Widely known as the most profitable square foot in food service, the drive-thru is having a moment. Drive-thru dynamics seem to be changing, so QSR operators are intensely focused on updating the experience in our current era of mobile orders, hurried customers, and changing lifestyles.
Two recent examples highlight the range of innovations which have delivered mixed results. On one end, we have Starbucks, which announced last June it would begin sunsetting its “mobile order and pickup-only” stores introduced in 2019. While mobile orders aren’t going away, the idea here is to bring customers back into the traditional Starbucks environment to slow down a bit and converse with the staff and other members of the community.
On the other end, we have Taco Bell, which started rolling out AI-powered drive-thrus at 500 U.S. locations to reduce mistakes and speed up service. This led to some unfortunate consequences captured in viral videos, two of which included a customer ordering 18,000 cups of water from the drive-thru intercom (which crashed the system) and another getting angry with an AI agent that can’t stop upselling beverages.
The point is not whether these experiments succeed or fail. The larger question is: how can QSRs optimize the drive-thru experience during a time of constant, rapid, and unpredictable change?
Diving into the Data
Let’s back up a bit to take a closer look at why this part of the QSR is under such a microscope. While the drive-thru still represents around 70% of revenues, the trends are negative — and they’ve been that way since early 2024. Month-to-month drops ranged from 5% to as much as 13% during this time.
At the same time, we’ve never seen so many takeout orders. A report from the National Restaurant Association says that 75% of restaurant visits involve takeout. Almost all consumers (95%) say that “fast service” is critical to the experience.
What’s going on here? Nobody is exactly sure, which is why so many QSR brands are making changes to the experience. What is clear is that consumer behaviors are shifting and operators need to adapt if they are going to protect this highly profitable space.
Getting Beyond Speed
In previous decades, speed was the name of the game. Cars per hour was the only drive-thru metric that mattered. But brands are discovering that a fast experience doesn’t build loyalty if it misses other important factors — like order accuracy and friendly service. In this sense, focusing only on speed and throughput is a short-term win at best.
Of course, what customers say they want doesn’t necessarily align with what they do. Consumers want their drive-thru order quickly. But like any of us, they also want that order to be right, and they want the whole experience to seem easy.
You can draw a straight line between the demand for speed and accuracy and widespread adoption of AI tools, which are designed to reduce human error and help QSRs process more orders faster. This isn’t the case yet, but let’s assume that drive-thru system AI agents will eventually get it right. When they do, is this the magic bullet?
Probably not. Because consumers also tell us the human touch is very important. Guests want to feel acknowledged, greeted, and attended to — if only for a couple minutes. An AI agent can’t really do this in the way customers want. Which puts us back at square one, trying to make the drive-thru more efficient without removing people from the equation.
The Diversity of Consumers
One mistake we all might be making is thinking of “consumers” as a single entity with consistent wants and needs. In reality, each of us brings our own opinions and experiences into the drive-thru lane, and not all of these are the same.
I’ll use myself as an example. On one hand, I appreciate what Starbucks is trying to do with its “return to the coffee shop” approach. I would love to sit in a vibrant coffee shop, enjoying my favorite drink side-by-side with my friends. But I also have four kids with four separate school drop-offs and after-school activities. My schedule simply doesn’t have room for an in-store experience.
My average workday also involves a lot of screen time and apps, and computer tasks. So, the last thing I want to do outside of work is pull up to the drive-thru window and talk to a robot.
But I’m just one person. And I can easily imagine a person who does have time to enjoy a more relaxed coffee shop experience. Or a person who spends their whole day talking to people and is relieved and delighted that they can get their drive-thru order without talking to anyone.
5 Ways to Adapt
The answer to this drive-thru dilemma isn’t about choosing between humans or AI, or between speed or warmth. It’s about finding balance. That balance looks different for every brand, but it starts with intentional action. Here are five actions that your brand can take.
- Map the micro-journeys.
- Personalize the queue, not just the menu.
- Redefine the human touch.
Technology can make things faster, but empathy is what keeps guests coming back. Reframe headset shifts as moments of connection, not just throughput. A calm tone, a name at the window, or a simple “thanks for being patient” has more power than any AI script.
- Modernize without overhauling.
- Build a continuous feedback loop.
The drive-thru will always be a study of contrasts: human and machine, efficiency and empathy, routine and chaos. The brands that win won’t be the ones chasing trends. They’ll be the ones that keep learning from the people in their restaurant’s lane.
PAR offers a proven portfolio of drive-thru solutions to help operators find that balance, combining reliability, clarity, and innovation to meet guests where they are and keep your most profitable square foot performing at its best.
Samantha Young is a marketing leader in restaurant technology, known for driving brand evolution, partner growth, and thought leadership across some of the industry’s most influential companies. She currently serves as Product Marketing Manager at PAR Technology, guiding hardware strategy and cross-business integration, and was recognized with the 2024 CEO Award for her impact and leadership. With a background spanning Global Payments, ReSource Point of Sale, and Xenial, Samantha has consistently built programs that combine storytelling, strategy, and measurable results.
