5 Ways Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) Can Remove Friction by Enhancing Digital Experiences

When was the last time you placed a mobile order or used a digital coupon at your favorite fast-food or quick-service restaurant?

For these companies, enhancing the digital experience is no longer just about keeping up with trends; it's essential for driving revenue and consumer loyalty.

From streamlining ordering processes to integrating advanced personalization features, the digital touchpoints between QSRs and their consumers are pivotal to creating seamless, engaging interactions.

How Taco Bell Redefines the QSR Experience

Taco Bell is amping up its digital experience and expanding automated voice ordering at drive-thrus across the country.

In a recent article, Dane Mathews, Taco Bell Chief Digital & Technology Officer, says:

“Innovation is ingrained in our DNA at Taco Bell, and we view Voice AI as a means to improve the team member and consumer experiences. Tapping into AI gives us the ability to ease team members’ workloads, freeing them to focus on front-of-house hospitality. It also enables us to unlock new and meaningful ways to engage with our customers.”

The company has seen improved order accuracy, decreased wait times, and an easier task load for employees.

And overall, making the drive-thru experience a user-friendly interaction

Taco Bell is among several quick-service chains leaning into innovation to offer frictionless consumer experience.

Here are a few other brands changing the game, such as Subway and Chick-fil-A.

How Subway and Sonic Used Text Messages to Connect with Consumers and Drive Sales

Subway had a direct line of communication with their consumers. Literally.

On a recent episode of The Frictionless Experience, Scott Smith, an expert in mobile optimization, says:

“There’s always been ways in which we can improve the overall experience for redeeming coupons and promos. Like we were never going to continue to clip coupons out of newspapers and magazines…because everybody always forgot them at home.”

But what do people rarely forget at home?

Our phones.

It’s like an appendage or extension of ourselves that we carry with us everyday.

So, digitally, consumers can have coupons and promotions directly on their phone. And probably in-app for their favorite brands.

But still, most of us would probably forget which ones we have, and for what store or what deal. And next thing you digital coupons are forgotten just like those clipped coupons from the Sunday paper.

Scott explains how he removed forgetful friction:

“So when we were working at Mobivity and working with Subway and Sonic and a few of our other clients, not only can we send them a text message that has a unique code that can be redeemed in the store, but we can also think about how do we remind people that they have those because we can detect whether or not that promotion or that coupon is actually being used or not and make sure that people find value in what they were sent in their text messages.”

“People always have things available to them and never use them. How many times have you gone to the store and then walk out the store and get all the way home, and you're like, I forgot to use that dang coupon that was in my pocket, or I forgot to use that coupon that was on my phone.”

Yet, there’s always room for continuous improvement.

Scott notes that there’s a lot of opportunities for brands to improve the overall experience and provide my value. Such as offering an Apple Wallet experience, which removes friction by having every card or ticket available right on your home screen.

“How do we make that happen more often whenever I walk into a Subway or I walk into a store and say, well, here's my coupon. It's there waiting for me. I don't have to remember what app it was in or was it in a text message? Where was it in the text message?”

How Chick-fil-A Revolutionizes Drive-Thru Experiences with Strategic Design Thinking

SCADPro, the in-house design innovation studio at the Savannah College of Arts and Design, partners with many of the world’s most influential brands to solve problems through design thinking.

One of those big brand names is Chick-fil-A. 

If you've ever been through a Chick-fil-A drive-through, that was a SCADpro project using a framework of design thinking.

“It's really all about solving problems through a human centered design. And that was a project that we accomplished in terms of improving the outdoor dining experience, which creates value and impact and return. That's return for Chick-fil-A because you're going through the drive through faster. That's return for the customer because you're getting your food faster,” says Paul Stonick, Vice President of SCADpro, on an episode of The Frictionless Experience.

He adds: “So we go in there now and teach them how to be creative again, through design thinking, having unconstrained thinking, a Gen Z mindset”.

Through this partnership, they brought unconstrained thinking to experiment with and develop new concepts to improve the efficiency and customer experience of the drive-thru.

This included redesigning ordering stations to enhance the flow of traffic and reduce wait times, creating a more intuitive and engaging customer experience. 

"We think about our drive-thru design very intentionally to create a unique and different experience. The idea is to bring our hospitality out to the drive-thru. Operators like the idea of getting orders in sooner, but also greeting guests sooner so they could make a connection earlier. We think of it as a microburst of hospitality,” says Khalilah Cooper, Director of Service and Hospitality for Chick-fil-A.

5 Ways Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) Can Remove Digital Friction 

Taking a lesson from Taco Bell, Subway, and Chick-fil-A, QSR brands are embracing digital experience to meet the expectations of modern consumers.

After all, ‘phygital’, blending physical and digital customer experiences (you can learn more about phygital experiences on Elevating Customer Experience and Business Value Through Design Thinking), is quickly becoming the norm in the QSR industry. 

Modern consumers expect convenient, fast, and frictionless experiences.

Here’s 5 ways you can deliver on that expectation and reduce friction. 

1. Streamline the Ordering Process

Simplify the online and in-app ordering interfaces. Ensure that the menus are easy to navigate, with clear descriptions and photos of items. Implement features like one-click reordering for frequent customers and a seamless checkout process with minimal steps.

Starbucks has a highly refined mobile ordering system. Their app is known for its user-friendly interface, which allows customers to easily browse the menu, customize their orders, and reorder their favorite items with a single click. The app also features high-quality photos and clear descriptions of menu items to aid decision-making.

2. Implement Real-Time Order Tracking

Provide customers with real-time updates on their order status, from preparation to delivery or pickup. This transparency helps manage expectations and reduces anxiety about order timing.

Domino’s offers real-time order tracking through their app and website. Their “Domino’s Tracker” feature provides customers with updates on the status of their pizza, from when it’s being prepared to when it’s out for delivery. This transparency helps manage expectations and reduces anxiety about order timing.

3. Optimize for Mobile Devices

Ensure that your website and app are fully optimized for mobile use. This includes fast loading times, responsive design, and intuitive navigation. Many customers will be ordering on the go, so a smooth mobile experience is crucial.

Chipotle’s mobile app and website are optimized for a smooth mobile experience. The design ensures fast loading times, responsive navigation, and an intuitive ordering process. This is crucial for customers who are ordering on the go or using their smartphones to place orders.

4. Enable Multiple Payment Options: Offer a variety of payment methods, including credit/debit cards, digital wallets (like Apple Pay or Google Wallet), and even mobile payment options. This flexibility caters to different customer preferences and speeds up the transaction process.

McDonald’s supports a wide range of payment options through its app and self-service kiosks. Customers can pay using credit/debit cards, digital wallets (like Apple Pay and Google Wallet), and mobile payment options, catering to various preferences and streamlining the transaction process.

5. Integrate Personalization Features

Use customer data to personalize the digital experience. This could include customized recommendations based on past orders, special promotions tailored to individual preferences, and saved favorite items. Personalization can enhance the user experience and drive repeat business.

Panera Bread uses customer data to offer personalized experiences through their app. The app features customized recommendations based on previous orders, special promotions tailored to individual preferences, and the ability to save favorite items for quick reordering. This personalization enhances the user experience and encourages repeat business.

By focusing on these areas, QSRs can create a more enjoyable and frictionless digital experience for their customers. Which, ultimately, drives sales and consumer loyalty.