Driv-Thru Australia

It is true that Australians and New Zealanders are in love with the drive-through. After all, Australia saw the world's very first drive through-only KFC open last year and you can't have missed the queues of traffic outside McDonald's Drive Thru's in NZ after the relaxation of their lockdown rules. Moreover, during the coronavirus lockdown, drive throughs became a lifeline for many trying to shop (or even get married) in a safe and secure way.

The Pick Up

The true masters of the drive-through are, of course, fast-food restaurants. Their infrastructure has meant that they have been able to offer some drive-through options through-out the pandemic. In addition to their normal menus, they have also added some household grocery items to their offer. McDonald is the at the forefront o this in Australia offering fresh milk and muffins alongside their Big Mac and fries

Grocery Thru

Grocery drive-throughs have also seen a boom in popularity as a result of the lockdown. Many that already had established drive-through infrastructure have seen queues of cars outside their door. Meanwhile, there are plenty of examples of grocery stores setting up new drive-through systems as well. And it is not just cities that are offering drive-through, everything from urban shopping centres to rural veg stalls are getting in on the drive-through act.

Lunch & Dinner

Independent restaurants have also gotten in on the drive- through act. These have tended to be much more ad hoc affairs with pop-up drive-through services appearing in car parks and driveways. Many are offering takeaway food as well as drinks with some even operating as centres to feed those left in financial trouble after the impact of the coronavirus.

To read the full report, please click here.