More than six months into the COVID pandemic, most states still have restrictions regarding dine-in eating. Casual dining and fast casual restaurants have suffered steep declines in business, but restaurants with drive-thrus – typically quick service restaurants – have fared much better.
Drive-thrus have been a “lifeline” for the restaurants that have them, according to The NPD Group. Since drive-thrus limits the physical contact between employees and guests, many restaurants have been able to continue to serve customers. Moreover, the CDC identified restaurants with drive-thrus as essential retailers, which permits them to remain open during the pandemic.
On average, 50 million Americans eat fast food every day, generating $570 billion in global revenue, with an annual growth of approximately 2.5%, according to QSR Magazine.
The NPD Group reported that drive-thru visits increased 26% during the second quarter and represented 42% of all restaurant visits. The research firm tracks U.S. consumers’ use of restaurants and other foodservice outlets daily.
“Drive-thru operations are delivering a high ROI during the pandemic, offering convenience, speed, and the comfort of social distance to consumers using them,” said David Portalatin, NPD food industry advisor and author of Eating Patterns in America.
Portalatin added that fast casual and traditional quick service chains have already announced expansion plans for their drive-thru operations. “Drive-thru and other off-premises operations will be a major part of the U.S. restaurant industry’s recovery and future,” he said.
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