(GrayNews/WRDW/WAGT) – Convenience is costing us more and more time in the fast-food drive-thru lane.
The average wait time from the speaker to the order window increased by 20 seconds in 2019, according to fast-food industry publication QSR.
Of the 10 fast-food chains QSR visited, Chick-fil-A was the slowest with an average time of 322.98 seconds or about 5 minutes and 23 seconds. The lengthy waits come even as the company has started using iPads for taking orders and expanded to double drive-thrus.
“We are embracing technology to both provide a better experience for guests and to help take tasks off restaurant team members so they can devote more time to hospitality for our customers,” Khalilah Cooper, director of service and hospitality for Chick-fil-A, told QSR.
The fastest chain was Dunkin’, coming in at 216.75 seconds or about 3 minutes and 37 seconds.
QSR compiled its data on 10 chains from 1,503 visits across the country between June 1 and Aug. 1.