KFC Wants Customers to Stop Going to the Drive-Thru

The days of going through the drive-thru may be a thing of the past, at least for fast food lovers headed to KFC. The beloved chain, known for its finger-lickin' good fried chicken, is hoping to cut back on those long drive-thru wait times with the introduction of Quick Pick-Up, "the fastest way to get its world-famous fried chicken without waiting in line."

Sighting SeeLevel HX's annual Drive-Thru Study, KFC noted that a trip through the drive-thru can waste precious minutes, as drive-thru guests typically have to wait in lines on average for six minutes and 22 seconds from the time they enter the line to when they drive off with their food. Quick Pick-Up, though, "is changing the game by making fast food even more convenient and easy for busy customers," according to Kevin Hochman, president, KFC U.S, who added in a press release, "Santa may not be able to give you the gift of time this holiday season, but KFC can." With Quick Pick-Up, KFC customers can order ahead, park in a dedicated parking spot, and then grab their order, all but doing away with those long wait times.

Now available at participating U.S. locations, taking part in KFC's Quick Pick-Up initiative is easy. Customers simply place their order for Quick Pick-Up on the KFC app or KFC.com and then head to their local KFC restaurant, where they will park in a dedicated VIP parking spot. Once there, they can head inside, where their order will be "hot, ready, and waiting" on KFC's new Quick Pick-Up shelf.

KFC is also offering an incentive for using the new ordering method. KFC is giving customers a free large order of Secret Recipe Fries with any $5 purchase placed through the app or the website. The deal is good through Monday, Dec. 27. Customers can also order an eight-piece chicken and eight-piece tenders Fill Up online or through the app. The Fill Up includes eight pieces of KFC's Original Recipe or Extra Crispy, eight Extra Crispy Chicken Tenders, a large coleslaw, four biscuits, and two large mashed potatoes and gravy.

Quick Pick-Up isn't the only thing to roll out at KFC this holiday season. Earlier in November, the chain released its limited-edition Finger Lickin' Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger – a one-of-a-kind knitted sweater featuring a festive KFC holiday design that slides over KFC's world-famous fried chicken buckets. The Finger Lickin' Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger was available for only a few days between Nov. 9 and Nov. 11.