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Fast-food drive-thrus may not be getting much faster, but they’re getting smarter, and friendlier staff might still matter more than artificial intelligence, a new report found.
The 25th Annual Drive-Thru Study, conducted by Intouch Insight and QSR magazine, examined 13 fast-food brands across three categories: classic, chicken and beverage. The research was based on 165 undercover visits per brand, conducted by trained evaluators posing as regular customers between June and July of this year for a total of more than 2,000 visits across the U.S.
Overall, the average total drive-thru time was five minutes and 35 seconds, slightly slower than 2024 but three seconds faster when excluding brands that were just added to the study this year: Popeyes, Dutch Bros, Starbucks and Tim Hortons.
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The fastest overall was Taco Bell, with customers spending about four minutes in line. While Chick-Fil-A was the slowest, it ranked highest in satisfaction, tying with Dutch Bros, a drive-thru coffee company with more than 1,000 locations across 19 states.
The study noted that drive-thrus have morphed from a place for quick, simple orders into “digital fulfillment hubs.”
“The challenge is no longer just speed, but balancing efficiency with the growing complexity of the modern drive-thru,” it said, adding that efficiency, personalization and guest connection all matter.
Dutch Bros also ranked as the most accurate, followed by Chick-fil-A and Louisiana-based chicken finger chain Raising Cane’s, which tied for second.
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Among the three categories of fast-food, the classic segment, which includes Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Arby’s, ranked fastest and recorded high accuracy at 87%. Taco Bell and Arby’s led the pack, according to the report. The group, however, ranked lowest in friendliness.
The chicken category, which includes Chick-fil-A, KFC, Popeyes and Raising Cane’s, had the highest customer satisfaction and friendliness and best food quality. It had the longest waits, however, and lowest accuracy.
“Accuracy and friendliness are the strongest drivers,” the survey noted. “Getting the order right and interacting politely yield high satisfaction.” When service was friendly, customers were far more satisfied and their orders were more accurate and faster, the study found.
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The beverage segment, which includes Starbucks, Dunkin’, Tim Hortons and Dutch Bros, saw high accuracy and balanced speed with accuracy and had the least amount of upselling. Dutch Bros and Tim Horton’s came out on top.
Across all 13 brands, the study found an average order accuracy of 87%, food quality of 97% and overall satisfaction of 91%.
For the first time, the study evaluated AI-powered drive-thrus, analyzing 120 AI orders across three restaurants and finding that they were faster but less friendly. Service times averaged three minutes and 53 seconds, compared to four minutes and 15 seconds for human-staffed locations. Order accuracy was slightly lower at 83% versus 87%, yet overall satisfaction was higher — 97% compared to 91%.
The scores suggest that customers are willing to overlook minor service flaws if it means getting their food faster and more efficiently, the report noted.
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“And let’s be honest — there’s also an element of novelty at play,” it continued. “For many guests, interacting with AI feels new and exciting, which can positively influence how they perceive the overall experience, even when the service isn’t perfect.”
Sixty-two percent of AI mistakes were caused by customization issues, such as special requests or unavailable items, but when staff members helped with AI-ordering, accuracy was boosted.
The report concluded that brands that can combine speed, friendliness and technology will be best positioned to succeed in the modern drive-thru landscape.
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