Fast-food models are moving into the fast lane, and as franchisors look to match the customer need for a coffee, snack or meal on the go, the drive-through model is looming large on the horizon. 

So what does it take to run a drive-through food business? GYG takes our Q & A.

Why is this model growing in appeal?

Convenience is critically important for customers, and the key reason traditional quick-service restaurants have grown in popularity in recent years.

What are the challenges for the franchisor and franchisee?

Real-estate and development costs are higher for drive-through restaurants because of the fit-out and safety requirements. Your business model must be strong enough to accommodate extra development and real-estate costs. Your operating platform also needs to run efficiently during peak times and keep traffic moving. Our dual-linear kitchen design and technology platforms have enabled us to serve fresh food at pace. With drive-through, we can process orders for up to 80 cars in an hour.

Drive-through involves different processes and an extra delivery channel within the restaurant. Franchisees need to invest in in-house training so their teams are prepared for the different workflow. For example, accuracy is always important but is integral to drive-through success.

What sort of costs are involved in setting up an outlet?

The final cost depends on the location and real-estate deal. On average, opening one of our drive-throughs costs about $200,000 more than a traditional GYG restaurant. That said, the drive-through model has a much stronger return as average unit volumes are significantly higher.

What does it take to make a drive-through a success?

Three things are crucial: high-quality real estate, access and exceptional operations. We have outstanding franchisees who serve quality, authentic, healthy Mexican food at fast-food speeds — up to 450 transactions an hour. Creating another channel with drive-through not only means more customers, but also another layer of business complexity. The ongoing training we provide to all our franchisees and restaurant teams is crucial to our success.

How much is technology a driver of the business?

Technology is a key strategic focus of our model, from the order point and headsets our crews wear to the Summit system that measures service times and the flow of cars through the outlet. We are always exploring new ways to leverage technology to enhance customer experience and improve efficiency. In future, GYG will leverage the existing app and our partnership with Google Zoo to develop our very own virtual drive-through platform.

The virtual drive-through will eventually combine location awareness, sensor beacons, artificial intelligence and voice ordering so customers will be able to do all their ordering through their phone and not even need a drive-through lane.

How important is driveway layout, and what tips do you have for franchisees?

It is critical you achieve maximum throughput at peak time, and great layout helps achieve that. Franchisees should understand that investing in staffing and restaurant layout will lead to greater efficiency and ultimately increase drive-through capacity.

How many ordering stations do you need?

Technically speaking, you need only one ordering station to run a drive-through, but having two significantly adds to your capacity to serve more cars in an hour and reduce the bottleneck during peak service times. Eventually, ordering stations will become less important as smartphones and devices becomes the point of order. As we continue to invest in digital, more orders will be made through the app, leveraging technologies like virtual drive-through.

What technology are you using for customer orders?

With more and more of all our orders coming through the phone, we are focussed on continually developing our app to make our customer experience even better. Our platforms give our restaurants the capability to process 450 transactions an hour (this has been known to reach 800 an hour on Free Burrito Day).

If there is a dine-in restaurant as well, how should franchisees maximise their production crew?

Adding the drive-through channel is a challenge for restaurants and needs its own procedures and staffing. At GYG, we are lucky to have significant expertise from our management team and staff who have brought years of QSR drive-through experience and learnings with them to their present role.

As drive-through becomes increasingly popular, how do you ensure accurate and swift service?

Right from the start, drive-through layout is critical to accurate and swift service. We maintain our standards on speed and accuracy with a combination of procedures, staffing, technology, franchisee management and leadership. We closely monitor service times and procedures so we can continuously identify ways to improve the customer experience. We never compromise on customer experience.