The surge in drive-thru construction provides at least a small glimmer of hope for one of the hardest-hit asset classes during the coronavirus pandemic, when many restaurants with dine-in only options have had to close down. Those that have stayed open have often been relegated to providing curbside pickup service or outside dining options to comply with local health department orders to mitigate the spread of the virus.
According to sister publication Restaurant Dive, drive-thrus have became a near necessity during the crisis. McDonald’s, for instance, reported that almost 90% of its business during Q2 came from the drive-thru.
