QSR March 2023

F U T U R E O F QU I C K S E R V I C E

retrieve orders. These options allow customers to interact with us using the platform of their choice.” At this turn in the COVID bounceback, Prin gle says drive-thru remains strong. The pandemic heightened a shift the brand was already seeing, and which has been widely true across quick-ser vice’s largest players—a migration from dine-in to drive-thru. She anticipates preferences for mobile ordering and delivery to continue growing. But even so, it’s not a point that’s going to pull focus from dining rooms altogether. Wendy’s sees the landscape as an opportunity to bring more Wen dy’s to more people in more ways, Pringle says, and use those channels to inspire future visits. “With each technology advancement, new partnership, and market entry, we’re continuously optimizing the way we serve our customers,” she says. THE SEGMENT DEFINITION Shake Shack launched what it terms “Shack Track” at the start of the pandemic. CFO Katie Fogertey says the brand saw how many of the fast pivots from the early days of COVID had become permanent functions, including imple menting multi-channel delivery, enhancing digital pre-ordering, and expanding Shake Shack’s fulfill ment capabilities. Shack Track wasn’t a one-face solution—it’s an acknowledgment of the choice guests now have. Shack Track includes pickup shelves, curbside pickup, pickup windows, and drive-thru units, of which 11 operated as of January, with 10–15 more on deck for 2023. “The need to enhance and alter the physical restaurant to meet the needs of digi tal was so important to Shake Shack that today, all new restaurants we open have some aspect of Shack Track,” Fogertey says. This is an especially revealing development at a fast casual like Shake Shack, which was founded by Michelin-starred restaurateur Danny Meyer. Once the chain evolved from hot dog cart to brick-and-mortar, it crashed preconceived notions of what quick-service experience could look like for a changing generation of consumers. More inviting and modern elements. Agile real estate. Food that took a bit longer to come out but sold its product on ethos and quality. None of those playbooks have wilted; Shake Track is just the manifestation of what Fogertey calls, “convenience without compromise.” “Shack Track aims to tackle many challenges that have arisen from building a rapidly growing

 WENDY’S IS WORKING TO

cent, quarter-over-quarter. This as total loyalty members and monthly active users grew 5 per cent versus Q1, exiting the period at record highs. However, it’s also a signal to Wendy’s dine in customer. Removing delivery traffic from the drive-thru will speed up in-store service, too, Pringle says, “benefitting customers with shorter wait times in line.” The same is true of redirecting delivery order traffic away from the front coun ter. “This ensures the crew are focused on taking and fulfilling dine-in customer orders quickly, effi ciently, and accurately,” Pringle says. “Less traffic at the POS also makes it easier for our digital cus tomers to quickly locate their orders on the new integrated front counter grab-and-go shelving.” What it all does, dressed down, is make it easier for employees to focus on creating posi tive guest experiences, and to humanize what’s become a transactional event in countless quick service circles. “Dine-in service looks different than it did just a few years ago, and customer preferences have changed,” Pringle says. “To meet our custom ers where and how they want to enjoy Wendy’s, we offer a variety of ordering options including through kiosks and the Wendy’s App. For those customers who order ahead, mobile pickup spots and grab-and-go shelves make it quick and easy to

ALLEVIATE CAPACITY IN THE DRIVE-THRU BY OFFERING MORE ACCESS POINTS.

WENDY’S (2)

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INDUSTRY-WIDE ISSUE

MARCH 2023