Burger King, Popeyes drive-thrus will get a modern makeover. Here’s what will change
Drive-thrus at Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons restaurants are about to look a little different.
Restaurant Brands International — the parent company of the three chains — announced Tuesday that it will be “modernizing” the drive-thrus at more than 10,000 Burger Kings, Popeyes and Tim Hortons in North America.
The makeover will incude the installation of more than 40,000 digital screens equipped with “predictive selling technology” and a handful of other features including contactless payment, the company said.
“Our guests have sought out our drive-thru lanes for our iconic food and beverages throughout the COVID-19 pandemic – even in the face of mandated dining room closures around the world,” Jose Cil, CEO of RBI, said in a news release. “We believe strongly that it is time to modernize our drive-thru lanes throughout the US and Canada to provide even better, quicker and contactless service for our guests.”
The new boards have already been installed at 1,500 Burger King locations in the U.S. and about 800 Tim Hortons, which are primarily located in Canada.
Popeyes is expected to start installing the boards at new restaurants later this year, according to the company.
RBI also said it will install second drive-thru lanes at some locations in an effort to make the drive-thru process more efficient.
What to know about the new menu boards
The new menu boards promise to deliver a more intuitive guest experience.
The boards are equipped with “predictive selling technology” which can learn a customer’s order habits and tailor special offers based on a number of factors including the customer’s previous orders, weather patterns and time of day, RBI said.
It can also display trending menu items and those most-ordered at a given location.
The boards are also designed to be used with loyalty programs, analyzing a customer’s favorite purchases and redemption history to customize menu options, RBI said. Loyalty program integration is currently being tested at 30 Tim Hortons locations in Canada.
The new boards will also be equipped with a remote contactless payment device that allows guest to “order and pay simultaneously,” speeding up the drive-thru process. Developed with Verifone, the device is being tested at one Tim Hortons location in Canada and will head to 15 more locations in January 2021, according to RBI.
The boards and drive-thru order area will be protected by weather-resistant installations fitted with waterproof enclosures designed to withstand extreme heat and cold, RBI said. Existing structures will be retrofitted with the enclosures.
