In July, QSR Magazine posed the question, “What long-term effect will COVID-19 have on restaurant operations and design?”

The article, Smaller Footprints, More Drive Thru: Restaurant Design in a COVID World, laid out that rethinking drive-thru order operations has become a necessity in the time of COVID-19. One way restaurants have rapidly changed in 2020 is through moving tables six feet apart or implementing special barriers between dine-in guests. But, Marty McCauley, design director at FRCH NELSON, is taking futuristic drive-thru concepts one step further. He believes “quick-service brands will begin moving at least some of their portfolios toward small-footprint units geared toward facilitating off-premises transactions.”

The team at RJ Russo couldn’t agree more, and we’re proud to offer the marketplace American-made steel modular structures to support the future of the restaurant industry.

There are a few key takeaways from the article showing the possibilities of the quick-service industry. Here are a few:

• Downsizing the square footage of units
• Flexible serving options with curbside pickup
• Getting more use from parking lots

While the future of dine-in and quick-service restaurants remains unclear, one thing is certain: curbside pickup for patrons and delivery drivers will continue to play a larger role than ever before and RJ Russo is here to build out these structures at a quick and efficient pace.

Read the entire article, Smaller Footprints, More Drive Thru: Restaurant Design in a COVID World, now! Interested in adopting new ways to improve your drive-thru operations? RJ Russo is here to help.