If you are a quick service restaurant, are you utilizing your drive thru to its fullest potential? Your drive thru experience can change the way people view your business, and has the capacity to increase your profit margins. Speed and accuracy are crucial, but can also be challenging for restaurants to implement consistently. Here are 3 important steps you can take to increase your drive thru efficiency, boost your bottom line and give your customers an overall better experience.
Simplify your menu
Customers can get overwhelmed when looking at a menu that has too many options. A simple menu will not only help your kitchen staff get orders out and get them right but will also make ordering easier and faster for customers. If you have items on your menu that hardly sell or one that sells sometimes, but takes too long to prepare, consider getting rid of them. Last but not least, look at your menu design and make sure it is user friendly. Ask yourself if the font is easy to read and if the item descriptions are concise. You don’t want anything too distracting, so keep your branding simple on the menu and make sure it isn’t cluttered with unnecessary pictures or information.
Digital Display Boards
Digital display boards are a great way to ensure that your employees are getting the order correct. Not only do you improve accuracy, but you are enhancing your customers’ experience by offering these interactive displays that allow them to confirm their order. You are also able to easily change out menu items or add special promotions if you need to.
Special Offers
If you haven’t already seen this, you will probably start seeing it soon. Many quick service restaurants are utilizing their rewards program to get customers through the drive-thru by offering extra points on their order when they pick-up in the drive-thru. This is such an easy way to get customers in and out quicker while also giving them something that they value! You could also run certain offers on menu items when they order for drive-thru pick up. Such a simple way to get more customers through in a timely manner.
This past year, many restaurants struggled with retaining employees. One solution that some restaurants implemented was to close their dining room all together, and only offer their drive-thru service since this required less staff, still allowing them to continue serving customers. Many restaurants found much success with this and some restaurants have even opened new locations that are intended to be drive-thru only. How is your restaurant utilizing this tool, and are there ways you could improve? It seems well worth the time and money savings, increased accuracy and enhanced customer experience.
