Drive-thru and pick-up are no new formats, they have been around since the 1930s. Owing to our new culture of wearing face masks and social distancing, this system of serving has become more and more popular. With technological advances drive-thru, ’s have evolved more into a pick-up window and are now being incorporated by fine dining restaurants, grocery stores, utility stores, and even vaccination centers and pharmacies so as to provide faster and more efficient service. 

Drive-thru’s traditionally used a microphone and an ordering board to place an order, then a payment and collection window. Whereas, nowadays, orders or appointments can be placed via an online platform, or app from the comfort of your home. When the customer gets to the place of business there is no need to wait, they head straight for the pick-up window. 

Moreover, you can even implement curbside delivery. Curbside is similar to a pick-up window in that when ordering a client uses the online route but instead of collecting at a window, there is a reserved parking space (curbside) where the delivery is made. Let’s take an example of someone who has visited the Walgreens weekly ad or Rouses Markets site and placed an order for their drug prescription or groceries. Instead of going through the trouble of finding a parking space and potentially joining queues, the customer simply goes over to designated curbside parking or drive-through pick-up window and collects their order. 

Here’s how a drive-through and pick-up can work for your business and clientele. 

Drive-throughs are convenient for clients. 

This system of service is convenient because of its quickness and comfort. Customers will not need to get out of their cars. Through their phone, an order is placed and in no time delivered via the pick-up window.  

To fully optimise the formation, the business needs to develop a system that enhances communication between the customer and the business. For example, the traditional two-way microphone drive-through system, or online over-the-phone service, or scanning a QR code to order on-premises. By adopting this, the business is sure to provide faster service at the convenience of the customers. 

Pandemic friendly

The Coronavirus has shown how it can quickly spread and cause disaster. Drive-throughs  help to implement necessary steps to avert the spread of the virus. Because the business and the client are communicating either via an intercom, online portal, or mobile application, face-to-face interaction is minimized. At times there is no contact at all through the use of food lockers. For payment of the services, an online option can be made available, and if not, where contact is needed, face masks step in, and car windows can be closed for necessary communication. Through this, your business can help fight against the pandemic. 

Drive-thrus provide a wider stream of income

For any business to thrive, it’s because of how much money it’s making or how large the profits are. For example, in addition to your restaurants in house sitting, outside dining, and at-home delivery, you can add drive-through services. By doing so, you are adding a fourth stream of revenue. 

In addition, because you have opened your business to a four-way platform, the capacity is increased. By opening a drive-through window or curbside delivery, you are exposing your business to a bigger crowd and thus increasing the capacity at which you can serve your clients. 

Conclusion 

Do not let the Coronavirus or the economic environment work against you; instead, let it work for you via drive-throughs. Introduce convenience, faster service, and safer client interface with this option.