Owner-operator John McPhaul hands out food from the Chick-fil-A of Kinston drive-thru Wednesday. Photo by Catherine Hardee / Neuse News

Few things are as authentically American as the convenience of the fast food drive-thru. Since its inception in the 1940s, Americans have embraced the ease of ordering and receiving a meal without leaving the comforts of their cars. 

To celebrate this American innovation, Wednesday was National Drive-Thru Day. At Chick-fil-A in Kinston, owner-operator John McPhaul celebrated the occasion with special rewards for every guest using the drive-thru during the day and an attempt to set a new record for most cars served in one hour during the lunch hour.

Chick-fil-A is known for its innovative strategies to improve efficiency and customer service in their drive-thru. McPhaul said the face-to-face ordering employed during peak hours serves the dual purpose of reducing wait times and increasing opportunities for interaction with guests. 

Face-to-face interactions included McPhaul himself outside the drive-thru window, handing guests their food and drinks. 

“It’s important to know your customers. You can’t provide good service if you aren’t able to hear directly from customers what they need,” McPhaul said. “For my employees, I know it’s not just about setting expectations, but modeling for them what I expect them to do.”

College sophomore Blake Ferrell was one of the employees working the drive-thru during the lunch hour. His responsibility was manning the cash box and providing receipts to those who paid by card. He usually works the drive-thru, he said, and face-to-face ordering is something he looks forward to.

“I like doing face-to-face, because you get a chance to connect with people even when they are in a hurry,” Ferrell said. 

Even though cars wrapped all the way around the building shortly after noon on Wednesday, the line moved quickly thanks to the three employees with tablets taking orders.

Each employee had a smile for the customers, and even though they fell a bit short of breaking their personal record with 119 cars instead of the needed 137, McPhaul said he felt like it was an accomplishment to serve that many guests on a Wednesday.

National Drive-Thru Day helped illuminate the importance of the drive-thru to the fast food business model. McPhaul said between 55 and 60 percent of his business goes through the drive-thru, and he and Chick-fil-A are always looking for ways to improve. 

McPhaul said he hopes to create a double drive-thru at some point in the future. In the meantime, the use of face-to-face ordering and customers’ embrace of the Chick-fil-A mobile app are helping to speed things up, and ensuring that the delicious chicken is as convenient as possible.