COLUMBUS, Ohio — When it comes to fast food, Taco Bell has the fastest drive-thru line and Chick-fil-a has the industry’s slowest.
According to the 2022 QSR magazine's Drive-thru Report, Chick-fil-a may be the slowest only because it’s so popular and there are so many cars in line.
QSR said it surveyed more than 1,000 consumers who visited at least one drive-thru in the previous 30 days.
While Chick-fil-a customers spent the most time in line, they don’t seem to mind, giving the chain a 93% satisfaction rating for speed.
The second slowest drive-thru, according to the survey? McDonald’s but customers also gave the chain high marks in terms of accuracy of ordered filled.
First place for fastest went to Taco Bell with an average time of 221 seconds, meaning most customers get their food in under four minutes.
Across the board, service was 10 seconds faster than last year, when the pandemic caused more staffing shortages and closed dining rooms.
But service was still off the pre-pandemic 2019 pace, when quick service restaurants got the food out in 45 seconds faster on average.
Below is the order of the speed of service listed in the report:
- Taco Bell (221.99 seconds)
- Dunkin' (238.16 seconds)
- KFC (239.02 seconds)
- Arby's (261.19 seconds)
- Burger King (266.68 seconds)
- Hardee's (272.10 seconds)
- Wendy's (275.84 seconds)
- Carl's Jr. (289.36 seconds)
- McDonald's (291.30 seconds)
- Chick-fil-A (325.47 seconds)
