Even before the pandemic forced restaurants—both fast-food and traditional—to rethink ordering, some were factoring in digital and making changes to aging dining rooms.
McDonald's released a take-out-only prototype last year in Fort Worth, Texas late last year. Customers could use mobile ordering, the drive-thru window, or enter the restaurant to place orders at digital kiosks.
In 2020, Burger King's planned a "restaurant of the future" to feature several novelties: massive drive-thrus, food lockers, conveyor belts, and in some cases al fresco dining rooms.
KFC too has planned to slowly phase out its current restaurant design (dubbed the "American Showman") for one that puts less emphasis on dining in.
Besides adding its Chipotlanes across America (its proprietary drive-thru on steroids), Chipotle is also expanding its digital-only restaurants.
Del Taco's idea of a post-pandemic restaurant was dubbed Fresh Flex—a new design offering a range of store sizes to prospective operators.
IHOP may be a staple dine-in chain, but the brand has expanded with an on-the-go offshoot more suitable for takeout.
Portillo's, a beloved Chicago-based brand, is as known for its iconic hot dogs as it is for its large dining rooms.