QSR drive-thru and delivery accelerated by pandemic

Increased competition and changing consumer behaviour reshape site selection for QSRs.

Key trends in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry have shifted following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Jeff Vassel, Global Business Development Manager at Geotech Information Services, while the basic principles of site selection have remained the same, the methods for determining optimal locations have evolved.

“Fundamentally, the same sort of principles apply, whether it was five years ago, 10 years ago, to identifying good opportunities or good site locations,” said Vassel. However, the rise of competitors and changes in consumer behaviour have reshaped how QSRs approach growth and expansion. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the way people shopped and consumed their food products, and the QSR industry largely benefited from the drive-thru and delivery model. I think COVID really accelerated that sort of delivery and drive-thru growth by five years,” Vassel explained. 

With more consumers opting for convenience, QSRs have responded by increasing their focus on drive-thru locations and enhancing their delivery services. The shift has resulted in more on-the-go consumption, where customers are in transit rather than engaging in destination shopping.

“Ultimately, a lot of QSRs are chasing a similar customer, so it just goes to show how important it is to get the fundamentals right,” he said. “It comes back to site location—understanding the types of people that both live and work within the vicinity of the store or restaurant is essential.”

QSRs have also begun investing in loyalty programs and online platforms to retain customers and streamline the ordering process, aligning with the growing demand for convenience.