Pete Wilson
considered an intercom for
the drive-thru window at his
Coffee Grounds shop in Brazil, Ind., but is glad
he went with face- to-face ordering.
connoisseurs through education), drive-thru windows probably won't help much. It's an important decision, because whether you're buying an existing location or building from the ground up, drive-thru service is a major fi nancial commitment. Biggby Coff ee is a chain of 137 stores based
in Michigan, and about 30 percent of those have drive-thru service, says CEO Bob Fish. It's especially useful in suburbs and other bedroom communities, where many customers are parents who appreciate being able to buy coff ee without hauling their young children in and out of the car. But that service comes at a price, Fish says. If
an existing location has drive-thru windows— or even the potential for installing them—that oſt en bumps up its asking price. In a strip mall, for instance, the best candidate for drive-thru service is the store at the leſt end, which usually is the most expensive one. Drive-thru windows also make new locations pricier.
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