Most consumers expect their dine-out decisions to change permanently because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So what are the implications for the variety of off-premises solutions? Here’s how guests anticipate their visit frequency in drive thru, curbside pickup, and delivery to change in the next 12 months. (The below figures represent percentage of study respondents.)
| ordering method | more frequently | same | less frequently | not applicable |
| Third-party delivery | 13 | 34 | 17 | 36 |
| Direct delivery | 16 | 49 | 13 | 21 |
| Fast-casual drive thru | 18 | 63 | 12 | 7 |
| Quick-serve drive thru | 21 | 69 | 10 | 0 |
| Curbside pickup | 22 | 45 | 15 | 17 |
2020 QSR drive-thru performance study Methodology
The FoodserviceResults team conducted a comprehensive, nationally representative survey of drive-thru consumers in the U.S. using an online survey sample. Participants in the research were screened for frequency of use as well as numerous demographic characteristics in order to ensure that the respondent base was reflective of the U.S. drive-thru market.
Leveraging insights from numerous industry experts, the finalized survey was completed among 1,007 drive-thru consumers during fieldwork. To ensure a relevant respondent base was achieved, all participants were screened to include those who had at least one drive-thru occasion in the last 30 days. An extensive cross tabulation of the respondent sample data was conducted in order to identify major trends, demographic/behavioral themes, and other nuances in the data.
