Cleveland – October 07, 2026 -- Tim Hortons posted the fastest drive-thru service among major quick-service chains with an average total time of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, according to the 26th annual QSR Drive-Thru Report released by QSR magazine in partnership with Intouch Insight.
AI ordering cuts hospitality cues, study finds
The report, based on thousands of data points and mystery-shopper evaluations, found that when artificial intelligence handled drive-thru ordering, employee behaviors such as saying "thank you" and displaying a pleasant demeanor declined significantly. The findings point to a widening gap between operational automation and guest experience as more chains deploy AI at the order window.
Starbucks tops order accuracy rankings
Starbucks led competitors on order accuracy, a metric the report identifies as critical to customer satisfaction alongside speed and convenience.
Personalization lifts satisfaction by five points
Customer satisfaction rose from 93.2% to 98.2% when guests received personalized touches, including being greeted by name, having their name written on the order bag, or being recognized as a loyalty member.
Perceived speed outweighs actual wait time
Customers who believed their visit was faster than expected reported satisfaction of 96.8%, compared with 82.3% among those who felt their experience was slower than anticipated, even when actual wait times did not differ substantially.
"This year's findings illustrate that technology alone isn't the answer," said Danny Klein, VP Editorial for QSR, FSR, CStore Decisions, PMQ and Club + Resort. "Restaurants have to find the right balance between operational efficiency, order accuracy, and the personal connections that keep customers coming back."