Chick-Fil-A’s New Drive-Thru Will Send Your Orders Down Conveyer Belts, Chutes

Fast-food chain Chick-fil-A has announced it is testing two new restaurant concepts—both set to open in 2024.

The restaurant will trial an elevated drive-thru and a walk-up design, with these concepts geared toward providing even greater convenience to patrons.

First, the former will be located in the Atlanta metro area, while the walk-up design is planned for bustling New York City.

For the drive-thru format, Chick-fil-A has devised a system that ensures efficient service while preserving the company’s key hospitality.

Customers can opt to place their orders directly with a team member or make use of dedicated Mobile Thru lanes to pick up orders placed ahead of time in the Chick-fil-A App.

The unique design of the drive-thru places the kitchen above the drive-thru lanes, enabling swift delivery of orders directly to the customer.

Intriguingly, the way the chain plans to get the food from the kitchen to customers is by using an overhead conveyer belt with chutes that run down the sides.

On the other hand, the walk-up version  is designed specifically for urban areas with heavy foot traffic. This intuitive design allows guests to conveniently place their orders in advance on mobile.

When they arrive, their freshly prepared order is handed to them right away, ensuring a swift and hassle-free experience that fits seamlessly into their busy schedules.

“We want to leverage technology to elevate the human touchpoints in our restaurants,” said Khalilah Cooper, executive director, restaurant design.

“These new digital formats make the customer and Team Member experience more seamless, and therefore more memorable, and give back precious time to connect with each other.”

[via CNN and CBS News, images via Chick-fil-A]