KFC Australia to pilot drive-thru only concept in Newcastle
Customers will be able to order and pay for a meal with the KFC smartphone app or website before arriving at the restaurant.
Recognising the growing importance of e-commerce, KFC in Australia announced its brand-new drive-thru only format in Newcastle, NSW.
Featuring five car lanes, the concept will allow customers to order and pay for a meal with the KFC smartphone app or website before arriving at the restaurant. Customers will be tasked to enter a unique four-digit code generated by the smartphone app on a touchscreen receiver, which will send their order to the kitchen.
A team will also be waiting in two traditional order and payment lanes alongside the three app and website order lanes.
The move is part of a wider tech innovation drive sweeping KFC in Australia, with Aussies already used to voice ordering through Amazon Alexa. KFC says it has invested around $1.5 million specifically in this new concept.
“Drive Thru Only is the latest example of KFC’s commitment to innovation, and to giving Aussies the most delicious and fresh chicken possible,” KFC Australia chief marketing officer Kristi Woolrych said. “We’re dedicated to continually building on our customer offering, that we’re always providing delicious and fresh meals, in the most convenient way to meet their busy lifestyles.”
Construction of the KFC Drive Thru Only restaurant in Newcastle started in late June and will be open to the public in early November. The first of its kind, the concept will serve as a trial for potential rollout across Australia.
