voice orders to Toast

How menu management, voice generation and POS connections bring spoken orders into restaurant operations.

SEP 22, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Operations & Management

Hunt Brothers, GoMart and Così outline three partner formats

Pizza inside stores, restaurant endcaps and licensed catering bring different operating arrangements.

SEP 17, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

technology

Technology & Innovation

Square’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.

MAY 11, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

technology

Technology & Innovation

Why QSR Drive-Thru Speakers Are Getting an AI Upgrade and What It Means for Order Accuracy

From McDonald's to Wendy's to Taco Bell, AI voice ordering is moving from pilot to large-scale deployment across the drive-thru lane

MAR 20, 2026 · 10 MIN READ

operations

Operations & Management

The Hidden Economics of QSR Drive-Thru Lane Design

A single drive-thru lane can process 120 cars per day. A dual lane can push past 140. And Chick-fil-A's four-lane prototype aims for 720 cars per hour. How lane configuration decisions translate directly into revenue.

MAR 20, 2026 · 10 MIN READ

operations

Operations & Management

The Small-Format Revolution: Why Drive-Thru-Only and Pickup-Focused Prototypes Are the New Growth Engine

The 4,000-square-foot dine-in box is dying. The chains that figure out 1,200 square feet will own the next decade of QSR expansion.

MAR 19, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

operations

Operations & Management

Menu Engineering in the Inflation Era: The Data Science Behind What Stays, What Goes, and What Gets Repriced

With food costs up 30%+ since 2019, the brands winning on margin aren't just raising prices — they're ruthlessly optimizing what's on the menu and how it's positioned

MAR 18, 2026 · 8 MIN READ

industry

Industry Analysis

Starbucks Under New Management: How Brian Niccol's Chipotle Playbook Is Reshaping the World's Largest Coffee Chain

Eighteen months into his tenure, the former Chipotle CEO has closed 600 stores, cut 2,000 corporate jobs, and finally delivered the traffic growth Wall Street has been waiting for

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

industry

Industry Analysis

The Value Meal War: How McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's Are Fighting for America's Shrinking Fast-Food Dollar

With traffic declining and middle-income consumers fleeing to grocery stores, the Big Three burger chains are locked in the most aggressive value battle since the dollar menu era

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

technology

Technology & Innovation

Voice AI in the Drive-Thru: Why 85% Accuracy Isn't Good Enough

Major chains are betting billions on automated ordering systems, but the technology still can't match human performance when it matters most

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

operations

Operations & Management

The 4-Minute Wall: Why QSR Drive-Thru Speed Has Plateaued and What It Will Take to Break Through

The industry has shaved seconds for a decade but can't crack the four-minute barrier. The reasons—and the solutions—are more complex than anyone expected.

MAR 18, 2026 · 8 MIN READ

operations

Operations & Management

Why Chick-fil-A's Drive-Thru Processes 30+ Cars When Others Max at 15

Inside the operational playbook that turns parking-lot gridlock into the industry's highest per-unit revenue

MAR 18, 2026 · 9 MIN READ