New Research Reveals Fastest and Slowest Drive-Thru Chains in the U.S.
When you’re craving fast food, the last thing you want is to spend ages in the drive-thru line. A recent study by QSR Magazine has shed light on which fast-food chains have the speediest and slowest drive-thru services, as well as the accuracy of orders and the friendliness of staff.
To conduct the study, QSR Magazine made 1,491 drive-thru visits in June and July, covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours at fast food restaurants across the United States. They visited an average of 10 different chains and placed orders at approximately 165 restaurants per chain.
Taco Bell emerged as the winner for the third consecutive year, boasting the fastest drive-thru service, with an average wait time of 278.84 seconds. Following closely behind was Carl’s Jr at 303.74 seconds, followed by KFC (303.95 seconds), Arby’s (319.64 seconds), and Dunkin’ (321.10). On the other end of the spectrum, Chick-fil-A had the slowest drive-thru, with an average wait time of over seven minutes per order (436.09 seconds).
Chick-fil-A also had the busiest drive-thru lines, with an average of 3.41 cars queued up for their orders. McDonald’s followed with 2.01 cars, Wendy’s with 1.50, Taco Bell with 0.96, Burger King with 0.92, and Dunkin’ with 0.78 cars waiting in line.
In terms of customer service, Chick-fil-A took the top spot, with 91% of its associates rated as friendly, the only chain with a 0% rating of “not friendly.” Hardee’s and Taco Bell were next in line, both receiving a 79% friendly rating, followed by Arby’s and Carl’s Jr, each with a 76% friendly rating.
Chick-fil-A also boasted the most accurate orders, with 92% of orders being correct. Burger King followed with 90%, McDonald’s with 88%, Wendy’s and KFC with 87%. Notably, order accuracy improved by 7% when there was an Order Confirmation Board, allowing customers to confirm their orders visually. Additionally, order accuracy increased by 11% to 18% when the speaker system was loud and clear enough for customers to hear restaurant staff.
The study suggests that while speed is important, other factors such as order accuracy and menu complexity may influence the drive-thru experience. Nevertheless, quick-service restaurants continue to prioritize reducing wait times as a significant focus.
So, next time you hit the drive-thru, you might want to keep an eye on your stopwatch. But let’s be honest, we’ll probably be scrolling through our social media feeds until the next window beckons.
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