Tipping at the Drive Thru Good Idea or Bad Idea

 

By any metric, Toast is on a heater. The Boston tech player that already powers roughly one in five independent restaurants has been stacking logos, scaling payments, and moving upstream into enterprise. Landing deals with Applebee’s, Firehouse Subs, and Papa Murphy’s signaled it can play far beyond mom-and-pop.

Now comes the next frontier: the drive-thru.

CEO Aman Narang has made clear that a purpose-built system for multi-lane complexity—and eventually voice automation—could unlock the largest transaction river in quick service. Strategically, he’s right.

Culturally? It’s a minefield.

Because when you mix drive-thru velocity with digital gratuity prompts, consumers don’t speed up. They freeze.

 

The friction point: speed vs. social pressure

Drive-thru success is measured in seconds per car, order accuracy, and repeat visits. Introducing a tip screen injects three risky variables:

1.       Cognitive delay – the guest must decide.

2.       Emotional load – the guest may feel judged.

3.       Operational drag – even two extra seconds per car can back up the lane.

Inside dining rooms, tips are normalized. At a pickup counter, many guests accept them. At a drive-thru speaker, the mental model shifts to retail transaction, not hospitality exchange.

That difference matters.

 

Generational tipping reality at the window

Here’s how cohorts tend to view it today, based on consumer research patterns across restaurant formats.

Gen Z

Digitally native and comfortable with prompts, but value transparency. They will tip if:

·       service feels personalized, or

·       wages are framed clearly.

They resist default percentages that feel automatic or inflated.

Millennials

The habit-formers of modern tipping culture. More likely to comply, yet increasingly fatigued by being asked everywhere. They reward speed, accuracy, and friendliness.

Gen X

Pragmatic. Grew up with tipping tied to table service. Many see drive-thru gratuity as optional at best, inappropriate at worst.

Boomers

The most resistant cohort in this channel. If they tip, it’s usually cash and based on exceptional human interaction—not a touchscreen suggestion.

 

Why this matters for Toast

Toast’s economic engine is payments. More transactions plus higher tickets equals higher processing revenue. A well-placed tip prompt can lift totals.

But in the drive-thru, the wrong prompt can:

·       hurt throughput,

·       frustrate loyal customers,

·       and create brand backlash for operators.

In other words, adoption risk shifts from tech ROI to consumer tolerance.

 

Automation changes the psychology

If AI voice ordering becomes common, who exactly is being tipped?

When a guest speaks to software, the perceived recipient of gratitude disappears. Without a visible human moment, gratuity logic weakens dramatically.

This is where design, language, and timing will make or break the initiative.

 

What operators will demand

Large chains considering Toast’s drive-thru tools will measure:

·       average service time

·       conversion rate

·       customer satisfaction

·       abandonment or balking

If tip prompts slow the line or dent loyalty metrics, they will be dialed back fast.

 

The growth backdrop

Toast’s momentum is undeniable: revenue up sharply, tens of thousands of locations added, profitability surging. The company bought digital drive-thru specialist Delphi Display Systems precisely to prepare for this expansion.

The strategy is sound.

Execution must be delicate.

Because consumers are already signaling tip fatigue across coffee, counter service, and self-checkout environments.

The core paradox

Technology can request a tip every time.

Customers will not say yes every time.

Bridging that gap without eroding goodwill is the art.

 

Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1.       Context will outrank convenience.
Guests will tip where human effort is obvious. Invisible labor will struggle.

2.       Speed is sacred in the lane.
Any feature that threatens throughput will face operator resistance, no matter the revenue promise.

3.       Expect smarter prompts, not louder ones.
The winners will tailor requests based on order size, complexity, weather, and daypart rather than blasting every customer identically.

Toast is absolutely right to enter the drive-thru.

It just has to tiptoe.

Tap into the Foodservice Solutions® team for greater understanding of New Electricity or for a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

Price Is the Magnet: The Grocerant Guru® on the 2026 Price–Value–Service Equilibrium

 

In 2026, the North Star for food retail is no longer novelty. It is permission to purchase.

Consumers are signaling loudly that they will migrate to operators who balance what it costs, what they receive, and how easy it is to get. I call that the Price–Value–Service Equilibrium. When one lever drifts too far out of line, traffic follows the correction.

Traffic is portable. Loyalty is conditional. Price is the trigger.

Consider the macro backdrop shaping behavior right now:

·       Restaurant menu prices remain roughly 25%+ above pre-pandemic levels.

·       A majority of consumers say they are trading down in at least one daypart each week.

·       Prepared food purchases in convenience retail continue to outpace many restaurant segments because they combine speed, proximity, and sharper opening price points.

·       Promotions framed as bundles are outperforming à la carte pricing because they simplify the value calculation.

That is the environment in which wins and losses are occurring.

 

Case in Point: Krispy Krunchy Chicken Understands the Assignment

Krispy Krunchy Chicken’s return of the $4 Value Meal is not nostalgia marketing. It is precision targeting.

Two pieces of bone-in chicken or two jumbo tenders plus wedges. Add a tender for $1.50. In-store only. Limited time.

This is engineered value architecture:

·       A compelling entry price.

·       Protein leadership.

·       Clear trade-up path.

·       Immediate gratification.

·       No erosion of quality cues (hand-breaded, Cajun profile, multiple sauces).

With more than 3,500 locations in 47 states, the brand sits exactly where migration is happening: inside convenience stores, truck stops, and high-frequency retail environments.

Most importantly, it removes the friction of deciding whether the meal is worth it.

At four dollars, the consumer already knows.

 

Where Customers Are Moving TO (3 Examples)

1) Convenience Foodservice with Sharp Bundles

Operators offering meal deals under $6 are capturing lunch and dinner defections from QSR. Unit velocity improves because the consumer perceives a complete meal rather than components.

2) Retailers Leveraging Store-in-Store Brands

Licensed concepts (chicken, pizza, Mexican) inside c-stores are gaining new guests by pairing restaurant credibility with retail accessibility.

3) Chains Promoting Predictable Price Ladders

Brands that publicize everyday value tiers — $4, $5, $7 — reduce anxiety and increase frequency. Consumers can budget without surprise.

 

Where Customers Are LEAVING (3 Examples)

1) Concepts with Double-Digit Check Creep

If the perceived experience did not elevate along with price, repeat visits declined. Guests simply recalibrated where they dine.

2) Menus with Add-On Fatigue

When sides, sauces, or upgrades push totals past expectation, customers notice and defect.

3) Slower Service at Higher Prices

If convenience erodes while price rises, the equilibrium collapses quickly.

 

The Franchisee Reality: Pros and Cons of Competing on Value

Pros

·       Traffic builder. Entry price points drive trial and recapture lapsed users.

·       Attachment engine. Smart upsells (extra tender, drink, dessert) protect margin.

·       Operational clarity. Focused bundles simplify execution.

·       Marketing efficiency. One strong number cuts through clutter.

Cons

·       Margin compression risk without disciplined food cost management.

·       Training pressure to maintain speed with higher volume.

·       Expectation reset. Guests may resist returning to higher price tiers.

·       Competitive response. Rivals often match quickly.

Value is powerful, but only when supported by throughput and consistency.

 

Why the Equilibrium Works

Consumers do mental math in seconds:

Is it worth it?
Is it easy?
Can I afford to come back?

When all three answers are yes, migration occurs.

Miss one, and traffic leaks.

Three Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1.       The opening price is now your brand headline.
If guests cannot enter affordably, they won’t discover the rest of the menu.

2.       Bundles outperform discounts.
A complete solution feels generous; a coupon feels temporary.

3.       Frequency beats margin perfection.
In uncertain times, the operators who teach customers they can return regularly win the long game.

 

The brands gaining ground in 2026 are not the cheapest.
They are the clearest.

And clarity, at the right price, moves markets.

Success Leaves Clues—Are You Ready to Find Yours?

One key insight that continues to drive success is this: "The consumer is dynamic, not static." This principle is the foundation of our work at Foodservice Solutions®, where Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®, has been helping brands stay relevant in an ever-evolving market.

Want to strengthen your brand’s connection with today’s consumers? Let’s talk. Call 253-759-7869 for more information.

Stay Ahead of the Competition with Fresh Ideas

Is your food marketing keeping up with tomorrow’s trends—or stuck in yesterday’s playbook? If you're ready for fresh ideations that set your brand apart, we’re here to help.

At Foodservice Solutions®, we specialize in consumer-driven retail food strategies that enhance convenience, differentiation, and individualization—key factors in driving growth.

Email us at Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us
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Love Beyond the 14th: How to Turn One Perfect Valentine’s Meal into a Week of Profitable Romance

Valentine’s Day may be circled on the calendar, but the consumer mindset it unlocks does not shut off at midnight. When a dinner, dessert, or drink delivers connection, indulgence, and memory-making, shoppers want the feeling again — just with less pressure, less formality, and often at a better value according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Here is the overlooked opportunity: romance creates momentum. Operators that intentionally extend it for several days capture incremental visits, higher loyalty, and new occasions ranging from delayed celebrations to comfortable nights at home.

Across foodservice and retail, leaders are reframing Valentine’s from a single event into a multi-day demand window. They are not simply discounting leftovers; they are redesigning menus, bundles, and messaging so the emotional promise evolves from special night out to easy ways to stay connected.

Let’s break down how the week can unfold.

 

The Encore Effect: Guests Want a Repeat, Just Easier

The first days after Valentine’s bring consumers who either loved the experience or missed the date entirely.

What restaurants are doing

·       Offering abbreviated prix-fixe menus that keep premium cues but lower the entry price.

·       Featuring top-selling proteins from the holiday in smaller formats or share plates.

·       Promoting wine or cocktail pairings built from the weekend’s most popular orders.

Industry reality: prix-fixe drives the spike, but simplified bundles drive the follow-up traffic. Labor eases, food cost tightens, yet the guest still feels cared for.

 

Romance Moves Home — but Expectations Stay High

After the restaurant splurge, many couples shift to at-home celebrations. That doesn’t mean they want to cook from scratch.

Grocery evolution

·       Chef-inspired meal kits with trimmed meats, sauces, and plated dessert solutions.

·       Bakery and floral cross-merchandising with take-and-bake entrées.

·       Private label wine positioned as an affordable luxury upgrade.

Convenience retail momentum

C-stores are increasingly powerful in this space because they win on immediacy.

·       Two hot entrées bundled with single-serve alcohol.

·       Premium desserts placed beside prepared foods.

·       App-driven offers for add-on treats or breakfast the next morning.

Food fact: When romance becomes portable and frictionless, purchase likelihood jumps. Consumers reward simplicity.

 

Midweek: Comfort Becomes the Currency

By day four or five, the mood transitions. Consumers seek warmth, familiarity, and decompression.

Fast casual & family dining responses

·       BOGO entrées designed for sharing.

·       Appetizer samplers that encourage lingering.

·       Dessert trios or flights for interactive eating.

Beverage shifts

Warm drinks gain momentum while sweet flavor notes maintain the Valentine halo — think cherry, dark chocolate, berry infusions.

What’s happening behaviorally: Many couples delay celebrating due to work schedules, reservations, or childcare. Extending the runway allows operators to capture that postponed demand.

 

Weekend Two: Democratized Romance

Now we reach the powerful phase where love equals accessibility.

·       Burger brands push fixed-price meals for two.

·       Grocers highlight elevated frozen options with premium desserts.

·       C-stores merchandise movie-night bundles with indulgent snacks and drinks.

The narrative is no longer extravagance. It is about being together without effort.

Food fact: Shoppers increasingly equate “special” with time saved and stress avoided rather than white-tablecloth signals.

 

Tactical Moves That Sustain Sales All Week

Winning operators tend to:

·       Keep visual romance alive in menu boards and displays.

·       Maintain bundle logic rather than item-by-item selling.

·       Encourage trade-up through beverage and dessert attachments.

·       Use forward-looking language such as keep celebrating or continue the night.

They are monetizing emotion while competitors revert to routine.

 

Three Insights from the Grocerant Guru®: Why Happy Meals Are Here to Stay

1. The occasion is elastic.
A successful experience expands beyond its original date, creating multiple micro-celebrations.

2. Repetition builds loyalty faster than spectacle.
Several attainable indulgences outperform one expensive evening.

3. Curated solutions win in a tired world.
When retailers do the thinking, consumers happily do the buying.

The future of food retail and foodservice belongs to operators who understand that emotional satisfaction compounds. Deliver it once and you create the expectation — and the opportunity — to deliver it again tomorrow.

That’s how a perfect Valentine’s dinner becomes a profitable week of love.

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.