OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Intouch Insight, a leader in customer experience solutions, today announced the release of its 25th Annual Drive-Thru Study, in partnership with QSR® Magazine. This milestone edition looked at 13 leading QSR brands, including McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, KFC, Raising Cane’s, Popeyes, Dutch Bros, Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Dunkin’, and Arby’s.

Intouch Insight
Intouch Insight

“This year’s results show both the challenges and opportunities in today’s drive-thru,” said Sarah Beckett, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Intouch Insight. “The drive-thru is no longer just about speed. It has evolved into a digital fulfillment hub where each transaction is more complex. So the question is no longer just ‘How do we get faster?’ but now, ‘How can we design our drive-thru workflows and leverage technology to optimize for this new reality, while still maintaining efficiency for the customer queue?”

Key Findings from the 25th Annual Study:

  • Speed still sets the tone: Overall, the total time was 3 seconds faster compared to 2024 (excluding new brands), with the “Classic” segment (including Burger King, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, and Arby’s) leading the way at an average total time of 5 minutes and 9 seconds.

  • Friendliness is the ultimate driver. When service was friendly, overall satisfaction with the level of service skyrocketed to 97% compared to just 22% when the service wasn’t friendly. When orders were rated as friendly, order accuracy was also higher (89% vs. 70%), and speed was faster (5 minutes and 23 seconds vs. 6 minutes and 57 seconds).

  • Communication makes the difference. Clear speakers and accurate order-taking significantly reduce total waiting times, saving customers as much as 1 minute and 25 seconds per visit.

  • Segments show different strengths. Classic chains delivered the fastest times but scored lowest on friendliness. Chicken chains led in friendliness and satisfaction. Beverage chains found a balance, earning top marks for accuracy and ranking second in speed.

  • AI delivers speed, but not the human touch. This year’s Drive-Thru Study also examined an additional 120 AI-enabled orders across three QSRs rolling out Voice-AI ordering. At these locations, the technology shaved service time (the amount of time it took the shopper to place their order until they exit the drive-thru with their food) to 3 minutes and 53 seconds, ahead of the 4 minutes and 15 seconds average. However, they fell short in accuracy (83% vs. 87%), most frequently attributed to order customization. When staff stepped in to support the AI ordering system, accuracy jumped to 95%, proof that, for now, people remain critical to the process.

Top Segment Performers

For each segment (Classic, Chicken, and Beverage), the following brands came out on top across our key drive-thru metrics:

  • Speed: Taco Bell (4:16 total time), KFC (4:21), and Tim Hortons (4:25).

  • Satisfaction: Chick-fil-A (98%), Dutch Bros (98%), Arby’s (93%)

  • Accuracy: Dutch Bros (96%), Burger King & Wendy’s (88%), Chick-fil-A & Raising Cane’s (87%)

  • Food Quality: Raising Cane’s (100%), Arby’s (99%), Dutch Bros (99%), Arby’s (99%)

“This year’s study paints a detailed picture of an industry at a crossroads,” says Beckett. “We’ve seen a lot of brands invest in speed and technology, but the data is clear: the human element is a more powerful KPI than ever. The brands that are winning are the ones that understand this balance, using technology to streamline operations while empowering their teams to deliver a friendly, accurate, and memorable customer experience.”

To download the full study, visit: https://www.intouchinsight.com/resources/studies/drive-thru/

The study was completed across the U.S. between June and July 2025. Shops took place at different times of day and on different days of the week to give the most balanced picture of how drive-thrus perform in real-world conditions.

About Intouch Insight

Intouch Insight  helps multi-location brands achieve operational excellence and exceed customer expectations through powerful CX, operational excellence, and mystery shopping solutions. With more than 40 years of experience, Intouch Insight supports over 300 of the world’s most beloved brands.

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