Taking a look at how California’s iconic In-N-Out Burger has adapted to the pandemic and why their customer volume through the drive-thru is busier than ever! In-N-Out burger has continued to deliver delicious burgers, at a great price, in a clean & sanitary environment. Everything In-N-Out Burger has done is really professional, and is much more than the “health theater” that some other restaurants are doing.
1. Closed dining rooms and focused on drive thru and employees started wearing face masks. This causes some really massive drive-thru lines at many locations.
Closed some locations that didn’t have a drive thru
2. Multiple people walk the drive thru taking orders… Now with credit card machines. So you don’t have to “hand” it to someone at the drive-thru window. If it’s not busy and you pay at the drive-thru window they pick up the card reader and hold it out the window so they don’t have to touch your card.
Asking for condiments while taking the order, like ketchup, spread, etc.
3. At the 1st drive-thru window, assuming you’ve paid already, they read back your order and offer the receipt (most people don’t take it).
4. At the 2nd drive-thru window they put the condiments in a little baggie so there is less touching of hands. Easier to hand a little bag than lots of little ketchup packets.
5. Eat-in experience… The website tells you which locations are open for dine-in seating. . Depending upon location it might be patio only, or patio and dine-in. When they first reopened the dining room I noticed that there was someone there all the time to open the door. This has waned a bit as they’ve gotten busier. Hand sanitizer as you walk in.
6. Markers on the floor to show where to stand to order. Order takers are behind plexiglass. Different plexiglass for the order takers and the food handout station.
7. Self serve drink stations are closed… drinks are given along with the food… or separately be an attendant at the drink station. Refills are still allowed, but given with a water cup to pour in to your cup.
8. Condiments are all behind the counter including napkins/straws, ketchup.
9. All orders served either in bags, or boxes. I really like to get mine in a box with a lid. Eat-in order numbers now separate from drive-thru orders.
10. Tables are physically distanced with clear & professional looking markers to show which tables are closed.
11. Tables and seats cleaned after each patron uses them. Assigned personnel to the dining room/patio to clean those areas. And also regularly clean door handles, counters, other areas.
12. What hasn’t changed? The food! It’s just as delicious as it’s always been!
