QSR October 2022

FAST CASUAL ’ S FUTURE

speaker box, menuboard, excessive signage, and stack of cars to empower a more eff icient, discrete, and modern experi ence. She says the total Chipotlane transaction takes less than 30 seconds. And Chipotle will continue investigating potential improve ments to make things even better for guests, Zalotrawala promises. To reduce friction inside its restaurants and provide a seamless experience with front-of-the-house operations, for instance, Chipotle added digital kitchens, or second make lines, dedicated solely to fulfilling digital orders. “Chipotle is focused on constant innovation to expand access and deliver exceptional in-restaurant and digital expe riences,” Zalotrawala says. PANCHEROS: Efficiency and flexibility for on-the-go guests Pancheros debuted its first pickup window last October inMoline, Illinois, a 40,000-resident city on the Illinois-Iowa border. The pickup window is devoted to fulfillingmobile orders for customers

can manage both digital and in-house orders. Pancheros vice president of operations Bill Adams says each store deploys staff to serve either mobile or on-site orders during peak peri ods, which creates an efficient environment for the restaurant and its guests. When building future stores, Adams says Pancheros will continue to add mobile pickup windows whenever possible to address guests’ desire for f lexibility when ordering. “The design and layout of the restaurant will be a determin ing factor if this addition is possible, but we understand the need for convenience is there and want to find a solution to provide that to our guests whenever possible,” he says. NOODLES & COMPANY: Blending digital strength with pickup windows Quite strategically, Noodles & Company installed its first two Quick Pickup Windows in 2018 in Wisconsin, one of Noodles’ largest markets, to test the concept with guests already famil iar with the brand. Once guests order on the Noodles app or website, they then receive an estimated ready time for order pickup at the drive-thru window. When restaurants had to shut their doors during the COVID 19 pandemic, Noodles chief financial officer Carl Lukach says the value of pickup windows shined. The windows answered guests’ wishes for a safe experience and became especially popular with two of Noodles’ core demographics: families and guests with young children. “The success of the Quick Pickup Windows during the pandemic inf luenced Noodles to implement them in new loca tions,” Lukach says.

who select “drive thru pickup” as their order mode on the Pancheros

FROM PANCHEROS (ABOVE) TO NOODLES & COMPANY, THE DRIVE THRU HAS HELPED LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.

app. The 72-unit chain has since opened a second Pancheros with a pickup window in Bismarck, North Dakota. Pancheros leveraged its robust loyalty program to notify local customers of the pickup window option, specifically using emails and push notif ications. North Dakota-based franchisee Steve Majkrzak calls the pickup window at his Bismarck restaurant an absolute hit, especially dur ing the blustery North Dakota winters. “With the ease of not having to leave your car in below-zero temperatures, get ting the same comforting burrito is a no brainer,” Majkrzak says. Similar to Chipotle, the Moline and Bismarck Pancheros locations feature a second make line to ensure operations

PANCHEROS, NOODLES & COMPANY

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OCTOBER 2022 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com