Study Finds Consumers Sticking with Drive-Thru Ordering

Dine-in is out and drive-thru is in, according to findings in a new “Pulse of the Industry” report by Presto.

Dine-in closures became widespread during the pandemic, forcing many customers to turn to takeout, delivery, and drive-thru ordering. Even though inside dining has opened back up, the study finds only 25% of those surveyed more likely to use dine-in compared to last year. 

Meanwhile, nearly half of the survey respondents (46%) said they are more likely to order takeout and only 22% are less likely to place drive-thru orders compared to a year ago.

But the growing popularity of drive-thru ordering is increasing wait times and impacting service quality. Nearly two-thirds (70%) of the respondents said technologies such as A.I. voice assistants, personalized menus, and smartphone apps could help alleviate problems at the drive-thru.

Three-out-of-four (77%) said the quality of their drive-thru experience is the same or worse than last year. 27% said long wait time was the biggest issue and had gotten significantly worse over the past year. That was followed by friendliness of service, where 18% said it had become worse. 

The current survey had 243 respondents representing a cross-section of U.S. restaurant customers accounting for different socio-demographic, economic, and lifecycle variables.