So far none of the nation’s “quick service restaurant” chains is using such a system, but a Los Angeles-based firm, Drive Thru Technology, says it should have one available for sale within 12 months. President Sam Naficy expects restaurants to buy in because they’ll reduce labor costs and order times. Brian Baker of the market-research firm G3 says that since one in four drive-thrus already accepts credit and ATM cards, the new technology could catch on. “The big hurdle is consumer acceptance,” he says. NEWSWEEK’s take: anything that eliminates the phrase “Fries with that?” is a surefire winner.
