Premium fast-casual brand Zaxby's hosted a special event night so that couples could enjoy a meal out of the house in a safe way, especially if they were starting to feel a little cooped up. The Drive-Thru Date Night in Knoxville with roses, a violinist and a caricature artist was paired with the new Zax Pack for Two, which contains eight hand-breaded Chicken Fingerz, two regular crinkle fries, two slices of Texas toast, plus sauces and drinks for a pair. Notably, Zaxby's reports that this new menu item has "been selling at a rate nearly double the popular Zax Family Packs."
At a time when restaurants need to keep themselves afloat but can't offer dine-in experiences, many are turning to drive-thru models to help staff and customers keep a safe distance from one another.
Date Night Drive-Thrus
Zaxby’s Launched the Zax Pack for Two with a Special Event Night
Trend Themes
1. Drive-thru Dining - The rise of drive-thru dining as an alternative to dine-in experiences during the pandemic creates opportunities to innovate by offering customized and experiential drive-thru services.
2. Date-night To-go - The rise of date-night to-go packages and meal kits offers opportunities for restaurants to create premium dining experiences at home that cater to cooped up couples.
3. Virtual Dining Events - The rise of virtual dining events offers opportunities for restaurants to create unique, exclusive experiences for customers to enjoy from the comfort of their homes.
Industry Implications
1. Fast-food Industry - The fast-food industry can innovate drive-thru services by offering customized menus and experiential services such as a unique ordering experience, or by reducing wait times and improving order accuracy.
2. Restaurant Industry - The restaurant industry can leverage date-night to-go packages and meal kits to offer premium dining experiences at home, cater to cooped up couples, and expand their services beyond traditional dining options.
3. Entertainment Industry - The entertainment industry can work with restaurants to create virtual dining events that cater to consumers' desire for unique and exclusive experiences, perhaps in partnership with musicians, performers, or other creatives.