Centives has previously noted that for every extra second that a customer has to wait at a drive-thru, restaurants have to lower prices by four cents to keep customers coming back. A new study, outlined by Bruce Horovitz, should, thus, worry fast food restaurants:

• The average fast food wait time is getting longer.
• McDonald’s wait time is the highest it’s been in 15 years. It now takes the average drive-thru customer 189.5 seconds to get their food. This is nine seconds longer than the industry average.
• Drive-thrus are a particular concern for fast food restaurants since up to 70% of a chain’s business comes through it.
• Menu bloat is one reason for the slowing. As fast food restaurants introduce increasingly upscale menu items that are more difficult to make, cooking times have naturally increases.
• Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell Bowls, for example, have up to 12 ingredients and are complex endeavours.
• Restaurants are also increasing quality checks since customers get especially upset if they receive the wrong order.

Read more about the study, its findings, and what this means for restaurants and customers over here.

Source: USA Today