[ad_1]
The two new designs revealed by KFC on Wednesday highlight the fact that diners’ habits have shifted towards delivery rather than dining out – a trend that began before the pandemic, but was accelerated by the coronavirus, “proving the need for a modernized design, ”the company says.
The design of the existing KFC store, called “American Showman”, will eventually be scrapped in favor of one of two new concepts.
One design abandons the traditional dining room, an option with less square footage that would be ideal for expansion into busier areas like cities where real estate is more expensive. Chipotle and Starbucks recently released similar designs that are smaller than typical locations.
KFC’s other design emphasizes drive-thru, which accounted for 60% of the company’s sales in the third quarter. This design features two drive-thru lanes, one of which is dedicated to mobile order pickup. Taco Bell, which also belongs to Yum! Brands (YUM), showed a similar idea earlier this year.
This option also includes an outdoor seating area called “the Colonel’s Porch” and an indoor dining area smaller than KFC’s current layouts.
Both concepts feature a brighter branding that highlights KFC’s classic red and white stripes and a brightly lit red bucket that directs customers to a newly installed ‘locker system’ for online and pickup orders.
Some restaurants will have dedicated parking spaces for customers ordering from the KFC app or third-party apps, as well as reserved spaces for DoorDash, Uber Eats and Postmates.
KFC said the new models will be rolled out at three U.S. locations next year, including West Palm Beach, Indianapolis and central Kentucky.
Drive-thru has become even more important to quick-service restaurants during the pandemic, with several chains, including McDonald’s and Chipotle, revealing in recent earnings calls that restaurants with them have seen sales increase faster. McDonald’s, Burger King and Popeye’s have all announced restaurant redesigns that improve their drive-thru.
[ad_2]
Source link
