Small tech solution helps speed up growth for fast food restaurant
US News | Madison, Wisconsin
Background
On September 22, 2016, Monica Daniel and her husband Craig celebrated the grand opening of their very own franchised fast food restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin. When you step inside their doors, you can feel the energy of the bustling, family-owned business, and it doesn’t take long after talking to the owners to realize how passionate they are about their work, their staff, their customers and community.
However, if you have indeed stepped inside their doors, you’re actually in the minority of their customers; 70% of their business is done through the drive through lane.
They’ve done the research – talking to several other owners about how to grow sales. It’s not a new ad campaign like some might expect, but instead a faster drive through – and they’ve made it happen. When the line gets long (and the weather cooperates) employees go straight to the customers waiting outside and use iPads to display the menu, take the order and even collect payment. This “iPOS” system keeps the line moving at an incredible rate, with the average customer spending just seven seconds at the window.
Challenge
The iPads are crucial to the smooth and efficient operation of the Daniel’s restaurant, and with such heavy, time-sensitive use, charging sometimes posed a challenge. The devices didn’t have a designated charging spot, and the store was going through charging cables all too quickly. Whether lost or damaged, the $20 replacement cables were adding up.
Solution
When an “off-duty” LocknCharge employee pulled into the drive through lane and noticed the iPad system in use, a light bulb went off: This could be dinner and a new partnership. He got connected with Craig Daniel and the timing was serendipitous.
They discussed the store’s technology workflow and challenges. Craig later visited the LocknCharge headquarters with one of his devices in its case to see the Putnam 8 Charging Station™ in action. It was exactly what they hadn’t even known they needed.
Results
The Putnam has streamlined an already speedy workflow for the restaurant. The compact device charging station is mounted to a wall, which not only designates a home base for the devices; it also keeps them completely out of the way of the hustling employees fulfilling orders. Before their iPOS system, they could serve roughly 100 cars an hour in the drive through. Now, their record is 140.
The iPad charging station is equipped with eight pre-wired MFi approved lightening cables that are just the right length to connect to stored devices. Meaning everything stays organized, untangled and in place. Purchasing the Putnam has saved them the cost of replacing cables, which essentially makes it pay for itself.
External color-coded LED lights let the team know which iPads are ready to go so that they never send someone outside with a half-charged device. It also prevents dreaded plugged-in-without-power mishaps – you see it lit up and know immediately that the power supply is connected and doing its job.
As the Daniels continue to grow with smart, calculated improvements, they have no doubt they’ll break their service record this summer.
To download a PDF of this case study, click here.
