RANKING SPEED, ACCURACY, AND MORE AS WE CRUISE AROUND THE EVER-EVOLVING LANDSCAPE.
We’re your strategic partner dedicated to helping you exceed expectations, streamline operations, and elevate your brand.
• We service more QSRs than anyone in the industry.
• Track orders, manage inventory, and coordinate re-orders for your locations.
• Specify, source, and stock the items needed to di erentiate your operation.
• We leverage our large-scale operations to negotiate better prices for our customers.
www.wasserstrom.com/QSR
Usage might be down, but innovation is up. Here’s why those two things go together for fast food, and what it means for the future of its most vital channel.
Quick-serves are
From cross-training to culture-building, operators are fine-tuning their approach to staffing the lane, inside
22
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
From Social Work to Soul Food
Brooklyn operator Ka-wana Jefferson shines a light on Black-owned hospitality and community. BY SATYNE DONER
67
FRANCHISE FORWARD
The Pizza Commander
Learn how the nation’s largest Marco’s Pizza franchisee started its business and captures growth opportunities. BY CHARLIE POGACAR
INSIGHT
13
FRESH IDEAS
Finding the Sweet Spot on Menu Size
Restaurateurs give their thoughts on operating simple versus complex menus. BY SAM DANLEY
20
ONES TO WATCH Thai Chili 2Go
The rising concept is doing its part to boost the visibility of Thai cuisine. BY BEN COLEY
69 OUTSIDE INSIGHTS
When Automation Cuts Too Deep
In some instances, deploying too much technology can hurt the guest experience. BY OLI OSTERTAG
88
START TO FINISH
Matthew Walls
The Edible Brands president keeps franchisees at the heart of every decision.
ON THE COVER
Dunkin’ has one of the most recognizable drive-thru cultures in the U.S.
PHOTOGRAPHY: DUNKIN’ NEWS
The XL Warewash Program
FOOD SAFETY
90% MORE SOIL REMOVED* compared to manual only process*
LABOR SAVINGS
WATER SAVINGS
REPURPOSE 2 HOURS OR MORE labor per day*** vs. traditional dump/fill machine
6,400 GALLONS OF WATER SAVED PER YEAR**
Where Performance Meets Value
Designed specifically for QSR applications, the XL has a higher wash chamber, 50% faster cycle time, faster dry time, and delivers productivity and food safety at a lower total cost.
Contact your Ecolab Representative or call 800.529.5458 TODAY !
A
EDITORIAL
VICE PRESIDENT EDITORIALFOOD, RETAIL, & HOSPITALITY
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AUDIENCE GROWTH Greg Sanders gsanders@wtwhmedia.com
CONTENT STUDIO
VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT STUDIO Peggy Carouthers pcarouthers@wtwhmedia.com
WRITER, CONTENT STUDIO Drew Filipski dfilipski@wtwhmedia.com
WRITER, CONTENT STUDIO Ya’el McLoud ymcloud@wtwhmedia.com
WRITER, CONTENT STUDIO Abby Winterburn awinterburn@wtwhmedia.com
ART & PRODUCTION
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Tory Bartelt tbartelt@wtwhmedia.com
FSR ART DIRECTOR Erica Naftolowitz enaftolowitz@wtwhmedia.com
SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
SVP, FOOD, RETAIL, HOSPITALITY SALES AND ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT Matt Waddell mwaddell@wtwhmedia.com 312-961-6840 VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Eugene Drezner edrezner@wtwhmedia.com 919-945-0705
NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Edward Richards erichards@wtwhmedia.com 216-956-6636
NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Amber Dobsovic adobsovic@wtwhmedia.com 757-637-8673
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Guy Norcott gnorcott@wtwhmedia.com 854-200-5864
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Tracy Doubts tdoubts@wtwhmedia.com 919-945-0704
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Brandy Pinion bpinion@wtwhmedia.com 662-234-5481, EXT 127 FOUNDER Webb C. Howell
SOUTHERN FLAVOR MADE EASY.
At House Autry we make serving southern flavor easy and quick. With more than 200 years of milling breadings, mixes and batters with southern spice blends, there’s no easier way to offer authentic southern-made fried chicken or seafood, biscuits, hushpuppies, pancakes and more.
Drive-thru and Dining Room Blurred
During my time as QSR magazine editor, I’ve spent plenty of time talking about the blurring lines between quick-service concepts and fast casual. One of the biggest factors in that discussion has been the drive-thru lane.
In the years leading up to COVID, the drive-thru was a hallmark of the prototypical fast-food restaurant. Fast casuals, meanwhile, prided themselves on made-to-order dishes that took longer but delivered higher quality—as did their dining rooms, which drove a larger share of sales and gave customers a reason to linger.
That’s not the case today. The pandemic forced brands to rethink operations as more customers embraced devices and loyalty programs. Guests flocked to drive-thrus out of necessity and stayed there because they got used to the convenience. What began as a health and safety measure became a habit, reshaping the way people interact with restaurants.
The biggest chains have responded. Chipotle was ahead of the curve, opening its first Chipotlane in 2018. It’s not a traditional drive-thru; customers order ahead and then pick up at a window. Still, the format works—otherwise Chipotle wouldn’t be investing so heavily in it. The brand plans to open 315–345 new restaurants in 2025, and 80 percent will include a Chipotlane.
Shake Shack joined the drive-thru game toward the end of 2021 and now has dozens of locations with the format. The chain has spent significant time value-engineering its prototype and improving speed of service. Sweetgreen also experimented with an order-ahead “Sweetlane” in 2022, signaling that even
health-forward brands see the appeal of faster channels.
Meanwhile, some brands—fast casual and fast food alike—are putting fresh attention on the dining room. Starbucks is one. Since Brian Niccol took over in September 2024, the chain has worked to revive its “third place” dynamic—that special spot between home and work. Although comp sales haven’t turned positive as of mid-August, Starbucks has been adding touches like nicer mugs, an expanded condiment bar, and free refills. Stores are being redesigned with more comfortable seating and additional outlets so guests can plug in and stay awhile. The hope is to bring back that sense of community the brand was once known for.
CAVA, which also operates digital drive-thrus, wants customers to feel just as comfortable inside. The fast casual is backing that up with its Project Soul design and a remodeling program for older locations. The goal is to elevate the guest experience while making employees’ jobs easier so they can focus on the personal, human interactions that define the brand.
Dining rooms, drive-thrus, and digital channels are all now part of the quick-service landscape. Customers don’t care what’s fast casual or what’s fast food, as long as the experience matches their needs at the moment. Maybe it’s time the industry stopped caring, too. Drive-thrus or dining rooms no longer define either segment—they’re simply different doors leading to the same table.
Ben Coley, Editor
EVERYTHING YOU NEED, NOTHING YOU DON’T.
• Customizable and intuitive interface
• Programmable recipes
• Automatic cleaning uses a ordable chemicals
Rely on Chef’sCombi for consistent results across all your locations.
ENERGY STAR® certified on select models.
Wingstop
Gets into the Football Spirit
The chain partnered with an NFL star as part of a fall campaign.
WINGSTOP KICKED OFF FOOTBALL SEASON with a new menu offering curated by rookie quarterback and No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward.
The meal, called Cam Ward’s #1 Picks, includes 20 wings—both classic and boneless—paired with large seasoned fries and two ranch dips, providing a value-friendly option for groups.
Ward’s personal lineup reflects his go-to flavor mix: five Lemon Pepper classic wings, five Hot Honey Rub classic wings, five Mango Habanero boneless wings, and five Hickory Smoked BBQ boneless wings
“I’m always craving Wingstop,” Ward said. “Lemon Pepper has been my day-one flavor, but the rest of the flavors? You can’t miss! I can’t pick just one, so my order has the best of both—classic and boneless wings—and all my favorite flavors. You best believe I’ll be ordering from Wingstop to fuel up for my big debut.”
NFL rookie Cam Ward is the new star of Wingstop.
Square ’s latest restaurant industry data for 2025 highlights how economic uncertainty is shaping restaurant sales, margins, and customer behavior.
TIPPING TRENDS AND LABOR IMPACT
OVERALL DECLINE IN TIPS:
• Q1 2025 average tip on food and beverage transactions: 15.17 percent
• Fast Casual: Steady at 17.4–21.2 percent (2024 and early 2025)
• QSRs: 21.1 percent (2024) to 18.8 percent (early 2025)
• Efficiency gains likely from tech investments (e.g., self-serve kiosks)
EBITDA MARGINS:
• QSRs: 18.9 percent (early 2025)
• Fast Casual: 23.6 percent (early 2025)
• Both sectors benefit from scalable, standardized models.
Fine Dinin g
SALES:
• –13 percent decline (early 2024 vs. late 2023) to recovery to 2.1–3.1 percent growth (early 2025)
LABOR MARGINS:
• 19–26 percent, peaking during holidays due to higher staffing demands
EBITDA MARGINS:
• Highly volatile: 1 percent (early 2024) to 19 percent (Q2 2024) to 12.2 percent (early 2025)
• Reflects sensitivity to external economic shifts.
Oat Milk
Meals to GO No Mess, No Stress
ENVIRO
TRAY IS THE SOLUTION
Designed For Burgers with Fries, Chips, Fruits and more.
Meet the EnviroTray — the future of food-to-go packaging.
Crafted from plant fiber and fully compostable, our sustainable trays are stackable, water and oil proof, and built to preserve freshness without mess.
Saves prep time and labor
Reduces packaging waste
Enhances food presentation
Boosts your green brand image
Be kind to your environment
Compostable & plastic free
Join top QSR brands who’ve made the switch.
Smart design.
Clean conscience. Big savings.
fresh ideas
|MENU VARIATION|
QFINDING THE SWEET SPOT ON MENU SIZE
Some brands thrive on focus, others on variety. The key is knowing how to make either model work.
BY SAM DANLEY
uick-service restaurants have long wrestled with the question of how much choice is too much. Some chains lean into sprawling menus with dozens of SKUs, banking on variety to draw in customers. Others take the opposite tack, betting that focus and consistency can build just as much loyalty. Both approaches can work—but the benefits and challenges of each are different.
On the streamlined side of the aisle are brands like Angry Chickz and Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, two concepts proving that simplicity can be just as powerful as variety.
At Angry Chickz, the menu has barely shifted since the brand’s
2018 debut in a small East Hollywood storefront. Today, the growing chain still centers on spicy chicken tenders with a few sides like mac and cheese, fries, coleslaw, and jasmine rice.
“Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, we build our concept around a few core items that we do exceptionally well,” says Will Lopez, director of operations at Angry Chickz. “When customers walk in they know exactly what we specialize in. And we’ve committed to perfecting it.”
That discipline, he notes, creates a smoother experience for both guests and operators.
“No order anxiety, no bloated menus,” Lopez says. “Perhaps
Cheba Hut’s back-of-house often resembles full-service kitchens because of its extensive menu options.
fresh ideas
more importantly, we’ve created a consistent, replicable system that’s easy to scale across markets.”
Operationally, a smaller menu delivers tangible advantages like faster training, fewer specialized equipment needs, and tighter control of inventory. Lopez also points to lower food waste and improved speed of service, which has become increasingly important as drive-thru and third-party delivery account for a growing share of the business. But keeping things simple isn’t always easy.
“Sometimes we underestimate the complexity of being simple,” Lopez says, recalling his past experience at Raising Cane’s. “Another challenge can be resisting the urge to do more. There’s always pressure to expand offerings or cater to broader audiences. But we’ve learned that every item comes at a cost—not just in dollars, but in time, focus, and consistency.”
Rita’s has taken a similar path on the frozen dessert side of the business.
With more than 600 units nationwide, the brand has built staying power on just two core products while still finding room for innovation through flavors and combinations.
“I would call it simple, yet we have a lot of variety,” says Kathy Deal, senior vice president of operations. “Because of all of our fla-
vors, we’re able to be innovative without staying too far from our two products. We’re really able to use those products to renovate ourselves and do different things that appeal to all demographics and all age categories—and have fun with it.”
Daily flavor rotations and limited-time products add novelty, but Deal says execution is where Rita’s wins.
“From the production to the merchandising, our execution really remains consistent,” she says. “It’s really about the fun and the flair and the excitement that we put behind it to ensure the teams are supporting it, and that we’re driving consumers to the shops to try it.”
That combination of focus and flexibility also makes the brand attractive to franchisees. Without fryers or grease traps, the operational model is leaner than most QSRs.
“We just have ice, we have custard, and we have fun,” says Carmela Hughley, senior vice president of marketing insights and innovation at Rita’s.
For chains that focus more on offering customers a wide range of choices, the challenge lies in delivering that variety without letting operations spiral into chaos.
Cheba Hut has built a loyal following around its counterculture-
Angry Chickz’s menu has changed little since its founding in 2018.
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard built its reputation on two core products.
inspired sandwich shops. It offers 26 core subs that can also be ordered as salads. That’s before adding in “munchies” like nachos and garlic cheese bread, plus a rotating stash of off-menu creations that hardcore fans seek out.
“Our menu itself is an experience,” says Audrey Bolton, director of operations at Cheba Hut. “It’s not just a list of options. I would say it’s built to really feel like you’re slipping through the best mixtape of sandwiches.”
Managing that much variety requires discipline behind the scenes. Cheba Hut cross-utilizes ingredients across multiple items and relies on consistent prep methods to ensure kitchens don’t get bogged down. The brand supports franchisees with detailed checklists, visual guides, and recipe cards, and training is delivered through a modern learning management system designed for today’s workforce.
“It’s bite-sized,” Bolton says of the training strategy. “If we’re throwing employees into the whole meal deal versus a more skills-based and modular approach, they have to learn everything all at once, and it’s going to take them a significantly longer amount of time to become a pro in different aspects of their job.”
The complexity comes with trade-offs. Bolton notes that Cheba Hut’s kitchens often resemble those of a full-service restaurant, with heavy prep demands requiring significant investment in equipment and infrastructure as the chain grows. But instead of immediately cutting back the menu when challenges arise, the company focuses on refining processes. For example, Cheba Hut has adjusted its prep practices and rolled out kitchen display systems to replace paper tickets. Those changes have improved order management and given leaders real-time insights into kitchen performance.
Dog Haus has taken a similar approach, building a menu around hot dogs, sausages, burgers, and chicken as vessels for creative, chef-driven flavor combinations. Cofounder Hagop Giragossian says variety has always been central to the concept, but it only works because the brand is disciplined about what makes the cut.
“Is it more important to have a smaller, more concise, tighter menu? Or do people like to come in and have variety and see different things? I think it’s a conversation that everybody has,” Giragossian says. “You have different examples of success across the board. So, it doesn’t mean you can only be simple and good or you can only be complex and good. It really just depends on how you build it out.”
He says menu bloat happens when operators can’t consistently execute a menu item or when something is added simply to check a box.
So while the brand constantly experiments with limited-time offerings, it only keeps the winners and is quick to trim those that don’t resonate.
Giragossian describes the approach as playful but disciplined: new items are creative, but they rely on familiar ingredients and consistent build processes that keep kitchens from being overwhelmed.
“At the end of the day, you need to be good when you’re busy,” he says. “I don’t want to simplify my menu. I want to simplify my operations. I believe there’s a way to be complex where you seem more complex than you actually are, and I think you should strive to be that.”
Sam Danley is the associate editor of QSR. He can be reached at sdanley@wthwmedia.com
Cheba Hut cross-utilizes ingredients across multiple items and relies on consistent prep methods.
Dog Haus’ menu is centered around variety.
How a 5-Second Delay Can Cost Up To $9,500 in Lost Sales
And the tools operators can use to avoid losses and boost profits.
Long queues drive customers away, but the true cost of wait times is often underestimated. Competitive speed of service is critical: 30 percent of customers leave after five minutes without ordering, according to HME, costing operators thousands in lost sales. The 2024 Intouch Insight Drive-Thru Study estimates every five-second delay can add up to $9,500 in annual losses per store. What operators miss in their drive-thru may be costing them more than they realize.
Understanding where revenue is lost is the first step to fixing bottlenecks. “When the entire customer experience depends solely on the drive-thru lane, there’s no room for error or delays,” says Jason Bertellotti, president of HME Hospitality & Specialty Communications. “Operators can’t rely on in-store service to catch up. That makes real-time visibility critical. Smarter tech helps manage higher volumes e ciently, maintain speed of service, and reduce bottlenecks that frustrate customers. With AI-powered solutions
like Nitro Vision AI, operators can finally see the full story of what’s happening in their operation.” He notes this same need extends to mobile pickup and pull-forward spaces, where mix-ups or long waits can frustrate customers just as quickly as a backed-up lane.
Success and profits depend on how quickly and accurately brands get orders to customers. “With our ZOOM Nitro timer and computer vision working together, operators can see exactly where and why delays are happening, tracking vehicles throughout every stage of the lane,” Bertellotti says. “They’re able to measure the customer’s true wait time, from arrival to exit, instead of relying on limited detection points.”
Traditional loop systems deliver useful insights, but their data and coverage remain limited. Nitro Vision AI solves those challenges as an add-on solution to a restaurant’s existing ZOOM Nitro system. “Computer vision uses cameras and AI to visually track vehicles throughout the lane in real time,” Bertellotti says. “Unlike ground sensors, it identifies location, movement, and lane behavior across multiple points, without requiring major infrastructure changes.”
Whether it’s two cars or twenty, Nitro Vision AI tracks arrivals before customers reach the menu, while monitoring timing and orders in real time, allowing operators to act on the spot. It also tracks mobile pickup and pull-forward spaces, giving managers visibility to prioritize hando s, reassign sta , and keep all service points moving. When seconds translate to revenue, operators can’t a ord to operate blindly.
Every delay comes at a cost. Computer vision and AI are reshaping how operators monitor, manage, and optimize the guest experience. By turning raw activity into actionable insights, Nitro Vision AI helps brands safeguard revenue, protect customer loyalty, and maximize their ZOOM Nitro investment. “Nitro Vision AI is designed to work seamlessly as an add on to the existing ZOOM Nitro loop system, so operators can maximize the value of their current investment,” Bertellotti says.
As expectations evolve, the ability to see and act on every part of the operation will define the winners in speed and satisfaction. The future of profitability lies in smarter, accessible technology that helps operators act before slowdowns become costly setbacks. ◗
Quality audio is not a luxury—it's a necessity for drive thru success.
A 5-second improvement in speed of service could result in a potential gain of over $9,500 per year per store.* The NEXEO | HDX™ Communication Platform delivers unmatched, HME patented high-definition drive thru audio, resulting in 20% better clarity and an 88% reduction in outbound noise, and ultimately, faster service.
Thai Chili 2Go
The brand is filling the gap of quick-service Thai cuisine in the U.S.
BY BEN COLEY
FOUNDER: Aks Sethi
HEADQUARTERS: Mesa, Arizona
YEAR STARTED: 2015
ANNUAL SALES: $19.1M
TOTAL UNITS: 16 in operation and two under construction slated to open in August and September 2025.
FRANCHISED UNITS: 0
AKS SETHI WAS BLOWN AWAY THE FIRST TIME HE visited Chipotle in 2014.
The entrepreneur was already four years into Thai Chili, a sit-down restaurant based in Gilbert, Arizona, with about 90 items, beer and wine, and authentic recipes that hearken back to the streets of Thailand. But
the trip to the QSR giant was enough to inspire him to enter the then-booming fastcasual segment. Sethi had enough data to know what people ordered the most, and he and his team were able to translate that into a simpler menu involving curries, noodles, rice, stir-fry, and a few appetizers and snacks on the side. The spinoff, called Thai Chili 2Go, debuted in Queen Creek, Arizona, in May 2015. The response was overwhelming, Sethi recalls.
“It was outstanding,” says Sethi, founder and CEO. “We of course had to fine-tune a lot of things along the way because we were coming from a sit-down restaurant. We had no idea. When it’s quick serve, people expect it to be counter service and they’re waiting. There’s no servers bussing tables, offering drinks and appetizers, and then the
entrees. It was a different adjustment, but of course, we pivoted and we created a lot of great systems.”
The core of Thai Chili 2Go, Sethi says, is its simplicity. The chain has seen many firsttimers play it safe by ordering the Pad Thai, which the CEO describes as a “delicious fine balance with the sweet and tartness of tamarind and tomatoes.” Additionally, earlier this year, the company launched rice bowls, a $9 option that can be upgraded with a protein and is faring well during the lunch daypart.
“We welcome all,” the CEO says. “We want to break that barrier, and we want you to try the food, the cuisine, and it’s easy to order. If you’re ordering a curry, all you have to do is you pick your curry, you pick your protein, pick your spice level, and white or brown rice. So it’s easy to order.”
While the casual Thai Chili brand shuttered in 2022 because of the pandemic, Thai Chili 2Go lives on and is continuing to grow. In the past 10 years, the chain has expanded to 16 units, with another three scheduled to open later this year, as of early August. Three more are expected to debut in the first two quarters of 2026. The chain has a franchise opportunity available, but none have opened yet. Sethi adds that Thai Chili 2Go receives about 10 to 12 inquiries per month. He attributes much of the interest to out-of-state consumers visiting schools like the University of Arizona and Arizona State and then trying the brand’s Thai food. The strategy is to keep Arizona as a corporate market and push it to 30 to 35 restaurants in the state.
“We have built a great team, and we keep on building upon it to support that,” Sethi says. “So it’s a good corporate state. We want to hold. It’s a home state for us, and then strategically having good partnerships—with operating partners and franchise opportunities—we are willing to explore at this point going forward.”
CASH— The Secret Ingredient.
How the biggest names in the industry handle their cash.
Running a busy restaurant, you know that every detail matters—from nailing lunch rush and customer satisfaction to keeping costs in check. Top brands in the industry face the same challenges, and many have found a smart solution with SafePoint® by Loomis.
They rely on SafePoint® for the accuracy, speed, and reliability needed to handle high volumes of cash without the usual headaches. It’s a smart business decision: less time spent on manual counting, fewer discrepancies at the end of the day, and even faster access to funds. It’s a solution that works for those at the top, and it can work for you too.
Save on labor and training costs.
Reduce the risk of internal theft and external threat. Gain real-time visibility into your cash flow. Eliminate the need for daily trips to the bank.
From Social Work to Soul Food
This Brooklyn entrepreneur mixes motherhood, mentorship, and culture into every dish— and is paving the way for more Black women in hospitality.
BY SATYNE DONER
Throughout her years as a social worker and school psychologist in Yonkers, New York, Ka-wana Jefferson wanted more. She craved ownership and freedom. In addition to her daytime career, she moonlighted as a waitress, bartender, and manager— but none of these endeavors satisfied her entrepreneurial drive.
Her first brick-and-mortar bar, Sweet Brooklyn, opened while she was nine months pregnant. The timing only made her more determined to push herself as a new restaurateur on the Brooklyn scene.
“I was mothering a new son and a new business,” Jefferson says. “I had a sense of real purpose and a need to build something I could leave behind for my kids. Long-term success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a long time to develop and grow. I learned to set realistic expectations as I stepped fully into my role as founder and leader.”
She found that the leadership lessons she gained from running a restaurant also came from being a mother: people—like children— are looking to you for finite, confident decisions. It’s a lesson she learned early in life from her mother, who raised three children on her own while pursuing higher education and teaching a master class
in perseverance. Now, as a business owner, Jefferson doesn’t second-guess herself.
Today, Jefferson co-owns two concepts: Lost Borough Ice Cream Shop and Sweet Catch BK, a Southern-style seafood restaurant. While one features hand-crafted ice cream and the other serves soul food, one thing is clear—no matter the dish, Jefferson is serving love on a plate.
“My menus represent my upbringing, my experiences, and my culture,” Jefferson says. “I’m showcasing this culinary journey to the world for everyone to participate in. I seek to give people a sense of nostalgia and connection to those who created these recipes from nothing.”
Aside from the food, Jefferson says it was important to create an experience that is scalable in a volatile industry. Trends are fleeting; creating emotional connections with customers is forever. She disagrees with the sentiment, “It’s not personal, it’s just business”—because for her, having her restaurants tied to purpose allows her to put more care into the space, creating longevity, a culture of support from top to bottom, and a loyal customer base.
Because, she says, what would she do without her community? As a single mother and rising business leader in the restaurant space, her support system means everything to her. Now, it’s her turn to give back.
“There is so much power in the word ‘community,’ and for me, it means hiring locally and offering internships. We open up our restaurant to local artists, photographers, and aspiring business owners,” Jefferson says. “We go beyond food and step into a space where we can empower more people to understand what goes into owning an establishment of their own.”
Elevating, educating, and empowering more Black and people of color entrepreneurs remains one of Jefferson’s strongest purposes. As a first-generation business owner in the hospitality industry and a recipient of a 2024 Minority Business Award, she feels a responsibility to pay it forward.
Growth, for Jefferson, is twofold: eyes that look toward the future with feet firmly planted in building a sustainable business model. It starts inside the restaurant—hiring employees who reflect the diversity of the community and making an effort to not only hire team members, but also invest in them from the start.
Ka-wana Jefferson co-owns New York City–based concepts Lost Borough Ice Cream Shop and Sweet Catch BK.
of diners would leave or avoid a drive-thru line if five or more cars were waiting 61%
Usage might be down, but innovation is up. Here’s why those two things go together for fast food, and what it means for the future of its most vital channel.
WITH DRIVE-THRU DATA:
• METHODOLOGY /P 28
• TOTAL TIME /P31
• SERVICE TIME /P31
• WAIT TIME /P31
• FRIENDLINESS /P32
• OVERALL SATISFACTION /P32
• CARS IN LINE /P34
• TOTAL TIME BY CAR /P34
• ORDER ACCURACY /P36
• SUGGESTIVE SELLING /P38
• MAIN TASTE /P 40
• MAIN TEMPERATURE /P 40
FRIENDLINESS
SUGGESTIVE SELLING OVERALL SATISFACTION
IN PARTNERSHIP:
® WAIT TIME SERVICE TIME WINDOW TIME
SCAN TO ACCESS INTOUCH INSIGHT’S ANNUAL DRIVE-THRU STUDY IN FULL.
LET’S START WITH A DEBATE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: ARE FEWER RESTAURANT GOERS VISITING THE DRIVE-THRU?
From January 2024 through June 2025, there have been consistent gains in dine-in, delivery, and takeout trends—the latter spiked 25.8 percent alone in October 2024, according to Revenue Management Solutions. Yet drive-thru remained in negative territory month after month, falling as deep as 13.3 percent last summer and still hovering between minus 5 and 8 percent in 2025. “These sustained declines,” RMS CEO John Oakes says, “suggest that consumer behavior is shifting in ways operators can’t ignore.”
Over recent years of our QSR Drive-Thru Report, we’ve seen this arrow tilt and rebalance following COVID19. There was a surge in usage due to necessity and then a holding pattern as guest visits settled into habits. But multiple years of inflation spread transactions thin and sent diners in search of experience for value. Or, simply, drive-thru reached a point of parity in the marketplace—there are more options for convenience than pre-pandemic. And that reality is a maturing conversation as much as anything else. Did takeout exist before 2020? Naturally, but the tools to provide access were either in their infancy or riddled with friction.
THE BRANDS THAT ACT NOW TO IMPROVE THE VALUE EQUATION— WITH SMART PRICING, REDUCED WAIT TIMES, THOUGHTFUL AI, AND SEAMLESS DIGITAL-TO-PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE—WILL BE BEST EQUIPPED TO GROW WHEN CONSUMER CONFIDENCE RETURNS.
Oakes says you can see these stakes show up at the drive-thru. “The brands that act now to improve the value equation—with smart pricing, reduced wait times, thoughtful AI, and seamless digital-to-physical experience—will be best equipped to grow when consumer confidence returns,” he says.
Nearly 24 percent of respondents in RMS survey data said they now buy pre-made meals at grocery stores more often, and 15 percent reported more frequent C-store visits for grab-and-go. Call it a race to convenience and value for the money. And where does that leave the drive-thru, which has long mixed 70 percent of sales at top QSR brands that define the category? “To compete, drive-thru operations need to deliver what their customers, primarily Gen Z and millennials, want,” Oakes says, “which includes a frictionless experience, good value and menu items that appeal, such as specialty drinks and snacks.”
This year, the QSR Drive-Thru Report, a partnership with Intouch Insight, expanded to include four additional brands in its mystery shopper study—Popeyes, Dunkin’, Starbucks, and Dutch Bros—and provide a segmented look at
DRIVE-THRU STUDY METHODOLOGY:
• 165 mystery shops per brand
• June-July 2025
• Shops were distributed across various times of the day for a representative sample of consumer purchasing patterns throughout the day
• Geographically distributed across the U.S.
TACO BELL IS NO STRANGER TO INNOVATIVE DRIVE-THRU PROTOTYPES.
BEVERAGE: Dunkin’, Starbucks, Dutch Bros, Tim Hortons
• Additional 40 mystery shops at three brands for a total of 120 shops.
• WAIT TIME: The amount of time passed from the time you entered the drive-thru line until you reached the speaker and started to place your order.
• SERVICE TIME: The amount of time from when the shopper started placing their order until they received their food.
• TOTAL TIME: The amount of time passed from entering the drive-thru to receiving your entire order.
• WINDOW TIME: The amount of time passed from arriving at the food pickup window to receiving your entire order.
• TOTAL TIME BY CARS IN LINE: The average amount of time passed from entering the drive-thru to receiving your entire order, divided by the average cars in line.
how categories are performing compared to each other, as well as brand-by-brand. We also continued to delve into AI reflections and how automated voice ordering compares to typical setups, as well as the category’s overall lift toward a fresh vision as customers, to Oakes’ commentary, demand similar experiences in their drive-thru journey as they do in other digital orders.
Here’s a look at how segments broke down:
“Classic brands” were the fastest of the restaurants measured across all metrics except window time.
Like always, drive-thru KPIs fall into a nuanced, yet evolving world. As RMS data showed, the category rode tailwinds into higher guest expectations. And that can be a challenging space to compete in when traffic is down, and diners are guarding spend to combat higher costs.
Taco Bell ranked as the fastest drive-thru, by total time, for the fifth consecutive year.
Dane Mathews, Taco Bell’s chief digital and technology officer, says it’s a holistic battleground. “Speed, accuracy, and friendliness remain foundational to success,” he notes, “but at Taco Bell, we see them as part of broader ambition: delivering exceptional hospitality.”
“Today’s drive-thru success isn’t just about how fast or precise the drive-thru is—it’s about how the experience makes you feel,” Mathews adds. “That’s why we’re focused on metrics that reflect both operational excellence and customer experience. Technology is helping us elevate all of these, but it’s the feeling you leave with that defines a truly great drive-thru.”
Even before COVID, the QSR Drive-Thru Report had begun to show a slant in preference toward accuracy over straight, clocked speed. Was this a reflection of mobile proliferation? Had consumers learned both to wait in idle time blocks with smart phones and to expect visual confirmation and accuracy in their purchasing, like retail? That’s assuredly true, but so is the coming chapter Mathews spoke to. It isn’t enough today to open the funnel and enable transac-
When it came to accuracy, “beverage brands” topped, scoring 8 percent higher than chicken.
For friendliness and overall satisfaction, classic brands were the lowest, chicken the highest.
TACO BELL RANKED AS THE FASTEST DRIVE-THRU, BY TOTAL TIME, FOR THE FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR.
The amount of time passed from entering the drive-thru to receiving your entire order.
The amount of time from when the shopper started placing their order until they received their food.
The amount of time passed from the time you entered the drive-thru line until you reached the speaker and started to place your order.
tions. “Value” spread tentacles throughout QSR well beyond price and speed into experience—inside and outside stores. If dine-in continues to gain, restaurants will need to make drive-thru experience matter beyond the hand-off.
Monique Birkeli, senior director, hospitality & service experience at Chick-fil-A, Inc., refers to this aim as “quality of interaction.”
“Customers tell us they value both a fast experience and an accurate order, but we also know they expect a warm, friendly interaction with our team members,” she says. “For us, table stakes in the drive-thru today are clear: a remarkable
experience that combines efficiency, accuracy, and hospitality every single time.”
Chick-fil-A sits generally at the bottom of the speed of service chart for total time. Yet it’s a contextual swatch of data. Freestanding or drive-thru-only units averaged median sales of $9.227 million in 2024. More than 1,000 of the 2,179 Chick-fil-As measured, or 49 percent, beat the average sales volume of $9.317 million. One was at $19.319 million. So Chick-fil-A locations are, as a general truth, busier than other brands. And the flow of ordering differs with in-line ordertakers versus a speaker box.
Every Delay Costs More Than You Think
Nitro Vision AI is the key to protecting speed, sales, and customer loyalty.
Long waits frustrate customers and quietly drain revenue. Nitro Vision AI shows you where delays start—pre-menu, drive-thru, mobile pickup, or pullforward—so you can fix them before they cost sales. Designed as an easy add-on with the ZOOM Nitro® system, it unlocks total visibility into every stage of the customer journey without major changes. See
Birkeli says technology has become a way for Chick-fil-A to complement, not replace, the human connections diners expect from the brand. Innovations like face-to-face ordering tablets, dual-lane drive-thru designs, and “Mobile Thru Pickup,” which Chick-fil-A launched to enable app customers to roll through and speed up service (and improve accuracy) This, all while keeping interactions along the way, no matter which route, personal.
“Looking ahead,” she says, “we’re exploring how emerging technologies, such as intelligent queue management and enhanced personalization, could make the experience even more seamless, while keeping hospitality at the heart of it all.”
At neutral, it slid to 82 percent and plunged to 22 percent for not friendly. Order accuracy was also 89 percent at the top, 81 percent for neutral, and 80 percent for not friendly.
Friendliness led to faster service at 323.8 seconds. That slowed to 366.9 seconds at neutral and 417.5 for not friendly.
Unsurprisingly, drive-thrus considered “friendlier” created higher overall results.
More than 50 percent of Inspire Brands’ U.S. sales come in the drive-thru lane. Vans Nelson, SVP operations innovation at the Dunkin’, Baskin-Robbins, Arby’s, Sonic Drive-In, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Jimmy John’s owner, says that mix (70 percent for Dunkin’ across drive-thru, mobile ordering, or delivery) means the company, understandably, takes excellence in the channel “incredibly seriously.”
Friendliness proved again to be one of the most crucial triggers. When an employee was friendly, overall drive-thru satisfaction clocked in at 97 percent.
TOTAL TIME BY CAR
The
And like Mathews, Nelson starts the execution discussion with value. “Interestingly,” he says, “consumers define value differently. They might associate it with pricing, quality, service, or a combination of all three. For many of our guests, their time, experience, and cost are all part of the value equation, which makes the drive-thru an essential part of our brands’ success.”
It’s morphed toward a puzzle of service, accuracy, speed, convenience, and accessibility as competition mounts.
Peter Perdue, chief operating officer at Burger King U.S. CARS IN LINE
and Canada, adds guests continue to seek food quality, accuracy, and service from hospitable employees in a clean environment.
“Cleanliness in the drive-thru can be just as important as inside the restaurant, including the premises of the restaurant, the drive-thru speaker box, the signage, and windows,” he says.
Nelson notes speed of service will always be a priority, especially for brands like Dunkin’, where the goal started with a slogan to “keep America running.” Accuracy, though, climbed the KPI ladder in recent years. Nelson says an increasingly digital world, with smarter technology, has rendered order accuracy a “minimum expectation.”
“[Consumers] expect to see their order on a digital menu board and be able to make changes in real-time, and team members expect a system for preparing and organizing orders
that is detailed, intuitive, and seamless,” he says. “It is only by providing a transparent ordering experience for our guests and an efficient fulfillment process for our team members that we can meet those foundational requirements.”
Dutch Bros, which eclipsed 1,000 locations in 2025 and believes it has a total addressable fleet of more than 7,000 U.S. units, topped the accuracy pack in its first year on the Report. Overall, accuracy in 2025 was 87 percent compared to 89 percent in 2024 ( worth considering the new brands factored in)
The metric, akin to speed, has multiple levers to consider. While the presence of an order confirmation board, for instance, had little impact on order accuracy, using it to its full potential did, in fact, impact scores. Order accuracy was 26 percentage points higher when the display of the OCB was correct. Brands scored only 64 percent when the board was not correct, indicating employees typed the order in wrongly. So, by having customers confirm if the OCB is accurate, Intouch Insight said, operators can catch errors early.
Quality speakers mattered as well. Order accuracy was 16 percentage points loftier when the interaction via the speaker was clear and understandable compared to when it wasn’t. It was 12 percentage points better when the shopper did not have to repeat their order. And it was 11 points higher when the volume was loud enough to hear the employee.
Speakers materially impacted speed, too. Total time was a minute and 25 seconds faster when the shopper did not have to repeat their order. It was 54 seconds better when the interaction via the speaker was clear and understandable. And total time improved by 29 seconds when the volume was loud enough to hear the employee.
Suggestive selling improved speed of service, but only when offered after placing an order. The study average was 335.4 seconds. Time lowered to 327.5 seconds when suggestive selling was offered afterward. When a suggestive sell was offered with greeting, it was higher at 364.2 seconds.
The quick-serves visited in this year’s Report were most accurate during the afternoon (1:31 p m to 4 p m ) at 90 percent. Lunch was 87 percent, breakfast 88 percent, and dinner lagged at 86 percent.
Perdue says Burger King has new frontiers of technology available to address the many facets of execution, but remains focused on maximizing what’s available today, such as OCBs. It wants outdoor assets to present food in a way that’s craveable and easy to navigate, and for screens to have no downtime, with accurate sync deployments throughout the year when stability updates and new menu experiences are released. “And we want our guests to be able to hear our team members clearly and accu-
DRIVE-THRU, MOBILE ORDERING, AND DELIVERY MIXES 70 PERCENT AT DUNKIN’.
rately, and likewise, we want our team members to be able to hear our guests clearly when ordering at the speaker box,” he says. “Our focus is to ensure technology serves its purpose and allows for clear and accurate communication between our team members and guests.”
Accuracy has, without doubt, become as valuable as speed in drive-thru performance. It was 85 percent in 2019, 84 percent in 2019, and 87 percent in 2020. Since, it’s come in at 85, 85, 86, 89, and 87 percent, respectively from 2021–2025.
INNOVATION IN THE LANE
While the bar has been raised and drive-thrus work to fend off rising channels, they do have more systems to meet the call.
Nelson says Inspire performs time-motion studies and complexity analysis to measure the impact of drive-thru on overall guest experience. “Getting guests in, out, and on their way as frictionlessly as possible with an accurate, delicious
order remains our focus and what guests expect from us,” he says.
Mathews mirrors Nelson’s note on collecting data and responding. Taco Bell has a “test-and-learn” mentality, he says, to identify technology that drives improvement, like Voice AI, ConnectMe ( omnichannel integrated loyalty ) , and digital menu boards—all of which work together to create a faster, smarter, and more relevant drive-thru experience.
“These tools reduce friction and enhance the customer journey in real time,” he says. “The next frontier is full ecosystem orchestration, where every digital touchpoint, from loyalty to kitchen operations, works in harmony.” Taco Bell has an ace in this game with Byte by Yum!, a unified, AI-powered restaurant technology platform the KFC, Pizza Hut, and Habit Burger & Grill parent company unveiled in February. It enables Taco Bell to deliver scalable innovation by unifying everything from point of sale to inventory.
What’s unfolding across the wider drive-thru lexicon, though, is an internal and external makeover. Byte by Yum! is being joined, regarding Taco Bell, by more digitally equipped locations and some flashy outliers, like the two-story Defy restaurant in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Chick-fil-A, too, has a double-decker asset it calls the Elevated Drive-Thru con-
cept. Introduced in late summer 2024, the store separates its kitchen above from four lanes below, with a proprietary conveyor system to deliver meals to consumers in their cars. It was built to house 75 vehicles at once.
Additionally, at select stores, Chick-fil-A says it’s deploying drone technology to take a sky-high approach to studying drive-thru operations. “With the help of drone footage and our teams’ analysis, the operator can use the ‘game film’ to study their restaurant’s drive-thru traffic patterns and improve efficiency during peak times,” Birkeli says.
The Mobile Thru feature, which gives customers a chance
to order ahead and get into designated lanes, has spread to more than 300 restaurants. And, to further alleviate capacity and reduce wait times, Chick-fil-A says it’s working on refining face-to-face ordering by positioning employees with tablets deeper out in the line.
“Lastly, we are in the process of adding enhanced signage and portable menu boards in all restaurants by the end of the year to make it easier for customers to see their options before ordering,” Birkeli says. “While less technology-driven, this simple, thoughtful update has improved the overall experience by reducing confusion and helping customers feel more
confident about their choices as they enter the drive-thru.”
So much of the drive-thru experience is a blend of perception and execution. How can fast food continue to reimagine the journey as convenience paths widen?
Mathews highlights ConnectMe, Taco Bell’s new loyalty experience mentioned before. Customers check in via code with an employee, which allows them to earn points and access rewards without needing to order ahead on the app.
It’s another example of the drive-thru growing up to keep pace. Mathews says the system democratizes loyalty while maximizing Taco Bell’s ability to personalize the drive-thru, enabling features such as drive-thru reward redemptions, name recognition, tailored offers, and even hands-free payment for customers with stored credit cards. It’s available in more than 7,500 Taco Bell drive-thrus. “… it’s subtle in execution but transformative in deepening brand connection through routine moments in the most ubiquitous channel,” he says.
Nelson adds the most powerful drive-thru tools tend not to be the flashy ones. Back-of-house technologies, including intelligent inventory management, automated scheduling, and conversational point-of-sale systems, are essential to delivering experience to guests and team members.
A smooth and intuitive in-app ordering flow, he adds, improves guest metrics. When ordering ahead these days, customers need to know where, when, and how they can secure their food. “So we think of the drive-thru experience beginning well beyond the traditional parking lot,” Nelson says.
“I’m excited to see the drive-thru lane get even smarter,” he continues. “Geofencing for mobile orders can make our timing more accurate and efficient, driving throughput optimization. We’re already seeing automation like chatbots enhance the guest and team member experience, so design upgrades such as robotics and food delivery systems embedded in the building will be exciting.”
Inspire has been upgrading digital menu boards so it can tap real-time updates and order confirmations. All are critical, Nelson says, to building trust during the ordering process.
The company is also actively testing drive-thru transport systems to unlock throughput capacity and execution for on-arrival and third-party channels. Beverage systems are being reimagined as well, Nelson says, to strip complexity and simplify employee involvement. And Inspire is piloting nextgeneration drive-thru timers powered by AI camera vision to track the guest journey and provide insights.
A common thread among brands this year was an understanding of the thread between performance and how easy it is to work in a restaurant.
Nelson says the most effective way to ensure guest satisfaction is to do the same for employees. “When team members are well-equipped with technology, fully staffed, and thoroughly trained, they can excel and thrive in every interaction, resulting in significantly more positive guest experiences,” he says.
For example, with AI investments like smart scheduling and inventory management, an Inspire GM can spend
In the fast-paced world of QSR franchising, having a reliable financing partner can make all the difference between opportunity and obstacle. At Linsky Capital, we build long term relationships centered around trust, transparency, and a shared commitment to your success. It's why we have "clients", not "customers”. As a proud family-owned business, we treat every client like part of our family.
Founded by Ryan Linsky, a veteran of the franchise finance industry with over 28 years of experience, our firm was built on a foundation of integrity, deep industry knowledge, and a genuine understanding of what franchisees need to succeed. A year ago, Ryan’s daughter, Alexa Linsky, officially became a partner, continuing the family tradition of serving clients with the same unmatched dedication. Working side by side as a father-daughter team, Ryan and Alexa bring a distinctive, relationship-driven approach to franchise financing - offering creative, personalized, hands-on support grounded in the values of a family business. We want our clients to genuinely feel supported from start to finish.
Linsky Capital advises on all bankable deals, regardless of loan size, type, or location in the country.
Types of financing include:
• Refinancing
• Remodels
• Equipment purchases
• Recapitalization
• Lines of credit
• Acquisitions
• New-unit development
• Owner-occupied real estate
• Partner buyouts
• Working capital & more!
Our goal is to understand your journey - where you've been, your current position, and where you want to take your business. This insight allows us to bring you to a franchise lender best suited to support your growth. Through our network of over 50 trusted franchise lenders nationwide, Linsky Capital handles all loan negotiations and secures premier financing, so you can stay focused on running your business. Reach out to Alexa or Ryan today for an expert, free initial consultation, and discover the power of a family business who is truly committed to your success. Experience the difference!
more time with their team and customers and confront challenges. They can build relationships with guests rather than get stuck running payroll.
“Simple design features, such as mobile order pickup lanes and digital menu boards, are also critical to making every interaction between a guest and team member smooth and effective,” Nelson says. “Eliminating potential frustrations and making every guest’s intention clear is a major driver of team member satisfaction. At Inspire, we design, build, and operate every drive-thru with hospitality at the heart—and our key performance metrics clearly reflect that commitment.”
Mathews says every technology advancement at Taco Bell is made in service to helping employees deliver exceptional service, “thus improving customer experience.”
Voice AI (as we’ll get more into shortly) doesn’t merely take orders, Mathews explains—it eases the workload for employees so they can spend additional time engaging with guests. ConnectMe powers a diner’s preferences and relationship with Taco Bell to then be leveraged by team members, “unlocking a new level of hospitality right at the drive-thru
window,” Mathews says. Byte by Yum! provides tools to reduce complexity and place the focus back on customerfacing opportunities.
Chick-fil-A’s Birkeli adds she’s been inspired by how operators take the brand’s signature hospitality in-store and apply it at the drive-thru. The goal being to meet a guest’s unique needs by channel while still delivering the same Chick-fil-A experience across every interaction, without compromising on speed. “Hospitality is truly woven into everything we do,” she says. “We design technology and processes to support our team members, enabling them to spend more quality time engaging with customers—whether through a warm greeting in line or a thoughtful interaction at pickup.”
The Elevated Drive-Thru, in McDonough, Georgia, incorporates dedicated pull-aside lanes for employees to ensure customers have everything they need before they leave. Chick-fil-A also introduced doors near the drive-thru pickup area where team members can step outside and hand meals directly to customers. That creates a more personal, seamless interaction, Birkeli says, than passing food through a traditional window.
“Alongside technology advancements, operators are also bringing local engagement and community-building into the drive-thru, much like they’ve done for years in their dining rooms,” she notes. “From seasonal celebrations to thoughtful touches during special events, operators continue to find ways to create meaningful experiences for our customers at every touchpoint.”
Burger King is in the process of rolling out a PAR pointof-sale system with hopes of having a more reliable and productive tool, Perdue says. This will help employees solve CHICK-FIL-A’S
ELEVATED DRIVE-THRU DESIGN IS BASED IN M c DONOUGH, GEORGIA.
CHICK-FIL-A
problems for customers currently too difficult to manage, such as product outages due to equipment maintenance or inventory depletion. “We’re always trying to avoid offering a product to guests that isn’t available, knowing the frustration and confusion this can lead to on both ends,” he says. And echoing others, Perdue feels the most near-term value with AI comes with solutions that make employees’ jobs simpler.
Burger King recently developed an employee and restaurant manager tool that takes a variety of data feeds and helps teams prioritize service or activities and see, live, things they can do to better serve the guest. One application is a large language model that produces data around employee interactions with customers. It helps Burger King understand if there are items diners ask for that aren’t available.
“From there, the restaurant can use that data to implement a sold-out solution, improving the guest experience and operations,” Perdue says.
THE (ONGOING) STORY WITH AI
AI voice order taking at the drive-thru has peeked through the Report in recent years. But it was more of a theoretical disruptor than something you could measure. Most of the consumer survey points were hypothetical—questions like, “would you consider” or “are you open.” Plainly, there weren’t enough touchpoints to gauge performance, both from a sentiment standpoint as well as whether it was actually working. That is starting to change, however. Like we spotlighted in QSR’s Emerging Experience Report from earlier in 2025, Intouch Insight mystery shopped AI and core locations to juxtapose results.
Starting with ordering, speaker quality was slightly higher at AI restaurants, but more customers had to repeat their orders.
He explains AI earns its place in the restaurant business by creating transformational outcomes for customers and employees. That’s usually how you make a case in QSR. For Taco Bell, automating order taking frees employees to focus on more “meaningful moments of hospitality and customer interaction,” Mathews says.
“Behind the scenes, AI is enhancing back-of-house operations, too, from smarter inventory management to streamlining workflows,” he adds. “We’ve even seen reduced team member turnover in high-usage AI locations, proving that thoughtfully implemented AI can not only support team members, but improve restaurant culture.”
Customers, he continues, get more relevant communications and guidance finding food options across the menu, faster. “Over time,” Mathews says, “AI will be at the center of orchestrating Taco Bell’s drive-thru transformation for both customers and team members.”
AI is a less visible (compared to Taco Bell), yet no less revolutionary part of the workings at Inspire. Nelson says the company’s approach is to discover solutions integrated into real-time decision making, workflow optimization, employee experience, and guest interactions.
Inspire sorts AI through two lenses—“Big” and “Little.”
“Little AI” quietly drives speed, efficiency, and improved interactions. It is often operational and includes things like conversational point of sale, predictive staffing and scheduling, prep optimization, real-time offer targeting, equipment diagnostics, and product inventory management.
More often, Nelson says, people hear about “Big AI” moves—transformative systems that customers and employees see and interact with. Imagine drones, chatbot ordering, robotic frying equipment, and drink machines. “These innovations are exciting to develop because they reshape how guests engage with our brands and how our team members serve them,” he says.
However, much of the current impact stems from “Little AI,” where seemingly small unlocks and adjustments elevate restaurants by improving efficiency and enhancing service.
“As AI continues to transform the industry, we remain focused on leveraging its potential to build a more seamless operational ecosystem—and to keep raising the bar across our restaurants,” Nelson says.
Returning to the larger Report, AI locations and core restaurants surfaced similar wait times. Service metrics for AI stores, though, were 21 seconds faster.
Taco Bell has fast become one of the front-line drivers of drive-thru AI. Its Voice AI has rolled to more than 500 drivethrus, making it the largest such activation in the industry, Mathews says.
How Shake Shack Used Mystery Shopping to Capture Guest Insights for Smarter Packaging
AI restaurants mystery shopped also scored higher in overall satisfaction despite having lower friendliness and order accuracy scores. Scores for food quality were similar.
were due to customization.
Overall, AI will slot in alongside drive-thru staples as the category expands.
Mathews says the “drive-thru of the future” will belong to brands designing it today. In many ways, Taco Bell is already operating it.
“We believe this experience is human first, hospitalitypowered, and enabled by software,” he says. “We see the potential for the drive-thru experience to move from speed and convenience to intuitive and memorable. As we go forward, our unique, innovative spirit will blend technology and human experiences in ways that enhance the everyday.”
Nelson adds Inspire’s horizon is being curated through a blend of technologists and seasoned operators. By balancing the two, the company is harnessing the power of AI, automation, data integration, and personalization, combined with the operational knowledge of GMs and operators.
It’s nearing a system—being ideated at Inspire’s Innovation Center—where drive-thrus recognize returning guests, remember their favorite items, and recommend tailored add-ons.
“As we improve the digital experience through our apps and loyalty programs, we are maximizing the value of our guests’ time,” Nelson elaborates. “We’re also working on some really exciting real estate innovations that maximize the use of square footage and are equipped for a digitally driven experience. At Inspire, my role is to ensure that when guests choose our brands, they can expect a smooth, clear, and personalized ordering experience that translates to a matching fulfillment experience.”
In the Report, there was a 21 percent employee intervention rate because AI couldn’t answer a question, comprehend customization, or an item was out of stock. So, there is still room to grow.
AI TOOK MY ENTIRE ORDER
AI BEGAN TAKING MY ORDER BUT WAS TRANSFERRED TO AN EMPLOYEE
A clear piece of runway for AI voice ordering is to improve accuracy (scored 4 percentage points lower than core stores at 83 versus 87 percent). Sixty-two percent of incorrect orders
Customers will take the category where it heads next, Birkeli says. “The drive-thru of the future starts with customers at the center—combining convenience, personalization, and care in one seamless experience,” she says of Chick-fil-A. “Future KPIs will still include speed, accuracy, and friendliness, but also measure how well we anticipate and meet individual customer needs, creating an experience that feels personal even during the busiest restaurant hours.”
And no matter what evolves or ideates, “convenience” is the reason the drive-thru exploded across America many decades ago. That won’t change, even if the parameters do. “Parents don’t want to have to unbuckle the kids and take them out of the car seats on each trip, and they want an enjoyable break with good quality food, at a fair price with trustworthy ingredients and served with helpful and friendly service,” Burger King’s Perdue says. “And all our guests want reliable and consistent experiences from Sunday through Saturday, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our KPIs will remain anchored to serving individual or large groups well—with excellent quality, friendliness, and efficiency. Less than a 5-minute overall speed of service is appropriate when offered with a high level of quality and friendliness. The future of the drive-thru in a lot of ways means getting the basics right.”
Danny Klein is the editorial director of QSR and FSR. He can be reached at dklein@wtwhmedia.com
For more than 60 years, Coates has provided technology and services that enable enterprise QSR brands to seamlessly interact with millions of global customers every day, both in the drive-thru and in-restaurant.
Our deep QSR expertise, industry-leading tailored solutions, and comprehensive end-to-end services power data-driven growth and simplify complex operations so brands can focus on delivering great guest experiences today, tomorrow and into the future.
Learn more at coatesgroup.com.
Ready Access is your go-to source for Drive-Thru/Walk Up service windows and air curtains. A trusted market leader for over 40 years, specified by the largest restaurant chains worldwide. The perfect balance of durability, value, and function! All windows feature self-closing operation to meet health code.
Please call or browse our website to find the best configuration for your restaurant, including designs for energy efficiency, hurricane impact, California Retail Food Code, and security.
800-621-5045 | ready-access.com
R.F. Technologies, Inc. proudly serves as your trusted, all-in-one partner for advanced restaurant technology solutions. Backed by over 100 years of combined industry expertise and a proven track record since 1989, we are dedicated to supporting your success at every stage. We offer a comprehensive range of products and services, including expert drive-thru headset repairs and cost-saving repair programs, drive-thru systems, speed-of-service timers, background music, digital menu boards, point-of-sale equipment, self-service kiosks, and surveillance packages, tailored for both single and multi-unit operators. Our commitment to outstanding customer service includes 24/7/365 technical support and a nationwide team of skilled technicians ready to service all makes/models of equipment with on-site service. As your true one-stop shop, we service everything we sell, providing seamless integration, minimal downtime, and optimal performance.
800-598-2370 | rfdrivethru.com
Acrelec is a global technology company revolutionizing customer experiences for restaurant and retail brands. With over 120,000 installations worldwide, Acrelec offers end-to-end solutions including self-order kiosks, digital menu boards, drive-thru systems, table service, and AI-powered operational tools. Acrelec delivers end-to-end solutions—from design and manufacturing to installation and ongoing service, their integrated hardware and software streamline operations, boost revenue, and reduce costs for the brand. By eliminating the need for multiple suppliers, Acrelec ensures seamless business transformation from design to deployment and ongoing support.
Learn more at acrelec.com .
HME pioneered the wireless drive-thru headset system over 40 years ago and remains a global leader in restaurant communications. Today, restaurants in 140+ countries rely on HME solutions to fulfill over 30 million orders daily. Our communication and timer platforms integrate AI-driven tools that streamline operations and enhance efficiency across teams, delivering smarter, faster service. With unmatched, world-class audio quality and end-to-end support, HME sets the standard for reliability, innovation, and performance in drive-thru and restaurant communications.
Learn more at hme.com/qsr.
KRYSTAL HAS SPENT RECENT YEARS REMODELING ITS FOOTPRINT AND TESTING NEW PROTOTYPES.
Building a Better Drive
Quick-serves are rethinking what it takes to build high-performing drive-thru locations.
/ BY SAM DANLEY
The drive-thru has been a cornerstone of the quick-service category for well over half a century. For much of that time, the model remained largely unchanged. Cars pull in, place an order, pay, pick up, and drive away. It was straightforward and didn’t leave much reason to rethink how things work.
But evolving consumer behavior is reshaping how restaurants show up in their physical spaces. The pandemic shifted channel mix permanently, and dine-in just isn’t as big of a priority for fast food as it once was. As a result, a growing number of brands are ditching indoor seating altogether. Others are redesigning layouts to move more volume through the outside lane. Even concepts that once operated without a drive-thru are adapting and building new prototypes around the channel.
-Thru
Blueprints for Speed
Every design choice for MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes lately has started with a core challenge: how to serve made-to-order food faster and more efficiently in the drive-thru, without compromising on its fresh, handcrafted ethos.
“Traditionally, it would take six to seven minutes for an order if you were in the restaurant to dine in,” says Landon Lane, senior director of construction and design at the
Texas-based burger chain. “The biggest thing for us has been figuring out how to speed up that process and cut it in half without losing the things that we’re known for.”
MOOYAH is taking an iterative approach to answering that question. Its first drive-thru prototype opened last year in Frisco, Texas, and clocked in at 2,400 square feet. Just a few months later, the brand was already working on a 2,250-square-foot version for its second drive-thru site. Now it’s building a 2,000-square-foot model.
“We didn’t just go from 2,400 to 1,400 square feet,” Lane says. ”We’re going in that direction at a slow and steady pace, because you can cross a line where the footprint becomes too small for what you’re trying to do. We don’t want to reach that point.”
That measured downsizing has brought about some big changes to the kitchen layout. MOOYAH implemented a double-sided makeline, dedicating one side to drive-thru and the other to dine-in. A
new pass-through window in the dining area eliminated the need for staff to walk through doors to serve in-store guests. The brand also added labor-saving tools, like an airmatic fry cutter and new grill technology that slashed patty cook times in half.
Another chain hailing from the Lone Star state is taking a similar approach. Taco Cabana recently debuted its 3.0 restaurant model, which shrinks the footprint by 1,000 square feet compared to earlier builds. The updated layout includes a smaller dining room, a walk-up window, and reconfigured kitchen flows that serve both drive-thru and dine-in with shared equipment.
“The prototype encompasses a lot of our post-COVID learnings, when we started to see a shift in how the drive-thru was being used and how it fit into the overall scheme,” says director of franchising John Ramsay.
Taco Cabana only viewed its business in terms of drive-thru and dine-in for much of its nearly 50-year history. The drive-thru remains the dominant channel while dine-in traffic still hasn’t recovered to pre-2020 levels. In its place, a strong third-party delivery and takeout business has emerged—channels that Ramsay says were barely on the radar just a few years ago.
This shift has pushed the brand to rethink restaurant design. One key challenge has been accommodating the growing volume of delivery drivers without disrupting drive-thru operations. Taco Cabana now prioritizes dedicated parking spaces for delivery pickups and looks for larger lot sizes that allow the drive-thru to be positioned farther back on the property. That extra space helps prevent drive-thru backups during peak hours.
Another major shift, Ramsay says, is rising customer expectations around drive-thru speed. To address that, Taco Cabana introduced a double-lane ordering system with the 3.0 prototype. Two stations let customers place orders at the same time before funneling back into a single line to pay and pick up their food.
“Before, when it was a single line, it was like, ‘Oh geez, it’s going to take five minutes to even place my order, and then it’s going to take another three to five minutes before I get it,’” Ramsay says. “If you shorten the front end, they’re still fine with that three to five minutes from the time they order to the time they pick it up. That’s become really critical for us, because it creates both the truth and
the perception that the speed of service is equal to or faster than it used to be.”
One area of tech investment that’s getting more attention centers on how drive-thru speed is measured. Traditionally, quick serves have relied on pressuresensitive timers triggered by cars driving over buried sensors. But that system doesn’t actually measure the amount of time the customer experiences being in the drive-thru. It only measures the time from the first pressure point to the second pressure point.
Now, restaurants are exploring camera-based systems that track the full journey from lot entry to exit. They not only deliver a more accurate picture of service times as they’re experienced by the guest, but also prevent the kind of metric manipulation that can occur when employees ask cars to pull forward and park until their food is ready.
MOOYAH recently made that shift, replacing the loop detection and timer system used at its first drive-thru with a camera-based setup at its next. Lane says the change saves about $6,000 per unit in installation costs. Taco Cabana expects similar benefits, along with reduced long-term maintenance.
“You have to dig up your drivethru lane if they conk out, which costs time and money,” Ramsay says. “Being able to position these sensors at different locations, adjust them based on your site conditions, and not being tied into literally bearing it in concrete—we think that’s going to be a really important piece of the puzzle for us.”
Krystal is another brand that’s rethinking its physical footprint. The 90-year-old sliders chain is remodeling locations and testing new prototypes that improve visibility, update menu boards, refresh interior spaces, and better organize outdoor layouts so different channels don’t interfere with each other.
Amanda Hyde, senior VP of operations, notes that about 80 percent of the brand’s sales come through drive-thru, 10 percent
via third-party delivery, and 10 percent dinein, with some locations reaching 94 percent drive-thru sales. When that volume becomes a liability, the team considers adding a second lane—typically when traffic jams or bottlenecks begin impacting customer experience.
“When guests report having to pull away because of long waits, nine out of 10 times it isn’t about the food preparation taking too long,” Hyde says. “It’s just the sheer amount of cars, which is something that we can navigate much better if we can get a dual drive-thru there.”
A second lane isn’t always a plug-and-play option, though. Hyde says a dual-lane configuration requires extended space behind the building, and must account for parking, entry and exit flow, and total site layout.
KRYSTAL
Italian machine builders lead the way in machine and process innovation.
Machines Italia’s Fall 2025 issue will focus on how technology-focused innovations makes Italian machinery a standout in the market; how Italian machine builders are overcoming industry challenges through new/innovative/creative design applications and design solutions on their machinery and lines; how Italian innovation in machinery can help drive down organizations’ operating costs; and how Italian OEMs are working in a collaborative way with end users to bring new innovations and new transformative processes to industries. This issue will seek to place special emphasis on what makes Italian machinery uniquely superior in the market and how Italian machinery and solutions are being used in new, innovative ways to solve old industry challenges.
For more details and to read the digital edition, visit machinesitalia.org
Italian machine builders are bringing innovative and transformative solutions to their industries.
“That takes a whole big navigating strategizing session,” she says.
Operational upgrades are also part of Krystal’s effort to improve speed and volume. Some locations are rolling out a double-window system with one window for payment and one for food handoff. This lets two employees work in tandem, reducing overall dwell time. While one team member finalizes payment, another can prep and pass off the next order.
Technology is key in the remodels, too. Krystal uses digital menu boards—some static but remotely controlled for easy updates, others dynamic, rotating product info to promote loyalty programs and daypart-specific offerings.
“We’ve realized that having those digital menu boards does save money in the long term,” Hyde says. “Just think about changing a price or making an adjustment if you don’t have them. That’s physical, manual work of going out and getting it just right, of printing and distributing materials to all of our almost 300 restaurants. It keeps everything so much more in sync and lets you make real-time changes.”
To manage costs, digital boards may be limited to drive-thru and interior spaces, with vendor testing ongoing. Hyde adds that Krystal must consider longtime customers who “don’t 100 percent understand technology,” so the brand avoids tech that might confuse or alienate guests, favoring simple, accessible solutions.
Real Estate Realities
Securing high-quality drive-thru real estate remains a persistent challenge for nearly every brand. Lane says it’s an ongoing issue that shows no signs of easing anytime soon.
“Every year it gets more and more competitive for sites,” he says. “It just seems like every time you put in for something, there’s two or three other companies or franchisees trying to do the same thing.”
That’s why MOOYAH has leaned into conversions and started targeting second-generation restaurant sites with infrastructure already in place. Lane says it’s a strategy that can dramatically reduce upfront costs if brands play it smart.
The key is adaptability. MOOYAH doesn’t come in with rigid layout requirements or insist on major tear-downs. The goal is to work with what’s already there.
“We’re not coming in and saying, ‘You’ve got to tear out this wall’ or ‘those restrooms need to be moved over here,’” he says. “There’s not a hard line on what the restaurant looks like because it can get costly when you start moving pieces around. If you’re not careful, you can manipulate it so much that all of the sudden those advantages of the second-generation site are gone.”
Ramsay says Taco Cabana has taken a more deliberate approach to where and how it builds lately. As the brand ramps up expansion with a recently launched franchising program, it’s thinking in longer timelines and planning site development up to four years in advance.
“It’s really important for us to get in early and start working with the developer—going in with the mindset of what we want to achieve with the drive-thru, with the parking, with the ingress and the egress,” he says. “It’s about being ahead of the
curve, so that we aren’t coming in and having a developer telling us, ‘Here’s your curb cut. Here’s your footprint. Good luck.’”
Ramsay says one of the biggest lessons has been understanding what the brand wants to achieve before a site is even presented. And in today’s high-cost construction environment, that includes being willing to walk away if the setup isn’t right.
Site selection still involves traditional considerations like demographics and trade areas, with Taco Cabana seeing traction in newer developments with growing residential bases. Entering early gives the brand a chance to establish itself before competitors flood in. That said, expansion won’t always mean greenfield builds. Ramsay acknowledges that in more mature markets, second-generation sites will come into play. He says the team is more cautious now, recognizing that a site with a history of failed restaurants might not be worth the risk even if it’s in a strong trade area.
“You have to be very deliberate about which markets you go into, and you have to be willing to walk away when you need to,” Ramsay says. “It might be a great trade area, but if it’s a secondary site that’s been three different restaurants over the last six years, you have to be a bit humble and say, ‘OK, maybe we’re not going to be successful either.’ Maybe there’s something wrong with the site, and we can’t be so snobbish to think that we’re going to be the ones to all of the sudden crack the code.”
When evaluating potential sites, one of Krystal’s top priorities is ease of access. If getting in and out of the location is a hassle, it can cost business.
“Those medians where you have to make a u-turn to go in? That’s a big deal,” says Hyde. “It really just takes the guest right down to the next place. Sometimes they will just settle for something else because they don’t want to deal with that.”
The team also looks closely at the long-term viability of a site. That includes understanding the surrounding area’s trajectory— what’s moving in or out, upcoming roadwork or construction, and whether the neighborhood is gaining or losing relevance.
“A lot of our locations have been there since the ’70s or even earlier,” Hyde says. “We hear things like, ‘All the good business is on the other side of the highway now.’ That’s why it’s important we’re doing our research and really understanding not just what’s happening today but what’s coming down the line.”
Even small factors like signage and visibility can tip the scales. Hyde says Krystal weighs opportunities for billboard placement, highway exposure, and on-site branding when evaluating whether a potential location will deliver.
“If we’re going to put a restaurant somewhere, even if the numbers make sense, we also have to look at what opportunities there are for us to continue to support that restaurant down the line,” she says.
That future-focused outlook is critical, Hyde adds, because she doesn’t see the shift toward the drive-thru and away from dining rooms reversing anytime soon.
“Before, I think the drive-thru was seen as something that was very convenient,” she says. “Now it’s pretty much mandatory, and it’s only becoming more important as the entire world keeps moving at a faster and faster pace.”
Sam Danley is the associate editor of QSR. He can be reached at sdanley@wthwmedia.com
FROM CROSS-TRAINING TO CULTURE-BUILDING, OPERATORS ARE FINE-TUNING THEIR APPROACH TO STAFFING THE INDUSTRY’S MOST CRITICAL CHANNEL.
SHAKE SHACK OPENED ITS FIRST DRIVE-THRU
/ BY BEN COLEY
WITH OFF-PREMISES ON THE RISE, THE DRIVE-THRU HAS BECOME SOMEWHAT OF A DE FACTO DINING ROOM, ACCORDING TO PJ’S COFFEE EVP OF OPERATIONS CHRIS COLLINS.
It requires a balance of speed, engagement, and hospitality, and a lot of times, it’s a brand’s only chance to make a first and last impression. So the employees on the front lines of the drive-thru window—the order takers—have a lasting impact.
“We can bring the quality of the products that we have, but the people on the front lines are really what’s defining the customer experience,” Collins says.
At PJ’s Coffee, that effort starts with understanding what the drive-thru now represents. For a brand that does up to 80 percent of its business through the lane, the first impression isn’t made by a barista behind the counter, but by a voice through the speaker. Collins, who spent nine years in the McDonald’s system before joining PJ’s, is quick to point out the distinction between staffing for speed and staffing for connection.
“Some people like working behind the lines and some people like being customer facing,” he says. “Personality, engagement, hospitality has a lot to do with it, and energy. Personally, as a customer when I’m going to place an order, if I can hear someone smiling through the speaker, that in itself is a good start.”
employees during peak times—sometimes as many as 10 in high-performing locations. Michelle Wickham, VP of national operations, says the best operators plan ahead rather than scramble to react.
“They don’t chase the chaos. They anticipate it with intentional placement and strong store leadership,” she says. “That proactive oversight can be the difference between a line that moves and one that stalls.”
Shake Shack COO Stephanie Sentell echoes that proactive approach, crediting operational systems for giving the brand tighter control of staffing. “We’ve successfully implemented new systems and processes, such as our new labor model, that have made us more agile and given us better control of our staffing,” she says. “Efforts like this have helped us reduce our average wait times by a full minute over the last year.”
For Portillo’s, organized staffing is essential. The company runs shifts of up to 45 employees during peak hours throughout the entire restaurant. Scheduling is approached with equal care. Portillo’s recruits heavily through referrals and school partnerships, targeting high school and college students looking for flexible hours.
“One of the things that our team members tell us is that they love having a best friend at work,” says Portillo’s chief people officer Jill Waite. “That’s a reason they want to stay.”
To meet those expectations, store leaders are encouraged to build schedules around real-life availability, not just business needs. “We try to create a very agile workforce between our crew chiefs and our hourly team members that allows them to slide and appropriately support the guest experience,” Waite says.
That focus on the speaker-box interaction isn’t unique to PJ’s. At Scooter’s Coffee, which operates mostly in compact, drive-thru-only kiosks, the company staffs up to six
Shake Shack has adopted a similar model for scheduling flexibility, with new systems designed to better align labor with guest flow. “We’ve implemented improved hourly and manager scheduling with enhanced reporting that leverages real-time data and analytics, which has been instrumental in driving productivity,” Sentell says. “Our labor model accounts for many variables given our sales come in through multiple order channels and at varied frequency from shack to shack.”
Alongside scheduling flexibility, Portillo’s invests heavily in staff development. It takes a high-touch approach, launching a training program called Ignite that prepares future leaders before they assume new roles. This builds confidence and reduces failure rate—two things that are critical when pressure is high and labor availability is low.
“We want to make sure that our leaders are actually prepared for that role, not just put in it and then figure it out,” Waite says.
PJ’S COFFEE CHAMPIONS HOSPITALITY IN THE DRIVE-THRU.
SHAKE SHACK ENSURES ITS DRIVE-THRUS ARE OPERATIONALLY SOUND.
Portillo’s also leans on incentives that go beyond pay. Life insurance, mental health resources, and stock ownership options are all part of the employee package. Waite says these benefits, combined with flexible scheduling and a strong team culture, help retain staff even in competitive markets.
Slim Chickens typically uses two to four employees per shift specifically in the drive-thru lanes, depending on traffic and whether tablets are in use outside in the drive-thru lanes. While these roles are often dedicated during busy times, cross-training is the norm, especially to help cover slower periods or unexpected absences.
“We like to plan for the unexpected,” says Slim Chickens COO Christina Vaughan. “Cross-training is probably going to be the key approach. We have to make sure that, no matter which role calls out, we’ve got flexibility so that we can adjust on the fly.”
Rotating employees between positions not only prevents fatigue but allows them to understand the full rhythm of the restaurant, something that’s essential when speed and accuracy must be delivered simultaneously. That agility is mirrored at Portillo’s, where team members are trained across stations to support each other in real time. “If our beef station gets a little overrun, one of our team members can slide in,” Waite says.
Shake Shack follows the same logic. “We believe cross-training is a critical part of our overall operations for multiple roles and we have continued to invest here,” Sentell says. “This also gives our team members a better experience as they are qualified to work multiple positions and contribute to the business at a higher level and remain engaged as an overall team leading to higher retention.”
Scooter’s Coffee takes a similar approach to flexibility and team dynamics.
“Everyone in our store is cross-trained,” Wickham says. “The best shift leads don’t panic. They prioritize and move people where they need to be based on their strengths.”
She adds that engagement in high-pressure situations begins with a solid foundation: a great schedule, a competent store leader, and a culture where team members support each other.
Preparing team members for that dual burden—throughput and hospitality—requires training that goes well past orientation. At Slim Chickens, training starts with clarity and ends with empowerment. Employees are taught how to take orders and manage POS systems and how to make judgment calls under pressure.
“They’re empowered so that when, whether it be guest interaction or issues of things not going so well, they know how to make those decisions and choices that are best for the guests,” Vaughan says.
The brand is also piloting stat boards—large digital displays inside the restaurant that show real-time sales, labor hours, and weather forecasts.
“We found that to be very helpful versus all of that information being only contained in a manager’s computer,” she says. “Our team feels empowered, acknowledged, and supported.”
Scooter’s Coffee focuses its training on what Wickham calls “training that sticks.” She says the company combines classroom elements with practical role playing, speed drills, and headset exercises, all supported by daily in-the-moment coaching.
“Great drive-thru execution in our opinion doesn’t just start in a classroom setting,” she says. “We bring out all the smiles in our baristas so that they transfer to our guests.”
Accuracy and order confirmation are key components, along with suggestive selling, and store managers reinforce those habits every shift, Wickham adds.
Shake Shack has also placed a sharper focus on targeted coaching, especially around service metrics. “We’ve implemented an operations performance scorecard that’s driving accountability and visibility for our shacks, which has in turn improved guest experience, wait time, and profitability,” Sentell says.
Portillo’s applies structure across training as well. Waite says consistency is prioritized across the system. “We have very defined training guides. We don’t do one-off training programs. We want every new hire to have a consistent experience.”
Whether it’s stat boards at Slim Chickens, hands-on coaching at Scooter’s Coffee, performance scorecards at Shake Shack, or standardized curriculum at Portillo’s, that real-time reinforcement also contributes to order accuracy.
At PJ’s Coffee, accuracy has taken on new significance as the company rolls out new products, cup sizes, and digital menu boards. The brand is now tightening standards around order validation, speed-of-service targets, and staff response time. Training includes not just headset and POS use, but situational judgment—how to de-escalate issues, recover errors, and maintain guest trust when something goes wrong.
“The coffee market … there’s millions of ways that consumers like to have their coffee,” Collins says. “Accuracy is an area of importance. Nobody wants to get their coffee messed up first thing in the morning.”
Technology can help with all of that, but only if it complements the people using it. At Slim Chickens, the deployment of tablets and AI ordering is designed to enhance, not replace, the employee.
“What we don’t want to come across is that we’re having
PORTILLO’S LEANS ON INCENTIVES THAT GO BEYOND PAY TO MOTIVATE WORKERS.
SCOOTER’S COFFEE PROVIDES EMPLOYEES WITH FLEXIBILITY.
PORTILLO’S SCOOTER’S
VEG’ PREP MACHINES
CL50E Ultra with EasyStacker
Slice, stack, and sort tomatoes simultaneously
The chain has the proper infrastructure to accelerate growth too. Early into the concept’s development, the company recognized the need for uniformity, so it set up a commissary in one of its bigger restaurants. Last year, the brand upgraded to a state-of-theart, 5,000-square-foot commissary geared for further growth.
Additionally, about a decade ago, Thai Chili 2Go created its own supply chain via sister company Amaya Trading, which provides full-service manufacturing and importing solutions not only for Thai Chili 2Go, but other restaurant brands as well. The company also puts much investment into human capital and develops its GMs and assistant managers by promoting internally.
“It’s like Thai Chili 2Go in itself is in its own universe. It’s a fully integrated supply chain, commissary, and the restaurant group that functions today,” Sethi says.
Sethi describes the chain as a suburban brand that performs well in neighborhoods and appeals to families as well as an increasing number of Gen Z customers. The company eyes inline locations that range from 1,500 to 1,800 square feet—with about 1,200 square feet used for the kitchen— although the brand has gone as big as 2,200 to 2,400 square feet. The look and feel of the restaurant is “extremely welcoming,” Sethi says. The interior isn’t overpowering with Thai culture. Thai Chili 2Go is also a techforward company. It uses Thanx for its app and rewards program and Toast for its POS system. And true to its name, off-premises mixes about 60 to 70 percent, with thirdparty delivery accounting for about 35 to 40 percent. Inside stores, Thai Chili 2Go partnered with GRUBBR to power kiosks (each store has at least two). Sethi emphasizes that this new channel isn’t meant to eliminate the human element; it’s more about improving the experience for guests, who feel better about using devices in the post-COVID environment. Kiosks also help with increasing average check.
Sethi believes there’s much room to grow in serving guests who want the cuisine onthe-go.
“In the last 10 to 15 years I’ve seen, absolutely, Thai cuisine is more, I’ll say, famous and getting more approachable,” Sethi says.
machines or AI take the place of people, but really more of a complement,” Vaughan says.
In select company-owned restaurants, the brand is testing AI voice ordering, with team members standing by to intervene if needed. While the technology takes some adjustment, employees have responded positively.
Shake Shack is taking a measured approach to automation. “While we are watching and learning about AI ordering, it’s not something we’re using in our Shacks today given our focus on both our guest and team member experience,” Sentell says. “Our staffing needs are not changing as a growing brand. We see technology as a tool to redeploy labor to higher guest touch points and as a way to reduce repetitive tasks.”
This mixture of human and digital support also plays a role in how Slim Chickens approaches outdoor ordering. Employees using tablets rotate every 20 to 30 minutes to avoid fatigue. Vaughan says the company provides shade, cooling vests, and hydration—especially in summer—and avoids scheduling anyone outside in extreme weather.
“We want it to be a pleasant experience for our team members so that way they can be over pleasant and hospitality-focused with our guests,” she says.
Scooter’s Coffee also applies a clear filter when evaluating new technologies.
“AI goes—or any technology goes— through this filter of, ‘Does it make it easier for our teams and better for our customers?’” Wickham says. “If not, then it’s just noise.”
For Scooter’s Coffee, tech should enhance the warmth and connection baristas create, not interfere with it. Like the others, Portillo’s evaluates technology based on how it supports its teams, not replacing them—a view shared across all five brands.
That culture of retention and support is central to Scooter’s Coffee. Wickham says the brand’s philosophy is built around its mission: to create amazing experiences through every life it touches.
“We just don’t want to be the fastest. We want to be unforgettable and create moments that matter for our guests,” Wickham says. “We really believe the guest experience will never exceed that of our baristas.”
DEPARTMENT
The Pizza Commander
A former Marine returns to his family’s business, and leads the nation’s largest Marco’s franchisee into its next chapter.
BY CHARLIE POGACAR
When McLain Hoogland graduated from Vanderbilt, he wasn’t ready to enter the family business. Instead, he enrolled in the United States Marines and became an infantry officer. Six years later, the family business called him home—but it looked a lot different than it had when he left.
Today, Hoogland is the president of Hoogland Restaurant Group (hrg), the largest Marco’s Pizza franchisee in the U.S., with more than 120 locations. But the story of how his family built that empire begins not with pizza, but with VHS tapes and gumballs.
His gandfather, Charles Hoogland, founded Family Video, the video rental juggernaut, in 1978. His father, Keith, scaled Family Video from 40 locations to nearly 900, creating a company that outlasted industry behemoths like Blockbuster. Family Video even survived the initial pivot to video streaming services, as proven by one of Hoogland’s favorite fun facts: 2014 was Family Video’s most profitable on record. (Another fun fact: at its peak, Family Video sold $4 million worth of gumballs per year, Hoogland estimated ).
“People think the video rental industry died with Blockbuster,” Hoogland says. “Honestly, it was just bad business practices that killed them. They were going into big cities, urban city centers, paying high rents with high increases. They weren’t buying any of their real estate. They weren’t buying their DVDs—they were using a profit-sharing model.”
By contrast, Family Video owned everything, including the buildings that housed its video rental stores. It also owned all of its DVDs. In other words, Family Video was better equipped to handle a dip in rentals.
There’s a tempting story to tell here, about how a family pivoted into the pizza business as Netflix and other video-streaming services killed the video rental business, but that’s not exactly what happened—at least not according to Hoogland.
The family’s pivot began as the world transitioned from VHS tapes to DVDs. Keith Hoogland noticed that four DVDs could fit in the space once occupied by a single VHS tape. At scale, that effectively meant a Family Video store required less than half the square footage it once did. Suddenly, the Hooglands found themselves with
thousands of square feet to spare. The solution? Sublease to tenants like Subway, Jimmy John’s and local pizzerias.
“We realized that whenever we had food next to us, our traffic lifted,” Hoogland says. “My dad says, ‘Why wouldn’t we operate the business next door ourselves?’ And pizza just made the most sense. You’re not going to say, ‘Let’s grab a sandwich and go watch a movie.’ It doesn’t hit the same as pizza and a movie.”
The family began looking for a pizza franchise that could slide into their real estate footprint, but it wanted to find a burgeoning one to grow with. Domino’s and Pizza Hut were everywhere already. But Marco’s Pizza, with just a few hundred units at the time, caught their eye. A Marco’s Pizza regional manager who rented from the Hooglands tipped them off: “You’ve got to come try this pizza,” Hoogland remembered the customer saying. “It’s the best pizza I’ve ever had.”
Tried it they did—and within a few years, they were operating more than 150 Marco’s locations. The transition, however, was anything but smooth. For one thing, the Hooglands had never operated as franchisees before. Because Family Video
Marco’s franchisee McLain Hoogland’s grandfather founded Family Video in 1978.
“I am preparing for the next phase of growth by investing in my leaders and putting more trust into my staff,” Jefferson says. “I’m giving them clarity on their roles and the systems we have put in place. As a former school psychologist, I find myself having the patience to really sit down and mentor my staff and build the next generation of leaders within my restaurant.”
Jefferson is exploring cities such as Atlanta, Houston, and Philadelphia as potential markets for new locations. She has grown her roots deep in New York, but she hopes to stretch them outward into other diverse communities. She also plans to begin franchising her ice cream shop concept.
“I view the relationship between my restaurant and the community as a partnership, where we are both equally valued and support each other,” Jefferson says. “So there are a lot of markets I think we could grow into, especially with Sweet Catch, but it has to align with our core values and purpose.”
For women of color seeking to break into hospitality for the first time, Jefferson says it is nonnegotiable to start with the “why.” There are so many moving parts, long hours, and slim margins—and without a purpose, it can be difficult to stay motivated.
“Restaurant hospitality is like no other business. It’s taxing and challenging for so many different reasons, so I would advise aspiring entrepreneurs to gain handson experience before jumping right into ownership,” Jefferson says. “Lean into mentorship and learn what it looks like to grow a successful business.”
Less than a third of 1 percent of all U.S. restaurants are owned by Black women, according to census data. Jefferson hopes her story serves as one of inspiration and representation, encouraging others to find their sense of freedom through hospitality—as long as they do their due diligence.
“My superpower has become my vulnerability and ability to connect with others. It’s really hard to grow a business without access. [As Black women], we are underrepresented. I don’t have any family members or a long list of people who can help me raise capital or learn how to navigate this space … but I am a testament to what you can achieve through passion and strategy,” Jefferson says.
was a corporately owned and run business, they were used to making unilateral decisions. But, perhaps far more importantly, the Hooglands learned quickly that retail and restaurants are completely different ballgames.
“Retail is clean, nine-to-five,” he says. “Restaurants are chaotic, high-adrenaline, messy. You’re cleaning, dealing with food waste, people are working night hours— the type of person you need as part of your team is very different. We thought we could just copy-paste our success from the world of retail, but we learned fast that we couldn’t.”
Around 2016, Keith Hoogland called McLain, his oldest son, and told him it was time: He needed him to come help turn the restaurant business around. It was an overwhelming prospect for the younger Hoogland—he’d never spent a day working in a restaurant in his life. But his business degree, combined with the work he did with the U.S. Marines, proved a potent combination. His first move was to become a general manager at one of HRG’s Marco’s Pizza locations.
“I spent four months making pizzas, running schedules and placing orders,” Hoogland says. “I had to learn the business. I made a lot of mistakes. I believed people who were wrong. But I read every book and magazine I could to start to get acclimated.”
Hoogland also made a pivotal hire in those early days: Zach McLaughlin, a Pizza Hut veteran who quickly became director of company operations at HRG. “He was the first restaurant guy I brought in, and he was huge for me,” Hoogland says. “He knew how things were supposed to work. I could bounce ideas off him, and we’d figure out together whether the ‘restaurant way’ was the best way as opposed to just the way it had always been done.”
Led by Hoogland and McLaughlin, the cultural shift at the company’s Marco’s locations was massive, but it required a lot of turnover. Little by little, McLain had to replace nearly every regional and district manager on his team. “You either can do the job or you can’t,” he says. “And restaurant leadership is more like the military than retail. It’s hierarchical. You need strong leaders at every level.”
Charlie Pogacar is a senior editor at PMQ and can be reached at cpogacar@wtwhmedia.com
When Automation Cuts Too Deep
Why QSRs must balance efficiency gains with the human connections that keep guests coming back.
BY OLI OSTERTAG
Restaurant automation is a double-edged sword, or in this case, a kitchen knife.
On one side, it helps quick-service restaurants ( qsrs ) cut costs and slice through inefficiencies. On the other, it can sever guest relationships. The problem isn’t the technology itself, but how it’s being wielded.
From self-service kiosks to robotic runners, many restaurants have embraced customerfacing automation to solve staffing shortages and speed up operations. But while these tools can improve efficiency, they’re often eroding the part of the experience that matters most: the human touch.
According to recent survey data, 60 percent of consumers still prefer interacting with human staff, and one-third say they actively avoid restaurants with too much self-service. When a restaurant feels more like a vending machine than a welcoming space, loyalty suffers.
How can restaurants automate operations without dulling their human appeal? By giving back-of-house solutions the same attention as guest-facing tech. AI can quietly transform efficiency without interfering with the dining experience.
The Case for a Behind-the-Scenes Upgrade
Smarter Forecasting Means Fewer Surprises
It’s no secret that restaurant operators are under pressure. Labor shortages persist, wages are climbing and food prices remain volatile. According to industry data, restaurant labor costs jumped to 6 percent in 2024, double the average increase of U.S. labor costs. Operators are caught between delivering excellent service and keeping their businesses afloat.
That’s where automation truly shines—as an invisible engine powering smarter operations.
Instead of using AI to take orders or replace staff, forward-thinking QSRs are deploying it in the back office. Tasks like forecasting, inventory management, and menu optimization are time-consuming, error-prone, and expensive to get wrong. When AI handles those, the outputs are more accurate, and staff can spend their time cultivating hospitality.
Let’s look at where automation can deliver the biggest impact without sacrificing the soul of the experience.
Many restaurant managers rely on instinct and experience to schedule shifts, prep ingredients, and plan for rushes. But gut feelings don’t always cut it, especially when unexpected factors like weather, traffic, or local events throw demand off track.
AI-powered forecasting tools are changing that. By analyzing real-time data, these systems can predict demand in 15-minute intervals, helping managers prepare the right amount of food, schedule the right number of staff, and avoid costly overages or shortages.
The result? Less food waste, fewer labor inefficiencies, and a smoother, more responsive operation. And because this kind of forecasting happens behind the scenes, guests never see it, but they definitely feel the difference when lines are shorter, food comes faster and staff aren’t overwhelmed.
Inventory Management That Doesn’t Eat Up Time
For many operators, inventory is a necessary evil. It’s time-consuming and tedious, and mistakes can be costly. An overlooked shortage might mean a popular item gets “86’d” during
A recent survey showed 60 percent of guests still prefer interacting with human staff.
AD INDEX
the dinner rush, while over-ordering perishable ingredients can lead to spoilage and shrink.
That’s why more QSRs are turning to inventory management software that automates the process. These systems track real-time stock levels, trigger reorder alerts, and even sync with sales data to anticipate when popular items will need restocking.
With automation handling the counting and forecasting, managers save hours each week and gain peace of mind knowing they’ll never be caught off guard. More importantly, it frees up bandwidth to focus on guest experience and team leadership instead of getting stuck in the back counting boxes.
Menu Optimization That Actually Moves the Needle
Menus are powerful, but most aren’t optimized to perform. Often, they’re cluttered, outdated, or structured in ways that confuse more than convert.
AI is now being used to streamline menu design, identify top-performing items and even tailor offers to individual customers. By analyzing sales trends, customer preferences and operational costs, restaurants can eliminate underperformers, highlight highmargin items, and make layout choices that increase average order value.
When connected to a restaurant loyalty program, this becomes even more powerful. AI can suggest personalized promotions, favorite-item reminders, and targeted upsells that make regulars feel seen (and spend more).
Why People Still Matter Most
At the end of the day, automation should make room for people, not replace them. When AI handles forecasting, inventory, and menu strategy, staff are freed up to focus on the human connections that make restaurants special.
They can greet guests, recommend items, fix problems, and create memorable experiences that no robot or kiosk can replicate. Diners notice when service feels personal. And they return to places where the people seem present, not frazzled.
The best QSRs understand this. They use automation to power the operation, not to run the show.
Why the smartest operators see security as strategy, not just protection.
Quick-service restaurants are facing a new era of security challenges. From rising violent crime and theft to mounting cyber threats, operators are being tested on every front. High turnover, multiple access points, and 24/7 public environments only heighten the risks. At the same time, customer expectations for safety and transparency have never been higher and it’s making a core part of the brand promise.
The most forward-thinking operators are shifting their approach. They’re investing in integrated platforms that unify video, access, intrusion, and data analytics into one system of record. Tools powered by AI, cloud connectivity, and real-time monitoring are transforming security from a reactive line item into a proactive driver of operational intelligence. For some, that means remote guards who can intervene instantly. For others, it’s cash recyclers that reclaim hours of back-o ce time while reducing shrinkage.
Security today is about choosing partners who bring long-term value— trusted providers who can evolve with emerging threats, streamline operations, and deliver measurable ROI. Whether through smarter cameras, automated cash handling, or unified monitoring centers, the future of quick-service restaurant security is built on systems that work smarter, not harder.
ALEX COLTER
Strategic
Business Manager
What are the biggest challenges for quick-service restaurants with security today?
Quick-service restaurants face increasing security challenges, from violent crime and theft to cyber threats. High employee turnover, multiple access points, and public environments necessitate modern surveillance and robust security protocols. This protects assets and ensures sta and customer safety.
How are these challenges impacting the industry?
Rising security threats are pushing quick-service restaurants to re-evaluate their operations, from investing in smarter technology to prioritizing sta
safety and customer trust. These challenges not only increase operational costs but also force the industry to innovate rapidly.
What do you think will be the biggest challenges and opportunities for quick-service restaurants in the next 10–20 years?
Adapting to advanced technology, cybersecurity threats, and evolving consumer preferences (health, sustainability, convenience) will be crucial. Simultaneously, investing in AI, next-gen surveillance, and personalized digital experiences can help brands set new industry standards and strengthen relationships with customers and employees.
How are operators addressing these challenges e ectively?
Operators are raising the bar on security by investing in integrated surveillance tools providing insights to data analytics, intelligent access control, and strong cybersecurity protocols. Leading quick-service restaurants now use AImonitored cameras covering all vulnerable areas, mobile-based access systems to limit who enters sensitive spaces, and regular sta training to spot both digital
and physical threats.
What mistakes do operators make with security?
Security vulnerabilities in restaurants frequently arise from the utilization of outdated technology, inadequate surveillance of parking facilities, and neglected software updates. Additionally, inconsistent sta training, suboptimal camera placement, and the omission of regular security audits collectively jeopardize both the enterprise and its clientele.
JL VALENTE
CEO
What are the biggest challenges for quick-service restaurants with security today?
Operators must create safe environments for guests and sta while securing premises, equipment, food
quality, and every transaction. The connecting factor is visibility and control. Video, Internet of Things (IoT), and data monitoring have become essential tools that allow operators to identify incidents, escalate them, and respond in real time.
How are these challenges impacting the industry?
Without real-time visibility and a unified view, brands are reacting after damage is done—whether financial loss, customer complaints, or compliance violations. Security gaps are becoming performance gaps.
What do you think will be the biggest challenges and opportunities in the next 10–20 years?
The opportunity is to turn security into a platform for operational intelligence by combining video, IoT, and
data. The challenge will be filtering out noise to focus on insights that matter— AI will be key to enabling cost-e ective responses.
How are operators addressing these challenges?
Operators are moving away from siloed tools and adopting integrated platforms with video, analytics, audits, and exceptions. Those who do this well are seeing stronger culture, better decisions, and higher ROI.
What mistakes do operators make with security?
Thinking it’s just about catching theft. Security isn’t just reactive— it’s a holistic system that can address labor e ciency, food safety, and more.
What else should quick-service restaurants know?
Security isn’t separate from operations. It’s at the heart of it. Unified tools and teams deliver not just protection, but elevated brand performance and measurable ROI.
What mistakes do operators make with security?
Many operators assume security issues won’t happen to them or rely too heavily on cameras. Without an advanced video monitoring systems ( VMS) and trained sta , even the best tools fall short. A strong strategy pairs video with cloud-connected management, real-time monitoring, and knowledgeable teams.
How are operators addressing these challenges e ectively?
Leading operators use upgraded cameras, AI-powered VMS, and realtime monitoring. Integrated systems connected to public safety networks shift security from reactive to proactive—enhancing safety, reducing liability, and improving control.
What key tasks are being enhanced through security?
Tools like panic buttons, alarm deterrents, and environmental sensors
ROY ZHANG Senior Product Manager
What are the biggest challenges for quick-service restaurants with security today?
Quick-service restaurants face rising risks from missed or false alarms, break-ins, vandalism, and employee theft. High turnover makes consistent alarm code use di cult, while outdated systems and siloed tech without realtime video context weaken e ectiveness.
How are these challenges impacting the industry?
False alarms, theft, and damage cause costly fees, higher insurance premiums, and lost revenue. Incidents hurt customer trust and brand reputation, while also impacting sta morale and increasing turnover when employees feel unsafe or unsupported.
help monitor smoke, aggression, or safety violations. These provide layers of protection and enable faster responses to incidents.
Why is partnering with a trusted brand more crucial now than ever?
Reliable support and scalable solutions help businesses evolve with emerging threats while building customer and employee confidence.
Is there anything else you would like the quick-service restaurant audience to know?
Security is essential to business success, not just protection, but a tool for growth. A proactive, integrated approach improves operations, safeguards sta , and builds customer trust.
SCOTT THOMAS
National Director for Signature Brands
What are the biggest challenges for quick-service restaurants with security today?
Violence is one of the most pressing challenges—ranging from
locations altogether if they no longer feel safe.
How are operators addressing these challenges e ectively?
Operators are turning to unified security platforms with real-time alerts across locations. Some brands work with third-party monitoring services, while others build in-house security operations centers (SOCs). Enhancements like panic alarms, secure cooler areas, and escalation training are also being adopted.
and rising costs, guests still want a safe, clean environment—especially as quick-service restaurant prices near casual dining levels.
How should operators communicate safety e orts?
Signage indicating active surveillance reassures customers. Body-worn cameras, once used mostly in retail, are entering quick-service restaurants as e ective tools for de-escalation and communication.
armed robberies to customer altercations that escalate quickly. Many quickservice restaurants lack the resources to hire armed guards, leaving sta feeling exposed and vulnerable.
How are these challenges impacting the industry?
When violent incidents occur, they often go viral or make the news, causing resignations and reputational damage. Parents may discourage teens from working at quick-service restaurants, and customers may avoid certain
What key tasks are being enhanced through security?
Cameras and sensors now monitor everything from food storage and fire exits to back-of-house activity. By flagging issues in real time, operators reduce reliance on manual inspections and increase visibility.
How have customer expectations for security changed in recent years?
Although expectations have dropped due to sta ng shortages
MICHAEL STOCKER
Solution Director, F&B
What are the biggest challenges for quick-service restaurants with security today?
The 144 percent employee turnover rate, rising labor costs and inflation all pressure operators to secure every dollar they earn–instore and digitally. Manual cash handling brings the risk of physical theft, errors, and ine ciencies, which is why automating cash transactions is no longer optional–it’s a strategic
necessity. Network security issues, such as customer data breaches and fraud in loyalty programs, are also critical concerns.
How are these challenges impacting the industry?
There can be a reputational risk which leads to decreased foot traf-
Secure Cash at Every Touchpoint
From kiosk to back of ce, protect every dollar with Glory’s smart automation.
Still using smart safes? It’s time to upgrade.
Glory cash recyclers automate the full cash cycle—accepting, validating, storing, and dispensing—giving your team instant access to cash and reducing armored pickups.
Kiosk: Validate cash instantly and boost check averages. Drive-thru: Boost speed of service and eliminate manual handling risks. Back offi ce: Automate reconciliation and cut shrinkage.
Glory’s Closed Loop Cash Automation keeps cash secure. And with the option for provisional credit, your cash starts working before it leaves the store.
Built for QSRs. Ready for what’s next. Read our e-book to learn more.
fic and lower revenue. On top of that, those labor shortages and inflation squeeze margin, and any loss due to theft or poor cash management hits harder than ever.
How are operators addressing these challenges e ectively?
Operators are adopting cash recyclers and kiosks like Glory’s to automate the transaction process and eliminate manual cash handling. Quick-service restaurants are removing the need for cash drawers, minimizing cash losses and armored carrier pickups, and ensuring greater accuracy. By reclaiming up to 28 hours of back-o ce labor weekly, sta can focus on delivering an excellent customer experience.
What misconceptions exist about security today?
Security is not an isolated
issue. The best results come when security is integrated across business systems—like automating transactions and connecting cash handling with POS and accounting systems. There is also the misconception that cash is going away. About one in three customers still prefer to pay with cash, which means secure cash handling is crucial. And lastly, is that automation is too expensive or complex. Glory sees strong ROI for restaurants of all sizes, helping them to grow, scale, and accept all forms of payment.
How should operators communicate to consumers that their needs are being met?
Operators should highlight their use of secure, automated systems through signage, digital messaging, and ongoing sta training. When customers see that cash is handled
securely, they feel safer and more confident.
TOM INGLES
Director of Technology, Innovation and Customer Solutions
What do you think will be the biggest challenges and opportunities for quick-service restaurants in the next 10–20 years?
The next few decades will bring a heavy reliance on automation, reduced labor costs, and personalized self-service customer experiences. While ecient and engaging, these advances pose considerable security challenges—
both digital and physical. Network security, employee safety, and loss prevention will face evolving threats.
How are operators addressing these challenges e ectively?
Operators are leveraging integrated access, video, and intrusion solutions to elevate security and deter crime. Video is used to expand coverage to parking lots, enable virtual guard tours, and monitor store open/ close procedures. These systems reduce labor costs by automating oversight tasks like point-of-sale integration, food safety compliance, and queue management.
What mistakes do operators make with security?
A common mistake is not valuing monitoring center-connected video.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
QSR’s webinar series tackles hot topics in foodservice—and best of all, you can learn from the comfort of your own office. Take a deep dive into our collection today!
Real-time data improves emergency response by providing critical context to first responders. Another frequent issue is the lack of consistent system testing and professional inspections.
What misconceptions exist about security today?
Security is no longer just about alarms and cameras—it delivers data insights and ROI when deployed correctly. Nearly every department should engage in conversations about security and define goals aligned with broader business objectives.
Why is partnering with a trusted brand more crucial now than ever?
Modern, integrated security solutions require long-term business relationships. These systems demand capital investment, development, and phased deployment. Ongoing partnerships reduce downtime, limit capital expenditures, and prevent operational distractions.
CLIFF MILLER
Business Development Manager, Retail
What are the biggest challenges for quick-service restaurants with security today?
Rising internal theft, organized retail crime, inventory shrinkage, and workplace violence are prompting quick-service restaurants to rethink how they secure locations, employees, and assets. Operators must also address food safety, patron and sta
safety, and increasing cybersecurity threats.
How are these challenges impacting the industry?
Digital ordering, third-party delivery, and mobile payments have increased vulnerability to data breaches and fraud. Many restaurants still rely on outdated or fragmented security systems that lack real-time visibility and actionable insights, making it harder to investigate incidents or optimize operations.
What key tasks are being enhanced through security?
AI-powered video systems can now identify unauthorized individuals and eliminate costly false alarms. This improves both threat detection and
operational e ciency—especially in motion-heavy areas where pixel-based alerts used to be unreliable.
What misconceptions exist about security today?
Security today goes far beyond theft prevention. It’s a comprehensive strategy that touches employee safety, customer perception, cybersecurity, and overall operational performance. Integrated AI systems are now essential to creating safe, e cient environments.
How should operators communicate to consumers that their needs are being met?
Customers notice when safety measures are visible. Logical signage, video camera placement, public view
monitors, and well-lit parking lots send a clear message that the business is secure and customer-focused.
STEVE WOMER
Senior Vice President of Engineering
What are the biggest security challenges for quick-service restaurants today?
Operators face loitering, vandalism, and even drug-related activity. Sta often deal with unhoused individuals or people experiencing mental health crises, creating major safety
concerns. These issues drive up costs—many locations resort to hiring o -duty police or guards, which cuts into margins but still doesn’t guarantee safety. Beyond finances, persistent incidents hurt employee morale and retention, disrupt service, and deter customers.
How are operators addressing these challenges e ectively?
Many are turning to remote guarding with 24/7 live video monitoring. Instead of expensive on-site guards, quick-service restaurants use trained o site intervention specialists to monitor cameras in real time. If a loiterer appears, these gaurds can speak through speakers or call the police. It’s proven highly e ective and scalable. Operators are also upgrading to cloudmanaged security systems, enabling centralized management of alarms, locks, and access controls. These tools
improve consistency and reduce false alarms while boosting response speed.
How should operators communicate to consumers that their needs are being met?
Operators should clearly signal security e orts through signage, visible cameras, and voice-down announcements that reinforce active monitoring.
Sta should also be trained to confidently answer security-related questions from guests. Subtle but consistent communication builds trust without disrupting the customer experience.
Why is partnering with a trusted brand more crucial now than ever?
Today’s security solutions are complex, and most operators can’t manage them alone—trusted partners bring proven technologies, integrated systems, and expert support. A strong partner ensures your components work together seamlessly and evolve with emerging threats. In a high-stakes environment, reliability and consistency across locations make all the di erence.
NICK SCHROEDER
QSR Brand Manager
What are the biggest challenges for quick-service restaurants with security today?
Creating a safe environment where customers feel comfortable spending time is the number one challenge. If guests don’t feel secure, they won’t return—and that impacts everything.
How are these challenges impacting the industry?
It’s a ecting sta ng. Finding workers willing to take overnight shifts or work in high-risk areas is harder than ever. This limits hours of operation and disrupts service.
What do you think will be the biggest challenges and opportunities in the next 10–20 years?
Balancing brand legacy with emerging technologies. Embracing AI, kiosks, and automation while preserving what made your concept successful will be a di erentiator.
How are operators addressing these challenges e ectively?
They’re investing in tech that improves the guest experience while supporting ops. From AI-powered
What key tasks are being enhanced through security?
Security tools now help with operational excellence—ensuring restaurants are clean, well lit, and sta are prepared when customers walk in.
How have customer expectations for security changed?
drive thru ordering to smart security systems, it’s about tools that do more than one job.
What mistakes do operators make with security?
Choosing inflexible, closed platforms that lock them into a single vendor. Also, overlooking how quickly AI is transforming security, which leaves them behind the curve.
Customers want both proactive and reactive security with fewer false positives. Accuracy and coverage matter more than ever.
Why is partnering with a trusted brand more crucial now than ever?
You need a partner who can evolve with the tech and the threats. A lot of tech companies pop up, but only trusted brands have the resources to stick arou nd and support operators long term.
START TO FINISH
Matthew Walls
President and Chief Stores Officer
EDIBLE BRANDS
What was your first job?
My first payroll job was at McDonald’s in Shelbyville, Kentucky.
What’s your favorite menu item at Edible/Rōti Modern Mediterranean?
My favorite Edible Arrangement menu item is our chocolate-dipped apple wedges. My favorite Roti Modern Mediterranean menu item is our Harissa Chopped Salad.
What’s your favorite cuisine aside from what you offer at Edible/Rōti Modern Mediterranean? Without any question, it’s pizza. I love pizza because it can vary so much from region to region, allowing local taste profiles to be showcased.
Who inspires you as a leader? Patrick Doyle at RBI is so inspiring to me.
I feel fortunate for the years I was able to learn from him.
What’s the best piece of advice that other restaurant executives should hear? Franchise profitability is the most important ingredient to your Brand’s expansion.
What are some of your interests outside of work?
My wife and I take every opportunity we can to travel. We love to experience different cultures and cuisine.
I’ve been so fortunate to spend my career at the intersection of strategy, operations, and people, building and scaling franchise businesses in a way that prioritizes the success of those at the heart of the brand: the Franchisees. Today, as President and Chief Store Officer of Edible Brands, I have the opportunity to bring those experiences to a multi-brand platform with extraordinary potential.
My background spans a wide range of disciplines, from logistics and business intelligence to domestic and international growth, which has equipped me with a broad lens for leading complex organizations. Over the years, I’ve held executive leadership roles at brands like Domino’s and Caribou Coffee. Each experience reinforced my belief in the power of Franchisee-first leadership. I’ve seen firsthand how aligning teams around a shared vision, streamlining operations, and obsessing over unit-level profitability can create lasting, scalable success.
At Edible Brands, I’m responsible for over-
seeing operations, development, and strategic initiatives across our three core businesses: Edible Arrangements, Roti Modern Mediterranean, and Edibles.com. My early focus has been on refining team structures, creating clarity across the organization, and ensuring that every decision we make drives stronger performance at the store level. I believe profitability is the engine that powers everything else, when Franchisees win, the brand wins.What excites me most about this role is the opportunity to modernize and elevate legacy brands while fostering innovation across emerging concepts. Whether it’s investing in smarter technology, simplifying operations, or creating growth opportunities for our Franchise partners, my goal is to build a platform that makes it easier for our operators to thrive.
I take a People First approach to leadership. I believe the best ideas come from those closest to the work, and that collaboration, transparency, and trust are essential to building a high-performing culture.
Culligan Quench’s premium water systems deliver ice-cold freshly filtered still and sparkling water on-demand.
From refreshing, effervescent sparkling water on-demand, to popular nugget ice dispensers, Culligan Quench makes it easy to elevate your beverage service. With demand for sparkling water on the rise, our advanced filtration systems deliver a consistently clean, crisp, fresh water experience guests will notice and love. And when it comes to ice, we’ve got you covered – from back-of-house volume needs to popular self-service nugget ice known for it’s soft, chewable crunch. Culligan Quench offers a range of filtered ice dispensers to fit your space.
Available for purchase or rent, with consistent, worry-free performance backed by our nationwide service network. Call us today to learn more about our product line and make sure you ask about our first month free rental promotion.
Touchscreen Timing Evolved: Experience the Future
Operate your kitchen with pinpoint precision and boost profits.
The TT-700 Touchscreen Timer transforms kitchen operations with cutting-edge technology and intuitive design.
• Conquer Peak Hour Chaos: Multi-product timing and clear alerts keep your line running smoothly, even at the busiest times.
• Ensure Food Quality & Safety: Consistent timing and temperature monitoring mean perfect dishes, every time.
• Minimize Waste: Precise control reduces food waste, directly impacting your bottom line.
• Maximize Speed: Intuitive 7” touchscreen with visual programming for fast, accurate operation.
• Real-Time Intelligence: Wireless tracking and instant “Cook More/Prep More” alerts for peak productivity.
Scan the QR code to discover how the TT-700 can revolutionize your kitchen. Coming Soon - Q1 2026
