Chick-fil-A Stepping into the Future: New Innovative Restaurant Design with Kitchen Above the Lanes

Fast-food chain Chick-fil-A is gearing up to unveil an futuristic and innovative restaurant design at its Atlanta and New York City locations in the upcoming year.

The new design, which incorporates a four-lane drive-thru positioned beneath the kitchen, aims to streamline operations and improve efficiency in response to the chain’s already bustling drive-thru order lanes.

According to a Chick-fil-A news release on July 27, “By building the kitchen above the drive-thru lanes, meals are expedited to the Team Member who delivers the order directly to the customer in a space protected by the upper level, so hospitality won’t be sacrificed for speed of service.”

“Regardless of how you choose to order your meal, the restaurant design is made to elevate and accelerate the experience but keep the human interaction at its core,” the statement said.

“Our restaurant design is meant to elevate and accelerate the dining experience while preserving the essential human interaction,” the news release continues.

The four-lane drive-thru design boasts an impressive capacity to accommodate up to 75 vehicles, making it ideal for handling the high volume of orders that Chick-fil-A locations often experience.

Moreover, this elevated structure allows for a kitchen with double the capacity of typical outlets, further enhancing productivity.

Customers will have the option to conveniently place their orders in advance using the mobile app or opt for the traditional approach of ordering from an employee upon approaching the drive-thru lane.

Do you think this new design will be more efficient?

The increasing popularity of digital orders, which already account for more than half of total sales in some markets and continue to grow, motivated Chick-fil-A to prioritize convenience for their tech-savvy customers.

Khalilah Cooper, the executive director of restaurant design, emphasizes the significance of leveraging technology to improve customer experiences.

“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,” Cooper explained.

The move comes in response to the growing congestion caused by long drive-thru lines, especially in densely populated cities like New York and Atlanta. With an estimated 200,000 drive-thrus across the country, this innovative design aims to alleviate traffic and improve overall efficiency.

As part of the new design’s rollout, dedicated mobile lanes for walk-up service only will be introduced at the New York location initially. This will further streamline the ordering process and cater to customers who prefer to place their orders in-person.

The design also incorporates an advanced food delivery system that involves an elevated conveyor belt equipped with channels on its sides. This setup allows Chick-fil-A’s renowned chicken sandwiches to be transported directly to staff members stationed at the ground level, enhancing order fulfillment and minimizing delays.

Chick-fil-A is reimagining hospitality in a digital-focused world by testing two new restaurant concepts, coming in 2024. Read more from @NRNonline: https://t.co/X0Vdsg8s6O pic.twitter.com/X89EAAxwvi

— Chick-fil-A News (@ChickfilANews) July 27, 2023

The innovative drive-thru design may turn out to be a huge time saver with other chains following suit.

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