When it comes to fast food, the key word for many consumers is right in the title: fast.
Wendy’s has taken that to heart with the introduction of newly designed restaurants – “Global Next Gen” restaurants – that are focusing on convenience, speed, and the latest technology. The first restaurants of this kind have opened in Oklahoma and Kansas, and 200 more openings are planned over the course of the next year.
“The Global Next Gen design standard streamlines the experience for digital and delivery customers, unlocking up to 400 times the digital capacity of previous restaurant designs,” said Abigail Pringle, president and international and chief development officer at Wendy’s.
“As our brand’s digital business continues to accelerate to new heights, we optimized Global Next Gen to reflect the needs of today’s digital ordering preferences, while streamlining restaurant operations through innovations.”
What’s new?
For consumers entering a Wendy’s Global Next Gen restaurant, the primary changes are geared towards improving the overall experience, making it faster and easier to order and pick up food – especially for those ordering digitally.
These innovations include:
Delivery drivers will have designated parking spaces and a separate pickup window
Customers can place their own orders at self-service kiosks
Mobile/digital orders will be available for pick-up in-store on dedicated shelves
Customers picking up mobile orders will have designated parking spaces
The goal of all of these improvements is to make the ordering and pickup process – specifically for mobile orders – a seamless experience for customers. With these advancements, it should cut down the time it takes consumers to receive their orders, regardless of how they order at Wendy’s.
Improving the kitchen
These updated stores will also feature improvements for Wendy’s employees, which will in turn could improve consumers’ experience in the restaurants.
For the busiest locations, Wendy’s will switch up the design layout of the kitchen to improve overall efficiency and help employees get orders out faster.
Prep areas will be expanded, digital orders will have their own designated areas in the kitchen, and kitchens will be dual-sided to ensure all of the most-needed items are easily accessible. These designs are estimated to boost output by about 50%.
Wendy’s said it will continue updating its restaurants to include these new technological features over the course of the next year.