How quickly should a drive-thru greeting be delivered to a customer?

How quickly should a drive-thru greeting be delivered to a customer?

• A. Less than 2 seconds
• B. Within 5 seconds
• C. Within 10 seconds
• D. Immediately after order

Answer: (A)

Getting the drive-thru off to a strong start relies on quick, proactive acknowledgment. The target is to greet the customer in under 2 seconds after they reach the window or speaker. This ultra-quick greeting shows attentiveness, sets a positive tone, and helps control the flow by immediately signaling that a friendly associate is ready to assist. If the greeting takes longer—within 5 seconds or 10 seconds—the guest may feel ignored or frustrated, which can sour the experience and slow things down. Greeting immediately after the order would miss the opportunity to establish a welcoming start, so the greeting should come first, then move into taking the order. In practice, teams train to step up to the window and deliver that warm greeting as soon as the guest is audible.

Getting the drive-thru off to a strong start relies on quick, proactive acknowledgment. The target is to greet the customer in under 2 seconds after they reach the window or speaker. This ultra-quick greeting shows attentiveness, sets a positive tone, and helps control the flow by immediately signaling that a friendly associate is ready to assist.

If the greeting takes longer—within 5 seconds or 10 seconds—the guest may feel ignored or frustrated, which can sour the experience and slow things down. Greeting immediately after the order would miss the opportunity to establish a welcoming start, so the greeting should come first, then move into taking the order. In practice, teams train to step up to the window and deliver that warm greeting as soon as the guest is audible.