Drive-through at fast food outlets question

rpm

rpm

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We have found that more fast food outlets are not serving you at their drive-through window, instead asking you to wait in the parking lot. We have heard that it is to increase their perceived KPI on how fast it serves customers.

Is it for KPI purposes, or another reason, like not holding anyone up for a single large order?
 
I'm sure it's for PKI, they have magnetic sensors the measure the car being there. I have even had them cycle the numbers on the indoor display queue system and then only later calling out the number verbally when the food is actually ready.
 
Honestly I think that it is just poor kitchen management and not having enough of the fast moving items ready to go
 
I only get asked to park when there is a large queue behind me and my order is large or complicated.
 
rpm said:
We have found that more fast food outlets are not serving you at their drive-through window, instead asking you to wait in the parking lot. We have heard that it is to increase their perceived KPI on how fast it serves customers.

Is it for KPI purposes, or another reason, like not holding anyone up for a single large order?
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In the case of Steers, we usually forced to park cars that order items that are not on the drive thru menu IE toasted sandwiches, spare ribs. If the drive thru is busy the customer will hold up the Q waiting for their order at the collections window so they usually asked to park.

A lot of drive thru's won't pre-make their slower moving lines and this also leads to delays.

As for KPI, depending on what software they using to measure performance parking might or might not boost those stats. You make line KDS usually displays average turn around times per order and that average can only be artifically boosted by bumping the orders off the screen prematurely. Not advisable!!
 
They definitely use KPIs as a measurement tool.

I had it once where Mcdonalds asked me to park up and they would deliver my order to the car. They had however completed the order inside , still had to convince them that I had not yet collected my order and after a big fight finally got my food.
 
Key Performance Indicator.., you've either never been in corporate or have been out of it for a long time.

Them: Your PKIs are too low. You need to resolve 6 per day average, you are only on a 4 average

Me: I was on leave of 11 of the 21 work days of that month. That means I'm on 8.4 average resolved per day.

Them: Sorry that we called you for this meeting then cause we are dumb moronic corporate stooges that can't use our brains*, and remember, positive speak :sick: only

*bold part added in my brain
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The answer likely: Both

Sometimes it's legit,sometimes its to pump numbers
 
I hate drive throughs, last week when I was asked to move to a parking space I refused since I was the only one in the line.
 
This is a regular thing at drive thrus in Durban... and even inside the place. Numbers being served are way ahead of what they’re actually serving
 
Really Arthur? This whole KPI business started a very long time ago and has been so buggered up over the years that its original purpose is now completely lost.

First came across this idea in 1981, in a book about Integrated Management systems, where KPAs were identified and the measurements were called Yardsticks, which very soon after got changed to KPI's.

How someone could get to the point to try and use these techniques to measure throughput in a fast food outlet just show how the whole concept has been screwed up beyond recognition.

And BTW who actually buys junk food in this manner anyway?
 
Geoff.D said:
Really Arthur? This whole KPI business started a very long time ago and has been so buggered up over the years that its original purpose is now completely lost.

First came across this idea in 1981, in a book about Integrated Management systems, where KPAs were identified and the measurements were called Yardsticks, which very soon after got changed to KPI's.
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:) Thanks, Geoff.

I've spent years in the corporate's corporates and can't recall ever hearing the term. McGraw-Hill, IBM, Microsoft. Also at Business School at Columbia and Stanford in the '90s. It's of course possible that my memory has a parity error, or morphed into WOM (write-only memory). ;)

That said, I'm a big believer in identifying and setting performance metrics for every job - and that can and should include drive-through fast food joints. I certainly used and applied Doran and Drucker's SMART GOAs in the whole MBO framework/movement. KPIs are necessary in pretty much every conceivable job.
 
RedViking said:
KFC like to do it. I just tell them I will not move until they bring the order. It happens quickly then, otherwise they take their time.
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It's normally quite easy to see if there is a genuine backlog. If I'm the only one in the queue or there is one person behind me I normally refuse.

In most cases the food is only a few seconds from being ready. They waste more time walking out to your car than if you just stayed at the window.

I think this is a case of focusing so narrowly on the metrics that management is now missing the fact that customers are having a lousy experience since staff have figured out how to game the system.
 
rodga said:
I hate drive throughs, last week when I was asked to move to a parking space I refused since I was the only one in the line.
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This happens often with us as well, especially at Nando's. When we say we will wait at the window, we get the order nearly immediately.

RedViking said:
KFC like to do it. I just tell them I will not move until they bring the order. It happens quickly then, otherwise they take their time.
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This is our experience as well. When we park, it takes forever to get your order.
 
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