The Chain Gang

Fast Food Getting Slower, and Not in a Good Way

Blame speciality items like this.
Blame speciality items like this. Photo: Taco Bell

Despite the number of complaints one might have against McDonald’s — halfhearted health food, dollar-menu inflation, wing displays that look like actual shit — at least the food comes out quickly, right? Not anymore.

According to a report in fast-food trade publication QSR, McDonald’s has hit its slowest average drive-thru time to date. And it’s not alone. The whole industry is getting slower, says the report, largely thanks to all those complicated menu items in the Great Game of Fast-Food One-Upmanship, which take longer to assemble than just tossing some McNuggets in a bag.

But if you take the fast out of fast food, what are you left with, really?

The Drive-Thru Performance Study [QSR via USAT]

Fast Food Getting Slower, and Not in a Good Way