While most of the country continues to celebrate the Winter Olympics and its historic tradition, Chick-fil-A is quietly building a historic tradition of its own. The results of the 2009 Drive-Thru Performance Study are in, and Chick-fil-A has brought home its 6th Drive-Thru title in the study’s history, securing a drive-thru dynasty that appears unbeatable. Yet, as drive-thru technology improves, the nation’s top brands are closing the gap and servicing more vehicles than ever before.

Behind Chick-fil-A, the overall top performers were Taco Bell, Del Taco, Krystal, and Wendy’s. The study measured how well a company’s drive-thru performed in a variety of categories: Speed, Traffic, Payment, Accuracy, Communication, Menu Board, and Friendly Service. Here is a look at the winning results of each category:

Speed

Wendy’s speed landed it the top spot in this category with an average of 134 seconds per vehicles, despite having processed more customers in the same amount of time this year than it did in either of the past two years.

Traffic

Despite the recession, of the 20 chains in the study, 15 experienced increase traffic in 2009. Chick-fil-A was the busiest drive-thru window with an average of 3.54 other vehicles in line. McDonald’s, with 2.93, and Whataburger, with 2.26, came in second and third, respectfully.

Payment

Speed of service over the last decade or two has increased significantly due to payment technology. At restaurants that patrons used credit cards, the average service time was 178.2 seconds. When cash was used, the average service time was 193.2 seconds. No clear winner was announced for this category.

Accuracy

Fulfilling 96.4 percent of the year’s orders accurately, Chick-fil-A finished as the most accurate chain of 2009. Jack in the Box finished second at 94.7 percent, with Krystal coming in third with 94.4 percent.

Menu Board

In 2009, 100 percent of Whataburgers visited had clean, well-maintained menu boards. Overall 96.3 percent of the restaurants met standards.

Communication

Chick-fil-A had the best communications, with 99.5 percent of interactions rated as “clear and understandable”. Overall the 2009 average was 93.6 percent clear communications.

These categories are key to the success of overall drive-thru performance. If you want to build a drive-thru dynasty as efficient as Chick-fil-A, you will need the best equipment, with the latest technology.

Celebrate 55 years of professional restaurant and business services, Order-Matic has always led the way with innovative concepts in drive-in and drive-thru technology. With Order Matic you will take your drive-thru operations to new levels of customer satisfaction and brand awareness.

From Point of Sale equipment, communication needs, backlit signage, graphics and restaurant accessories. Order-Matic is your customized “One-Stop Shop” for building your own drive-thru dynasty. Contact our sales team for more information @ 1-877-475-5716.