100 Ways to Improve Your Drive Thru

[BookstoreEscapee]

If you want your windsheild washed, go to the gas station (then again, most people have to do that themselves, unless they live in NJ or OR...). Every once in a while when I get gas they'll do my windshield. I figure when they do it's probably a slow day and they must be pretty bored.

I've heard of dog treats handed out at a bank drive through, which I think is a cute idea, but a food place might not be allowed to do that along with the people food. Personally, I couldn't tell you the last time I went through a drive through (if I'm gonna get fast food, I'm gonna get my ass out of the car and walk inside to get it) so I don't have much of an opinion on the topic.

[dalesys]

... dog treats handed out ... a food place ...

Rant! Blargle! I thought they were candy and gave them to my children!

...

...

They want more.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Rant! Blargle! I thought they were candy and gave them to my children!

...

...

They want more.

lol, so true..

Roomie was babysitting her friend's 1 year old daughter a couple weeks ago, and she texted me at one point, "Lindsey totally just ate a piece of dog food"...

[PepperElf]

6: Canine treats.

So they're suppose to make dog biscuits now? I mean if you want to give your dog greasy fast food just order it a burger.

20: Cleaning the windshield
Sure because no customer will ever tell that windshield wiper, "Get the F back inside and make my food, NOW"


Honestly I stopped reading after that. Some ideas weren't bad but some will just cause problems. ... mainly in where the fuck will they get enough people to do all of that? Don't they realize establishments are making less people do more work. And now they're suppose to bake doggy treats and clean the cars too?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The author probably didn't mean the dog treats have to be homemade; store-bought ones would do just fine.

That, and the windshield washing suggestion are there because "nobody else does it." I'm sorry, but anybody who thinks it's a good idea to do something solely because "nobody else does it" has at least a 95% chance of being an idiot.

Now so nobody misunderstands me, I'm not suggesting we should never try new things. There needs to be more to an idea than just "nobody else does it" for it to be a good idea. If you can't think of a single reason to do something other than being the only people to do it, it's almost certainly a bad idea.

[Eisa]

Wait, complimentary Wi-Fi? In the drive-thru? WTF do you need wifi for if you're in the drive-thru? You're supposed to be...y'know...driving.

Touch screens are nice, I saw one in a gas station to order a sandwich in Maryland and it was cool. I don't think it would work so hot in a drive-thru, though.

It's nice to bring food out to the car, but I've only seen that at Sonic. I don't think it would work anywhere that's not like that, or similar.

[Quillsilver]

Text-in orders? Seriously??? Because people need more reasons to text while driving, right? Also, I don't know about other fast food places, but my store has a landline that doubles as the fax line...we do not have a store cell phone. OK, I'm sure the implication here is some kind of specialized ordering system/app like the pizza places use....so while we're at it, let's add email ordering, right? My store takes call-in orders, and that can cause problems if it's a huge order that interferes with getting orders done for the customers who are right there, in the store or at the window, but it is something that we offer, and we bust our butts to take care of everyone. Oh, and "many customers use their cell phones while in a drive-thru lane" - yes, we know! And it drives us nuts!!!!

The windshield thing - yeah, that's been laughed off already...sheesh.

Dog treats/candies and mints in the bag - Already addressed in the comments on the article, and here as well. Liability, anyone? As much as I'd love to be able to give treats and pets to the animals who come through the line, I work around food!

"28 Make the drive-thru positions coveted spots. With greater responsibility, provide a greater reward, such as a higher wage." - To me, this is covered in performance evaluations. Why should Crew Member A get a better wage for working the drive thru window or taking orders? What about CM B, who makes the food quickly and accurately so CM A can hand it out quickly? Or CM C, who keeps the bins full of hot, fresh biscuits so CM B can make the food so quickly? Everyone should be recognized for good work, not just those who happen to be good in one particular portion of the store.

"76 Instead of reading the entire order to the customer, only ask them to confirm their order on the screen. This spurs faster service." - We do this. "Is your order correct on the screen?" While some customers respond with corrections, many simply say "yeah" or "I guess"...then pull up and b*tch that something isn't right - even though they told us it was! And until a recent software upgrade, our order takers could not provide the order total at the speaker - but it was on the OCB, which the customers did not bother to read.

Specials aimed at DT customers only - I give it five minutes before a dine-in customer starts raising hell. DT customers would do the same if there were dine-in specials. In fact, I remember getting very upset once when I went through the DT at a Burger King and was told they were out of a particular collectible glass (LotR, I think), only to learn that "they always told DT customers that if they only had a couple left."

We have a pre-order board. Does it help? Occasionally, I guess...but I'm still floored by the number of people who pull up to the speaker and begin reading through the entire menu like they have never seen it before. If I don't know what I want, I go inside - I don't hold up the entire line!

As to the "what would you like to drink" vs "would you like a drink," most of our OT's use "can I get you a Coke or anything to go with your burger?" I've tried to train them to make upsells invitations to encourage the customer, rather than harassing them to buy more.

Now that I've ranted, there are some good ideas on that list - you know, the ones that are already implemented in most restaurants with drive thrus! I would love to have a digital menu board, personally.

[PepperElf]

Now so nobody misunderstands me, I'm not suggesting we should never try new things. There needs to be more to an idea than just "nobody else does it" for it to be a good idea. If you can't think of a single reason to do something other than being the only people to do it, it's almost certainly a bad idea.

Exactly.

No one gives shoe shines either. Or lap dances.... perhaps they can start a new tradition there too eh?


Quicksilver - good points too.

76: We all know what happens when you ask people to read signs.
They don't and then complain that there should be a sign...

[bhskittykatt]

No one gives shoe shines either. Or lap dances.... perhaps they can start a new tradition there too eh?

There was a bikini barrista coffee stand in the region not too long ago where the barristas would perform pole dances to customers who tipped extra. You tipped extra, drove around to the side of the building, parked, and they'd dance for you. They were arrested for prostitution though, so can't do that anymore.

[BookstoreEscapee]

That, and the windshield washing suggestion are there because "nobody else does it." I'm sorry, but anybody who thinks it's a good idea to do something solely because "nobody else does it" has at least a 95% chance of being an idiot.

Now so nobody misunderstands me, I'm not suggesting we should never try new things. There needs to be more to an idea than just "nobody else does it" for it to be a good idea. If you can't think of a single reason to do something other than being the only people to do it, it's almost certainly a bad idea.

Yeah, sometimes there's a good reason "nobody else does it"...

[Iseeyouthere]

McDonalds once offered free Big Mac vouchers if you had to wait too long for your order.
LOTS of abuse there... People order complex or large meals on purpose and then demand their voucher if you were so much as a second over the time limit.

This guy who wrote this 100 things list tried to make it look proffessional... but ended up slipping things in HE wants.

So... I will say this to him:

"Go fuck yourself mate."

[Racket_Man]

McDonalds once offered free Big Mac vouchers if you had to wait too long for your order.
LOTS of abuse there... People order complex or large meals on purpose and then demand their voucher if you were so much as a second over the time limit.

This guy who wrote this 100 things list tried to make it look proffessional... but ended up slipping things in HE wants.

So... I will say this to him:

"Go fuck yourself mate."

the first one reminds me of the infamous Dominos Pizza 30 minutes or it is free thing from 18 years ago. I have heard enough stories of customers deliberately "not being home (as in not answering the door and having a dark house)", wrong addresses and phone numbers, etc. it got so bad that in the final 3 years they just starting issuing vouchers for $3 off the next order.

[BrenDAnn]

Yeah...How about no to most of that? I don't work fast food--unless you count the pizzas we make to order--but I know most of that list is, well, bullshit. I don't go through drive-thrus, but if I did...half of that shit STILL wouldn't matter to me!