Has the aroma of barbecue ever made your mouth water? How about the sight of a big, juicy burger on TV or the sound of crackling bacon in a frying pan? The role these senses play in your food consumption doesn’t only have an impact on the specific food you choose to eat, but where you choose to purchase it. By exercising the five senses you’ll be sure to attract more customers to your drive-thru.
 

Sight—You only have one chance to make a lasting first impression. Since the first sense customers use when they pull into your restaurant is sight, you’ll want to make sure the perimeter of your building, including your drive-thru, is clean and spotless. Also focus on your drive-thru menu board. Ensure it’s brightly lit and clutter free. Use authentic, sharp-quality photos sparingly to entice customers to try new or higher-priced products on your menu.

Sound—Because communication is necessary in the ordering process, drive-thru sound quality plays a really important role in winning over your customers. If you haven’t upgraded to an HD Audio or digital drive-thru system, and aren’t maintaining your drive-thru headsets on a weekly basis, you could end up with detrimental sound-quality issues. To ensure customers are able to communicate their order without difficulty, test your headsets with other employees regularly before you open for the day, or during slow periods.

Smell—Nothing will turn a person away from hunger quicker than the smell of something foul. This is yet another reason to keep the parking lot and perimeter of your restaurant clean. If you currently store dumpsters next to the menu board or drive-thru lane, think about relocating them. If that isn’t an option, seal garbage bags as best as possible before placing (not throwing) them in the dumpster, and keep the lid closed to help reduce the escape of bad odors.

On the other hand, smells can also work for you. Try upselling dessert at the window if you’ve just pulled a fresh batch of cookies from the oven. With the aroma of freshly baked pastries filling their car, how could your customer say no?

“Touch”—Drive-thru efficiency doesn’t include cutting corners. The way an order is presented to the customer has more of an impact than you may think. If food isn’t wrapped properly or has spilled over in the bag when the customer receives it, it leaves  the lasting impression that your establishment is messy and unorganized. It also suggests that your employees don’t take pride in their job. A neatly packed order and courteous staff will earn you big points.

Another way to set your store apart from other restaurants is by adding a special touch to each order. Whether it’s an after-dinner mint, affirmation, trinket or board game on the packaging itself, an extra little take-away for the customer will be appreciated and remembered.
   

Taste—The number one element people rely on with their favorite quick-service restaurants is the taste of the food. Each menu item was designed to taste a specific way, and it should taste that same way every time. In order to achieve this, the ingredients need to be precise. Not only is it important to use the same and only the same ingredients each time, but the measurement of each ingredient should be the same every time as well.

Now that you’ve learned how to use all five senses to attract drive-thru customers, put them into practice and watch your sales soar. For more information on drive-thru maintenance, how to improve drive-thru efficiency, increase customer counts, or questions regarding any other drive-thru-related topic please call 877-731-0334, or check back next week to learn more.