MOOYAH Burgers Readies its First Drive-Thru
Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes will open its first drive-thru locations later this year, a year earlier than it originally anticipated.
The Plano, Texas-based franchise's move comes as more brands are increasingly leaning in to off-prem, including drive-thru, curbside and to-go operations.
The announcement comes after Mooyah embarked on a store-design refresh, already completing renovations at 5 locations with plans for another 10 this year. Last year, it improved its digital ordering and curbside pickup options last year.
“We have made it possible for our guests to access us the way they want to,” said Tony Darden, Mooyah President. “And by doing that, we’ve already hit our 2022 goals for both digital and loyalty transactions. So this year, we are committed to continue that progress. Drive-thru is the obvious way to do that.”
Currently, Mooyah is scouting locations in three different markets for the brand’s inaugural drive-thru and plans to have 2-3 drive-thrus open by the end of the year.
The company says it was able to achieve its drive-thru plans early because it drastically reduced guests’ wait times over the past year, thanks to better employee scheduling, new kitchen display system technology and faster cooking equipment.
Optimized Scheduling
invested in scheduling software to allow locations to better coordinate and deploy their emplolyees during peak times. “We have spent a lot of time trying to identify those times that are crucial to have the right people in the right places at the right times,” said Darden. “It’s paid off in shorter wait times for our Guests.”
Additionally, Mooyah introduced a kitchen display system, achieving better communication between cashier and kitchen, with the additional benefits of creating a quieter environment and increasing kitchen output and order accuracy.
A third important part in the brands’ ability to meet the production demands of a drive-thru was its investment in state-of-the-art cooking equipment that is able to cook burgers at a faster rate, as well as heat up faster between orders.
With the faster order times these operational innovations have achieved, the brand is confident it will meet the demands of drive-thru service, creating a great experience for customers who prefer ordering without leaving their car.
“Whether online, in-store, curbside or now with drive-thru, we’re excited to be able to deliver the most delicious burgers any way our guests choose to order,” said Darden.
The drive-thru announcement comes after a busy year for the brand, which has been undergoing a design refresh that started in 2019, when Mooyah partnered with Livit, a Madrid-based company, to develop a new prototype that addresses third-party delivery concerns. The partner has also developed a new store interior design to better align with the brand that features separate entries and exits for off-premise and dine-in, a closed-off kitchen to create a more elevated, intimate dining experience for guests, digital menu board and kitchen display systems, and modular seating arrangements.