The Importance of Speed of Service in Modern Food Retail: A 30-Year Perspective Across Restaurants, Convenience Stores, and Grocery Service Delis

 

Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes that across the food industry, speed of service has shifted from a competitive differentiator to a fundamental expectation. Over the past three decades, consumer demand for faster experiences—driven by lifestyle changes, technology adoption, and economic pressure has reshaped how restaurants, convenience stores (c-stores), and grocery store delis operate. Today, speed is not merely operational performance; it is a strategic lever influencing traffic, sales, customer satisfaction, and competitive positioning.

 

1. Restaurants: From Sit-Down to Seamless Service

Historical Context (1990s–2000s)

In the early 1990s, traditional full-service restaurants dominated dining occasions where consumers expected multi-course experiences and longer table times. Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) existed but operated within an ecosystem segmented by drive-ins and sit-down counters with service measured in tens of minutes.

Late in the decade, technological changes began reshaping expectations. Single-point ordering systems, basic drive-through lanes, and cash registers were the norm, with speed of service largely dependent on staff skill and kitchen efficiency.

Technological Acceleration (2000s–2010s)

The adoption of point-of-sale (POS) systems, kitchen display systems, and workflow optimization in QSRs improved baseline operations. Drive-through service became a focal point as cars brought mobility access to speed, and limited-service restaurants began benchmarking service times under ten minutes during peak hours.

During this era, the broad adoption of mobile phones enabled rudimentary digital orders, beginning the shift to off-premise consumption.

The Last Decade (2015–Present)

Data from industry reporting shows that average drive-through service times across major U.S. QSR brands were around five to six minutes in 2023, with innovations such as multi-lane formats and automated ordering significantly reducing service times at select locations to under four minutes.

From 2019 to 2023, statistics also show an increase in the share of visits lasting ten minutes or less at major brands like Taco Bell and Wendy’s, reflecting operational refinements and labor productivity improvements.

A pivotal shift occurred in the 2020s as technology—mobile ordering, AI voice systems, dedicated mobile pickup lanes, and automation—enhanced not only speed but order accuracy and customer satisfaction. Investments in digital order platforms and real-time kitchen performance monitoring have become standard operating tools.

Consumer Expectations

By 2025, industry research indicates that nearly all restaurant consumers place “quick service” among their top priorities, with fast take-out and drive-thru accounting for roughly three-quarters of all restaurant traffic.

 

2. Convenience Stores: From Grab-and-Go to Foodservice Competitor

Evolution of the Format

Originating in the early 20th century, convenience stores initially filled gaps in off-hour retail service. Through the latter half of the 20th century, they offered basic items and fuel with a focus on customer access rather than complex foodservice.

Transformation Through Speed (2000s–Present)

Since the early 2000s, c-stores have made strategic investments to expand prepared food offerings and shorten transaction times—turning the channel into a viable competitor to restaurants and grocery prepared food by prioritizing speed, ease, and accessibility.

A 2023 industry survey found that customers inside convenience foodservice spend an average of roughly three minutes and thirty-three seconds from leaving their vehicles to returning, underscoring the inherent velocity of c-store transactions.

Increasingly, convenience stores provide high-frequency visits with prepared meals, beverages, and snacks that meet or exceed consumer expectations for speed and affordability. Foot-traffic data from 2019 to 2023 shows c-store traffic outpacing that of grocery, superstores, and quick-service restaurants, suggesting speed and convenience are key drivers.

Modern Competitive Dynamics

Operators now optimize store layout, digital and contactless payments, mobile ordering, and hot-case prepared offerings to reduce bottlenecks and capture time-sensitive consumers. Early reports also show significant adoption of loyalty programs and mobile wallets to accelerate checkout and drive repeat visits.

 

3. Grocery Service Delis: Retail Foodservice’s Rapid Rise

Baseline History

Grocery delis historically offered cut-to-order meats or sandwiches as niche departments within larger stores. Service speed was secondary to product quality, and traditional deli counters operated on human throughput with moderate wait times.

Shifts in Consumer Behavior (2010s–2020s)

Over the past decade, grocery chains expanded prepared food offerings—pizza, sushi, sandwiches, and heat-and-eat meals—positioning delis as alternatives to restaurant meals when consumers prioritize both speed and value.

From 2017 to 2025, the share of consumers choosing grocery deli prepared foods over restaurant meals more than doubled, from 12 percent to 28 percent. Grocery deli sales also continued to grow, exceeding $50 billion in retail foodservice sales in recent reporting years.

This trend is driven by speed of access, cost savings, and convenience of one-stop shopping. Customers increasingly view the grocery deli as a quick meal solution with minimal wait, often pairing it with grocery purchases on the same trip—an efficiency not possible with standalone restaurants.

Contemporary Expectations

Modern grocers are prioritizing deli throughput improvements—pre-order via app, dedicated pickup stations, drive-through options, and streamlined checkout flows—recognizing that prep speed directly influences visit frequency and basket size.

 

4. Synthesis: What Speed Really Means Across Sectors

Sector	Core Speed Imperative	2025 Consumer Expectation	Data Trends
Restaurants	Rapid fulfillment of orders, especially off-premise	<6 minutes in QSR contexts; high accuracy	Digital ordering and tech automation reducing wait times; 95% prioritize speed. (Food & Wine)
Convenience Stores	Very fast transactions, ready-to-eat food, easy payment	~3:30 transaction cycle	Prepared food power increasing share; traffic growth outpaces other formats. (EMARKETER)
Grocery Delis	Quick deli pickup, grab-and-go meals	Comparable to fast casual but lower price	Deli as viable restaurant alternative; share doubled since 2017. (Supermarket News)

 

5. Three Insights from the Grocerant Guru

1.       Speed of Service Is a Strategic Revenue Lever, Not a Cost Center
Leading operators have recognized that improving speed of service directly correlates with increased throughput, higher ticket counts, and more frequent visits. In restaurants and retail foodservice alike, reducing transaction times without compromising quality elevates total revenue and customer loyalty. Investments in data analytics, predictive labor scheduling, and real-time performance monitoring often deliver outsized returns.

2.       Blurring Channel Boundaries Will Continue as Consumers Prioritize Time
Consumers no longer compartmentalize where they get meals based on format labels. Grocery delis, convenience foodservice, and restaurant off-premise channels compete for the same meal occasions. Operators that build seamless cross-channel experiences (mobile order ahead, drive-up pickup, optimized in-store flow) will lock in market share as time-pressed lifestyles accelerate.

3.       Technology Is Necessary But Not Sufficient—Operational Culture Matters
While digital ordering, AI voice systems, and automated kitchens accelerate speed, the marginal gains come from aligning staff incentives, refining workflow design, and constantly measuring service KPIs. Empowering employees with high-performance standards and real-time feedback loops ensures that technology amplifies human execution rather than simply replacing core skills.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter