Burger King Corp.

Burger King Corp., the division of Toronto-based Restaurant Brands International Inc., started the second year of its $400 “Reclaim the Flame” investments to boost domestic franchise sales by unveiling a Sizzle prototype restaurant. The Miami-based unveiled the new look in October during a franchisee gathering. The Sizzle design allows for digital additions, such as kiosks, which have been tested in the Miami restaurants. The design also minimized steps for staff to assemble orders, The Sizzle design was slightly smaller than the traditional Burger King, shaving 200 to 300 square feet of the prototype, said Tom Curtis, president for Burger King U.S. and Canada. In addition, Curtis said, it is offered in 40-, 60- and 80-seat versions.

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A opened a drive-thru/walk-up location in Honolulu, Hawaii, in July. The restaurant offered a dual drive-thru lane and three walk-up windows. This wasn’t the first Chick-fil-A location without a dining room. The company had opened more than 30 drive-thru-only locations in the past several years as off-premises sales remained sticky. It also has digital-forward locations focused on catering and delivery in markets like Nashville, Tenn.

Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken

Shalimar, Fla.-based LFR Chicken LLC, owner of the Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken brand, in November introduced a new restaurant that included a dual drive-thru, online ordering pickup area, and an updated, more efficient back-of-house design. The standard restaurant is about 2,400 square feet with about 56 seats, but the design is flexible on seating and drive-thrus. Lee’s off-premises business, including the drive-thru, has grown from 60% to-70% pre-COVID to 70% to-80% now; however, several rural locations that generate a heavy dine-in crowd, the company said. Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken has 130 franchised and company-owned locations in 12 states in the U.S. and in Canada.

Krystal

Krystal Restaurants LLC, the burger chain, opened a smaller prototype restaurant in January. It was 1,000 square feet smaller than its traditional restaurants and does not include a dining room. At 1,700 square feet, the company-owned restaurant also featured a smaller kitchen that used 20% less space, a double-lane drive-thru, a walk-up window and a pickup area for online guests and third-party delivery drivers. The Dunwoody, Ga.-based Krystal is owned by Fortress Investment Group.

Mellow Mushroom

Atlanta-based Mellow Mushroom plans to open a new prototype in Atlanta’s Grant Park at the end of next summer as part of a brand refresh. It will be about 1,000 square feet smaller than a traditional Mellow Mushroom restaurant, executives said, and will include a counter-service order experience and back-of-the-house technology updates. It will include technology for inventory management and kitchen display of orders. Mellow Mushroom has more than 160 units.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell opened more of its digital-forward Go Mobile design, first introduced in 2020 in response to the pandemic’s changing consumer behaviors. The company opened two of those iterated models – one in El Paso, Texas, and one in Columbus, Ga. – noting that elements such as a walk-up window for both digital and third-party orders, dedicated parking for mobile and delivery orders, and grab-and-go shelves could be incorporated in future restaurants. There is no indoor dining area.

The Wendy’s Co.

Wendy’s franchisees in summer 2023 opened the first of the chain’s “Global Next Gen” restaurants, in Oklahoma and Kansas, the Dublin, Ohio-based Wendy’s Co. announced. Meritage Hospitality Group opened a unit in Edmond, Okla., and Wenspok Cos. opened one in Great Bend, Kan. New features include a dedicated pickup window and parking for delivery drivers, who previously needed to enter the restaurants. That window is separate from the regular drive-thru line. The new restaurants also have shelving where customers can pick up their mobile orders. Additionally, the new format has a dual-sided galley kitchen that runs from the front of the house to the back of the house, increasing efficiency by allowing crew members to move easily between stations. Energy-efficient lighting and heating-air conditional systems also were part of the new design. Wendy’s has about 7,000 restaurants worldwide.

Whataburger Digital Kitchen

San Antonio, Texas-based Whataburger opened its first Digital Kitchen in September in Bee Cave, Texas, northwest of Austin. It jettisoned the traditional drive-thru and was cashless. Customers order from a kiosk or through the smartphone app. “The digital kitchen is similar to Whataburger’s standard restaurants at nearly 2,300 square feet,” a spokesperson said. The unit does not have a traditional seating area, curbside pick-up or drive-thru. Kiosk and delivery pickup orders are available in specially designed food lockers or cubbies.