Wendy’s tests crew-led drive-thru as 200-store rollout begins

Dandenong South site uses face-to-face ordering to test service speed and accuracy.

Wendy’s has opened its first Australian drive-thru in Dandenong South as the chain tests whether face-to-face lane service can support its push towards 200 restaurants nationwide over the next decade.

Richard Wallis, President for Asia Pacific at Flynn Group, said drive-thrus will play an outsized role in the company’s Australian growth plan because convenience remains a core expectation for quick-service restaurant customers.

“For us specifically, they'll play an outsized role in us driving our estate to 200 restaurants,” Wallis said.

The Dandenong South site was chosen for its location in Victoria’s southeast growth corridor and its access to a diverse customer base. Wallis said the site also benefited from being a conversion from another drive-thru operator, reducing construction complexity because much of the framework was already in place.

Unlike some operators moving towards artificial intelligence in drive-thru ordering, Wendy’s is putting crew members directly in the lane with tablets and payment devices. Wallis said the approach reflects customer demand for stronger human connection as technology becomes more common in service environments.

Wallis said face-to-face ordering can improve accuracy because staff can hear orders directly, confirm them with customers and take payment at the same point.

“What we've found is that the more technologically progressed society becomes, the more that customers really want to connect with not just the brands, but the people operating our brands,” Wallis said.

Wallis said early feedback showed crew members were energised by direct customer contact, with some preferring lane service to kitchen roles. He said the model also helped younger staff gain confidence through customer conversations.

Still, he said drive-thru performance depends less on lane design and more on the kitchen behind it. Speed, accuracy and product quality require a kitchen layout that can support drive-thru demand.

For Wendy’s, the test is whether a crew-led lane model can scale without slowing service or weakening order accuracy.