The 2008 QSR Performance Study is currently in progress. The
data to be collected will cover the following categories:
SPEED
Speed was
determined in two different time segments. Those segments were:
Wait Time
Time from
when the test vehicle enters the line to when the vehicle stops at the order
station (speaker).
Service
Time
Time from
when the vehicle stops at the order station to when the entire order is
received.
Total
Time
Another
speed measurement, called “total time” has been included in the analysis. Total
time is simply wait time plus service time, or the time from when a vehicle
enters the drive-thru line until the entire order is received.
ACCURACY
The
objective of the order accuracy measurement was to determine which chains were
most accurate. During each visit, the researcher ordered a main item, a side
item and a drink. One special request was made for each order. For example, a
field researcher could order a Whopper with no pickles at Burger King, and then
a taco combo with a request for hot sauce packets at Taco John’s. After
receiving the order all food and drink items were checked for complete
accuracy. Any food or drink item received that was not exactly as ordered was
listed as inaccurate. Similarly, orders were considered inaccurate if a
requested condiment was not received, if the order failed to contain at least
one napkin or one straw, or if the cashier gave incorrect change. In the tables
each chain is listed in rank order, based on its percentage of accurate orders.
Any order that contained one or more inaccuracies was listed as inaccurate.
SPEAKER
CLARITY
The
objective of the speaker clarity category was to determine the chain that had
the clearest and most understandable interaction, from a customer’s perspective,
via the speaker. During each visit, researchers determined the clarity of the
speaker interaction. Speakers that had an excessive amount of static, a volume
level that was too high or too low, were out of order, or were simply unclear,
were logged as being unacceptable. Each chain was then ranked based on the
percentage of acceptable speakers.
MENUBOARD
APPEARANCE
Menuboards were checked for missing panels, damaged faces or frames, handwritten
signs, exposed interior lighting, decals or stickers on the face, and general
cleanliness. Menuboards were given an acceptable appearance score if they did
not contain any of the above-mentioned flaws. In the tables of this report each
chain is ranked based on its percentage of acceptable menuboards.
LANES IN
USE
As chains
work to manage greater volume via the drive-thru, several have developed
configurations that utilize more than one drive-thru lane at the same
restaurant. The “lanes in use” analysis examines the impact on service speed of
multiple lanes.
CUSTOMER
SERVICE ANALYSIS
Customer
service can be a very subjective assessment. We have, however, identified
several specific actions that have an impact on a customer’s perception of
service levels. Included in this analysis is documentation on several such
actions including whether or not the associate at the pay window thanked the
researcher, offered a smile, eye contact, said please, or more subjectively, had
an overall pleasant demeanor.
PAYMENT
CARD ACCEPTANCE
Researchers documented the types of electronic payment forms that were
accepted by each restaurant, and where the electronic payment was processed when
applicable.
EXTERIOR
APPEARANCE
Researchers documented the overall condition of the exterior appearance at each
restaurant. This included a subjective assessment as to whether the overall
exterior appearance left a favorable impression, and if not, why it did not.
ORDER
CONFIRMATION BOARDS
Researchers documented the restaurants that utilized an order
confirmation board, as well as the type of board (LCD vs. LED) being used. With
that information several cross tabulations have been run in an attempt to
understand the impact this equipment has on drive-thru operations.
PRE-SELL
BOARDS
For the
purposes of this study, a pre-sell board was a permanent board displaying
product offerings positioned in the drive-thru lane for customers to review
prior to reaching the primary menuboard. Comparisons on wait, service, and
total times were then made comparing restaurants with a pre-sell board vs. those
without.
SUGGESTIVE SELLING
Researchers were instructed to order a main item, side item, and beverage with
every order. Any suggestion offered by the restaurant associate to enhance the
order was considered a suggestive sell. In some cases this was as simple as
suggestion that an order be placed as a “value” or “combo” meal, in other cases
it was a specific suggestion such as a larger size or a specific menu item.