Applebee’s is going to attempt a switching of lanes, from sit-down restaurant to fast food chain.
According to Eater.com – by the end of the year, Applebee’s is looking to add a drive-thru pick up window to at least 15 currently existing locations.
The move is being implemented as a tes to see if adding drive-thru windows to the restaurant would be a profitable shift for the franchise.
If the launch is successful, and doesn’t hamper daily operations there’s a good possibility that every Applebee’s location could be installed with a drive-thru window eventually.
The plan to add the pick-up window is likely bolstered by the 27% increase in take-out and delivery orders that Applebee’s saw during the height of the pandemic.
The drive-thru opportunity is enormous,” Applebee’s president John Cywinski said to Forbes.com in March 2022. “I can’t quantify it because it’s site and municipality specific, but we view this opportunity as significant for the brand. They cost money, but there are all sorts of guest and operational and financial benefits, and we will lean into them aggressively.”
Eater.com notes that “orders will still have to be placed ahead”, so it’s not exactly a typical fast food drive-thru window per se, but it will closely resemble one as the line of cars will probably line up similarly to a fast food chain.
And it’s not entirely out of question to think that this ‘test scenario’ could very well turn into a full-blown McDonald’s style experience.
If the test locations become a big enough hit and the logistics behind such a move are ironed out, Applebee’s would have no problem going that route.
The public doesn’t see this as too much of a shift from normal operations however, as by and large – Applebee’s image seems to already be more of a glorified fast food chain.
The group that is probably most impacted by the prospect would probably be delivery drivers for apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats.
It could have the opposite effect instead of helping these online orders, it could become a hindrance, making drivers wait longer to pick up orders…then Applebee’s might actually stand to hurt the delivery market in that event.
It remains to be seen how far Applebee’s is willing to go in their quest to up profits, or if the pick-up windows will even pan out.
The coming year should be interesting once they find out if the move is an upgrade or a misstep. If they take it a step further, and offer alcoholic beverages through a pick-up window…even the haters may think it could be the best thing since sliced bread.
