Covid could change the future of drive-thru service at popular fast food restaurants.
Despite the percentage of Americans being vaccinated rising each day, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the pandemic likely changed various customer behaviors for good. For example, the National Restaurant Association reports that off-premises sales have remained at all-time highs despite a downswing in COVID cases.
Another change is that COVID-19 has shifted consumer habits and more people are opting to stay in their car for pick-up. Not only staying in the car, but opting for the least amount of contact with fast food employees as possible. That means awareness of sanitary practices remains sky high, and touchless practices are going to be an important driver of consumer trust for months, if not years, to come.
One such restaurant bringing this new touchless drive thru phenomenon to life is Taco Bell. The “Taco Bell Defy” restaurant will open in the summer of 2022. With an odd resemblance to a bank branch, food is delivered from an elevated kitchen above via a proprietary lift system similar to the pneumatic tubes used by those bank branches.
There are four drive-thru lanes, three of which are dedicated to mobile or delivery orders. The entire pickup process is contactless, although two-way audio and video technology lets customers interact directly with Taco Bell employees in real time.
Taco Bell Defy restaurant coming in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota in summer of 2022.