EXPERIENCE
HONEY, I SHRUNK THE RESTAURANT! Written By:
TONY DAUSSAT
It turns out that for some, the ROI is not
With Gen Z, mobile order preference grew
worth all of the hassle and expense that
to 65% in 2021 vs 41% in 2020. So as this
comes with open dining rooms.
next generation of spenders continue to
This has pivoted the way these companies have been thinking about restaurant real estate. The future is smaller footprints and
Managing Experience Design Strategist,
ghost kitchens. To wit, Taco Bell served 4MM
Bottle Rocket
more cars in 2021 than in 2020–expediting their option to shrink store footprints from
products
and
services–businesses
must
react at the speed of customer expectations, not the speed of the boardroom. For most in the fast-food and QSR space, that means a lot less real estate and a lot more connected experiences. It means bringing the dining
We’re feeling more and more like the end
2,500 sqft to 1,325 sqft with a variety of lanes
of the pandemic is here and yet, in the fast
focused on Mobile and Drive-Thru. Another
food world, Take-Out and Drive-Thru are still
big fast-food player, Wendy’s, is doubling
eating Dine-In’s lunch. (See what I did there?)
down on the shrinking dine-in bet and plans
The days of sitting inside a fast-food joint,
to open 700 delivery-only ghost kitchens
seeing a bunch of full tables are gone
by 2025.
forever. The days of killer mobile ordering
As vaccination proof check-points become mandatory for dine-in eating across many parts of the country, juggernauts such as McDonalds, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell continue altogether.
25
influence the way we interact with brands,
to
shut
down
indoor
dining
experiences to the guest when, where and how they want it.
experience are here...and that lane is not slowing down.
