KFC is set to open a world-first drive-thru only store to speed up service and cater to the rapidly growing food delivery industry.
The new concept store will be trialled in Newcastle and will allow customers to order their meals through the KFC app before driving through and collecting their chicken.
It was only a matter of time that fast-food chains would look to speed up the drive-thru process, and even customise the experience for individual drivers, the inevitable streamlining of fast food will now get rid of one of the biggest barriers to speedy service, the dining-in experience.
While there will still be lanes for the traditional practice of driving up to order from a speaker and menu, other lanes will prioritise ordering and paying with the KFC smartphone app or website before arriving at the site. Customers will need to enter a four-digit code—generated by the smartphone app—on a touchscreen receiver, which will send their order to the kitchen where it is freshly prepared, ready for collection.
Click and collect is becoming more mainstream and a natural part of everyday life as people become more comfortable with purchasing on a mobile phone. Earlier this year, in an Australian first, 7-Eleven Australia launched a completely cashless and card-less concept convenience store in Melbourne’s inner suburb of Richmond, allowing customers to shop and complete their transactions through an app available on their smartphone.
Domino’s Pizza has announced it too will be trialling a tap and take only payment model at five of its stores in Australia in a bid to create a faster and more convenient experience for customers.
If the trial store proves successful, we’re positive that KFC won’t be the only fast-food company interested in investigating this growing retail trend.