After rolling out a new restaurant prototype at 13 locations since the launch in February 2020, the “better burger” franchise is continuing to improve its accessibility to Guests.
The 86-unit “better-burger” franchise MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes is all revved up and ready to announce that it’s launching its first drive-thru location by late-2021, a year earlier than it originally anticipated.
The announcement comes after the Plano, Texas-based franchise embarked on an ambitious store-design refresh, already completing renovations at 5 locations with plans for another 10 this year. Additionally, MOOYAH improved its digital ordering and curbside pickup options last year, making it easier than ever for Guests to get the food they love.
“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.
For instance, MOOYAH invested in scheduling software to allow locations to better coordinate and deploy their Team Members 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 and global leader in guest experience design 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 to accommodate different types of Guest needs.
“We are delighted to continue working with this inspiring brand whilst enhancing and developing our long-standing strategic partnership. In the past few months, we have seen the MOOYAH brand genuinely committed to supporting its local communities and Franchise Owners through the pandemic. These challenging times have however given us the opportunity to focus on the future and embrace new MOOYAH experiences,” the Livit team said. “Our team’s approach whilst designing the drive-thru prototype was to bring out the ‘ridiculicious’ dining experience to the exterior in a fast and convenient way that allows MOOYAH’s Guests to enjoy the top-notch food without needing to get out of the car. We have drawn on the brand personality to generate the materials and graphics to achieve a perfect match with the interiors to build a strong emotional connection with Guests and create a holistic 360º Guest experience.”
And although the “better” meal movement was originally developed to include the restaurant’s atmosphere as a key component, delivery giants have proven that consumers can enjoy great food conveniently. As consumer behavior and awareness has shifted – further accelerated due to the pandemic – MOOYAH’s Leadership Team realized there was no reason that they couldn’t provide its top-quality offerings to Guests even faster.
Learn more about franchising with MOOYAH at https://franchise.mooyah.com/.
