The Food Scout

Forget all that money that’s been spent upgrading technology and increasing efficiency at drive thru lines at QSRs. That’s so 5 minutes ago in the world of convenience. Companies that want to REALLY be a convenient sandwich solution for consumers at lunch time are resorting to delivery services in urban areas. 

New Yorkers can phone fresh sandwich-maker Pret A Manger from about anywhere in Manhattan, and within minutes, one of 19 roaming delivery trucks (electric, to be eco-friendly) will pull up to the curb and delivery a sandwich to someone holed up in their office or condo and too busy to run to a nearby street vendor or restaurant. I am told by colleagues who live in Manhattan that there are also a number of independent delis and sandwich shops that deliver custom-made sandwiches within 10 minutes to those who live or work in nearby buildings. 

Even in non-urban Springfield, MO, I can have a single Jimmy John’s sandwich delivered for free to my office so i don’t have to leave my computer when hunger calls. 

So it’s time to see how the convenience balance-of-power might begin to shift if this trend starts to catch on with other fast casual or quickservice restaurants at lunch time. Thirty-second drive-thru just became 10-minute delivery.