How chain food (fast food) restaurants in the US are redesigning for a digital future
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How 5 chains are designing restaurants for a digital future
From McDonald’s to Chipotle, brands are spending big on drive-thru, drive-in and pickup technology to grow revenue as the contactless experience becomes king. Here’s a breakdown of their designs.
Drive-thru has long been the bread and butter for major U.S. restaurant chains, but the pandemic has accelerated diner engagement with digital channels — offering opportunities for QSRs to integrate loyalty programs and new technology with the drive-thru lane, as well as an opening for fast casual brands to create mobile-only drive-thrus.
This boost in digital spending, along with widespread dining room restrictions, has also led to steep declines in on-premise traffic, forcing restaurants to rethink how to best use their real estate footprints to cater to the consumer of the future.