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Frisch’s
Big Boy Restaurants Reveals Secrets
of
the Drive-Through Window
|
More than
half of American consumers (53 percent) won’t
drive off
without checking the bag, 39 percent eat in the
car while
35 percent wait until they get there
|
Cincinnati,
OH – August 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / Eight out of 10 U.S. consumers
(83 percent) have enjoyed a meal or a snack at a restaurant drive-through
this year, according to a Frisch’s Big
Boy Restaurants nationwide survey that underscores the enduring popularity
of this quintessentially American activity.
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At
Frisch’s, the drive-through service now accounts for 30 percent of overall
revenue. Additionally, drive-through sales have been on the rise for the
past five years at the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana locations.
To
celebrate the introduction of three new car-friendly, portable breakfast
burritos, plus free coffee with any drive-through burrito purchase in September,
Frisch’s asked diners across the nation about their drive-through preferences.
In
one key finding, the survey shows that Americans crave flexibility. Seven
out of 10 consumers (70 percent) said they’d order a burger for breakfast.
More men (82 percent) would order a burger for breakfast than women (58
percent).
“Our
drive-through opens at 6 a.m. and if you want a burger, we’ll make it fresh.
Unlike other restaurants, at Frisch’s, you can get anything you want anytime,”
Frisch’s CEO Jason Vaughn said.
Here
are other drive-through secrets revealed by the survey:
-
42 percent
of Americans said that other than speed or convenience, the main reason
they choose the drive-through is they just don’t feel like parking and
walking inside. That far outdistanced the next closest response – I don’t
feel like dealing with people (16 percent). Other reasons were having kids
in the car, being on the phone and not being dressed appropriately.
-
A much
higher number of 18-to-24-year-old millennials, 31 percent, said they use
the drive through because they don’t feel like dealing with people.
-
There
are two kinds of people, those who check the bag and those who don’t. Those
who never leave the window without checking are the majority, at 53 percent.
Just 35 percent said they trust the drive-through attendant to get the
order correct.
-
The split
is far more even on the eat-in-the-car versus wait-until-you-get-there
issue: 39 percent eat in the car, 35 percent wait.
“These
results will come as no surprise to burger fans,” said Chef Greg Grisanti,
Frisch’s director of research and development. “Big Boy is not just for
lunch anymore.” In fact, the Big Boy sandwich is one of the top ten most
sold items at Frisch’s between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.
The
Frisch’s survey shows that Americans are sold on exchanging pleasantries,
but not sold on drive-through upselling. Fifty-nine percent of consumers
said they are appreciative if the attendant asks about their day, versus
just 14 percent who don’t like to chat, while 38 percent said they prefer
not to be asked if they’d like to order additional menu items, versus 34
percent who appreciate being asked.
Get
nervous ordering at the drive-through? Nearly six out of 10 Americans (59
percent) said the drive-through menu is hard to read, especially when there
is a line behind them.
The
three new Frisch’s breakfast burritos include a sausage, egg, cheese and
hash brown burrito; a bacon, egg, cheese and hash brown burrito; and Hog
Heaven, featuring sausage, bacon, egg, cheese and hash browns.
“Now
that school is back in session, we developed these new breakfast burritos
to give busy families a fresh way to eat on the go,” CEO Jason Vaughn said.
Other
highlights from the drive-through survey:
-
57 percent
of consumers said extra condiments or sauces are the items they most often
request at the drive-through; napkins followed at 52 percent. Fifteen percent
requested water or ice.
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25 percent
of consumers said they feel satisfied when they eat in the car, while 25
percent said they feel sloppy when they eat in the car.
-
70 percent
said their parents allowed them to eat in the car.
-
56 percent
said the meal they’re most likely to visit the drive-through for is lunch
(27 percent dinner, 17 percent breakfast).
The Frisch’s
survey had 523 respondents and was conducted across the United States from
August 2 to August 5. Respondents were males and females over the age of
18.
About
Frisch’s Big Boy
Founded
in 1939, Frisch’s Big Boy restaurants are located in Ohio, Indiana and
Kentucky. NRD Capital, a private equity firm based in Atlanta, Georgia,
acquired the company in August 2015. Frisch’s (www.frischs.com)
operates 95 Big Boy restaurants and franchises another 25 restaurants to
independent operators.
Media
Contact:
Northlich
For
Frisch’s Big Boy
Bryce
Anslinger
513-426-1273 |