ARE THEY DEAD?: drive-ins

Technical Foodies is a podcast that discusses QSR technology and hot topics in the food and beverage industry—presented by ACRELEC.

This month host Delia Sargeant sits down with veteran of the Drive-In industry, Paul Crawford to discuss all things Drive-in.

After almost 6 years as President of OrderMatic Corporation, one of the first names in audio systems for QSR and a major player in audio for Drive-Ins, Paul is now a Program Director for ACRELEC.

As we mature, restaurant concepts mature with us… most of the time. Drive-in restaurants were a staple of American culture in the mid-20th century. My European colleagues know them mainly from American movies like Dazed and Confused and American Graffiti, but you can still find them today.

Sonic is of course the largest chain, but local mom-and-pop drive-ins still exist all over the country and they look almost exactly like they did in the 50s -except maybe for the roller skates.

As we discussed with Tyler last month, QSRs are going digital, investing in tech, and taking advantage of partnerships to stay relevant and profitable. So, what’s next for the drive-in? will this fixture of Americana jump on the tech train? Stay antiquated?

Paul and Delia discuss the distinction between Mom & Pop drive-ins and chains like Sonic. This differentiation leads to different styles of restaurants, with different goals. Mom & Pop drive-ins capitalize on nostalgia and need to find a balance of feel and function when introducing technology, while chains like Sonic or Stars can leverage economies of scale and technology partners to innovate the drive-in as we know it.

Learn more about the current state of drive-ins in the US, what technological innovations are on the forefront, how drive-ins differ from traditional drive-thru QSRs, and where the model is headed next on this month’s episode of Technical Foodies.

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The views and or opinions expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of Acrelec Group, S.A.S. or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, Glory Ltd, Glory Global Solutions Limited or any of their subsidiaries or affiliates and the ACRELEC Group of companies, their directors, officers and employees make no representation about and accept no liability for its accuracy or completeness.