Permanent Industry Changes in the Post-COVID World

[abc]

You're seriously going to tell me you dont think the median worker in a Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, McDonalds, Wendys, Taco Bell, etc... tends to skew quite young? Really?

"Median age" means nothing. There maybe 5 young kids there. But I'm frequently seeing middle age people working in restaurants! Cleaning tables and taking out the trash etc... Yes, they do strike me as single Moms with 3 kids!

 

[VTKilarney]

But I'm frequently seeing middle age people working in restaurants! Cleaning tables and taking out the trash etc... Yes, they do strike me as single Moms with 3 kids!

Keep in mind that in fast food restaurants the managers are supposed to pitch in and help with those things. And the managers are not making minimum wage.

 

[mbedle]

Sure as hell not in my life experience. I find them to be ruthlessly efficient.

I agree - quick google search and a 2018 study has their average drive-through time at 260.85 seconds.

 

[jimk]

I've never eaten at Chic-fil-a in my life, but I would imagine they work on more than 1 order at a time. 6 cars through in an hour would mean they only allow 1 car to enter the drive-thru at a time. Meanwhile in reality, the clock for car 2 has started before car 1 exits. And the clock for car 3 has started before both car 1 and car 2 exits...etc

Chick-fil-A's must not be quite so ubiquitous in the Northeast?
Many that I've gone to this year in the mid-A, deep south, mid-West, and Rockies have multiple lanes for drive thru, that is, there are two, sometimes four lanes of cars feeding into the drive-thru. Each lane has 2-4 employees taking orders. And you are right, they often take orders simultaneously from multiple vehicles in a single lane. It goes surprisingly quick even with some along interstate highways where I've seen as many as 50 cars waiting in line.
Many still don't allow customers inside their building, but they compensate with a super robust/efficient drive-thru process. I went to one in the state of Maryland two days ago that had no drive-thru. My wife and I both remarked how calm it looked compared to most Chick-fil-As, but when I went inside to place an order it was mobbed.

 

[Smellytele]

There are 2 chick-fil-a's in NH. Both in the same city -Nashua
And VT has none

 

[deadheadskier]

None in Maine either

 

[jimk]

None in Maine either

That's interesting to know. Construction of Chick-fil-A franchises has exploded throughout much of the rest of the USA. It's one of those strange situations where much of the restaurant biz got hurt by the pandemic, but they boomed.

 

[Smellytele]

That's interesting to know. Construction of Chick-fil-A franchises has exploded throughout much of the rest of the USA. It's one of those strange situations where much of the restaurant biz got hurt by the pandemic, but they boomed.

RI only has 2 as well. Mass (17) and CT (12) have a good amount.

Actually NH now has 3 new one in Salem.

 

[cdskier]

Chick-fil-A's must not be quite so ubiquitous in the Northeast?
Many that I've gone to this year in the mid-A, deep south, mid-West, and Rockies have multiple lanes for drive thru, that is, there are two, sometimes four lanes of cars feeding into the drive-thru. Each lane has 2-4 employees taking orders. And you are right, they often take orders simultaneously from multiple vehicles in a single lane. It goes surprisingly quick even with some along interstate highways where I've seen as many as 50 cars waiting in line.
Many still don't allow customers inside their building, but they compensate with a super robust/efficient drive-thru process. I went to one in the state of Maryland two days ago that had no drive-thru. My wife and I both remarked how calm it looked compared to most Chick-fil-As, but when I went inside to place an order it was mobbed.

There's probably about 2 dozen now in NJ including about 6 within 10 miles of where I live. I just rarely eat fast food in general and never saw a reason to go there...

 

[skiur]

None in Maine either

There is a chick FIL a in Bangor and Westport.

 

[deadheadskier]

Weird. I looked at a location map and didn't see any. Must not have been up to date.

 

[jimk]

There's probably about 2 dozen now in NJ including about 6 within 10 miles of where I live. I just rarely eat fast food in general and never saw a reason to go there...

Good for you. I probably use fast food more now that I'm retired and driving around a lot during the daytime, including traveling a lot. Used to brown bag my lunch daily for 40 years of office work.

 

[cdskier]

Good for you. I probably use fast food more now that I'm retired and driving around a lot during the daytime, including traveling a lot. Used to brown bag my lunch daily for 40 years of office work.

For a while now I've tried to avoid the big chains in general whether it is fast food or casual dining. I'd rather go to an independent restaurant, cafe, pizzeria, deli, etc if I want food out. When I was still going to the office I would eat in our cafeteria most days. Usually I would grab a salad, sandwich, or maybe something from the grill if they had an interesting special. For the most part they actually had pretty decent food in our cafeteria, so there was no need to go out much at work. I never did the brown bag thing though. That requires too much planning or extra time in the morning. I'm more of a get up at the last possible minute, get dressed, grab a glass of orange juice and leave type of person.

 

[abc]

I never did the brown bag thing though. That requires too much planning or extra time in the morning. I'm more of a get up at the last possible minute, get dressed, grab a glass of orange juice and leave type of person.

I'm the same in the morning. I eat my breakfast on the go. So never mind making lunch.

I often make extra food at dinner and pack it up for next day's lunch. Other people reported they make their whole week's food on weekends so they don't have to spend time after work to make dinner.

If I had to make lunch in the morning, I won't. I'll just eat out. Some days, I had no extra from dinner, or it's the kind of dish that doesn't reheat well, I eat out again.

I don't patronize chain restaurants for sit down meal. But for fast food, I'm the opposite. I prefer the tried and true chains.

 

[Edd]

I’d love to see In and Out or Shake Shack up here. Never tried SS. I spent a few days in Chicago a few years ago and was determined to hit it but the line in the street was never less than 30 deep.

 

[Smellytele]

I’d love to see In and Out or Shake Shack up here. Never tried SS. I spent a few days in Chicago a few years ago and was determined to hit it but the line in the street was never less than 30 deep.

No in and out’s east of the Mississippi

 

[skiur]

Weird. I looked at a location map and didn't see any. Must not have been up to date.

Actually just had a similar conversation of what states chick FIL a is in recently and looked it up, only reason I knew that.

 

[Dickc]

I'll have to try Chick-fil-a. There is one in the North Shore Mall right in my city, maybe three miles from me. I've never eaten at one.

 

[abc]

I’d love to see In and Out or Shake Shack up here. Never tried SS. I spent a few days in Chicago a few years ago and was determined to hit it but the line in the street was never less than 30 deep.

Shake Shack is not fast at all, even when there's no line. (and it's rare there's no line)

 

[Edd]

There is a chick FIL a in Bangor and Westport.

Westport? Having trouble finding this and I know Maine pretty well. There’s a Westport Island but only seeing the Bangor location.