Shake Shack has always defined itself in opposition to fast food restaurants…
But now it looks like the company is taking a page from their competitor’s book.
With new plans to expand into drive-thrus, courtesy of the company’s fresh-faced CEO, now the burger joint has to reckon with a new challenge…
How do they begin to speed up operations without compromising the quality they’re known for?
Shake Shack’s Battle For Drive-Thru Supremacy
Shake Shack’s first permanent location opened in Madison Square Park in 2004.
NOW, 20 YEARS LATER, THE COMPANY IS WORTH OVER $4 BILLION AND HAS OVER 500 LOCATIONS WORLDWIDE.
Part of the brand’s appeal is its commitment to a gourmet take on fast-food classics. The brand’s high-quality, customizable, and made-to-order food is what propelled them to success.
The company’s latest CEO, Rob Lynch, led other food companies through periods of expansion…
And now plans to do the same to Shake Shack.
His first initiative? Expanding the company’s roster of drive-thru locations.
Currently, the brand has 30 drive-thru locations across the country, with plans to open 12 more this year.
Because of Shake Shack’s commitment to quality, food takes longer to prepare…
This is a huge obstacle when making meals in a drive-thru since customers expect to get their meals quicker.
Drive-thru businesses are extremely lucrative because they can cycle through customers much quicker than a sit-down restaurant. McDonald’s, for example, makes over 65% of its revenue from the drive-thru window.
But to keep profits up… you need to keep hungry drivers moving.
Thankfully, Shake Shack isn’t going in without a plan. The NYC brand is finding ways to speed up its process without neglecting the signature taste customers know them for.
Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions
Businesses that adopt the drive-thru know one thing for sure…
You are competing for shorter wait times.
Currently, Shake Shack’s biggest challenge is speeding up its production.
In comparison, Taco Bell has an average wait time of four minutes and 39 seconds. For McDonald’s, it’s six minutes and 53 seconds…
JUST FILLING THE ORDERS (AFTER PAYING) TAKES BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT MINUTES AT A SHAKE SHACK DRIVE-THRU.
But the shack is innovating ways to speed up functions in and around the kitchen. They are implementing plenty of new changes to help shave off precious seconds.
One thing the brand does differently is that as soon as you order the food, your meal is being cooked and prepared. In traditional drive-thru establishments, the order starts being prepared when you pay at the window.
Inside kitchens is another battleground for making up lost time. Shake Shack has been focused on streamlining their kitchens so there’s less foot traffic…
And orders can be processed more efficiently.
As for their ingredients, Shake Shack switched from cutting lettuce in-house to pre-cut lettuce. The taste and quality are the same, but now workers don’t have to spend hours prepping ingredients.
Some bigger-picture stuff the company is implementing is a huge investment into data operations. Their concern is knowing precisely how much stock to buy per location. It’s a tightrope act between meeting guest demand, not selling out of items, and not creating waste.
It might seem like too many hoops to jump through just to save time for customers but in reality…
The issue is not as dire as it sounds.
Order Up!
While Shake Shack’s efforts don’t go unnoticed…
THEIR CUSTOMERS DON’T MIND WAITING A BIT MORE FOR THE SHACK BURGER.
With all of the improvements the shack is making, as well as their loyal fanbase…
Shake Shack is on the warpath for total drive-thru domination.
Hopefully, its competitors are ready for it.
Be Great,
GCTV Staff
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