Burger King Will Add Pick-Up Lockers & Expanded Drive-Thrus In A Major Redesign

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt daily life across the country, restaurants have been following extra health precautions so that customers can still enjoy their favorite meals. To create a more convenient and safe dining experience, Burger King redesigning its restaurants to be optimized for the reality of living world affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The new Burger King post-COVID restaurant designs are optimized to adapt to the reality of living in a pandemic and what will come after it, with expanded drive-thrus and pick-up lockers, among other changes.

Burger King unveiled its new restaurant designs in a press release on Thursday, Sept. 3. The innovative designs were created by a Restaurant Brands International in-house design group to fulfill changing customer demands due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to safety, the designs feature a physical footprint 60% smaller than a traditional Burger King location.

There are multiple delivery options for customers at the new restaurants. If you'd like a completely contactless experience, you can use Burger King's new Pick Up Lockers. You'll be able to pick up your mobile and delivery orders from the coded food lockers facing the exterior of the restaurant. Your food comes straight from the kitchen to the pick-up lockers.

The expanded drive-thru options make pick-up more efficient then ever. There will be double or triple drive-thru lanes with digital menu boards at the restaurant. While using drive-thru, you can even get a look inside the kitchen through the living wall. The glass facade also has a walk up window for customers to pick up their order.

Another way you can pick up your order is through curbside delivery. You'll place your order ahead through the Burger King mobile app and then head to the restaurant, where you'll find dedicated parking spots for curbside delivery. You can then follow the instructions that are displayed on the parking signs, which detail how you can notify the restaurant staff via Burger King's app that you've arrived.

If you'd like to enjoy your meal at the restaurant, there are also options for on-site dining. You'll be able to park your car in the drive-in area, which is covered by solar powered canopies. You can then place your order through Burger King's app by simply scanning a QR code, which will be available at your parking spot. The food will be delivered straight to your car. There's also on-premise dining, with one restaurant design featuring outdoor seating with a shaded patio to replace the traditional indoor dining room.

There's even one 100% contactless restaurant design. It features a suspended kitchen and dining room above the triple drive-thru lanes to reduce the building footprint, making it ideal for urban driving cities. If you use drive thru, you'll have your order delivered from the suspended kitchen on a conveyer belt system to your lane's unique pick-up spot. There's also a dining room and covered outdoor seating located above the drive thru entrance.

Burger King's first locations implementing these new designs will be built in 2021 in Miami, Latin America and Caribbean.

When you head to Burger King to grab a bite, you should follow the coronavirus safety recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of Aug. 3. The recommendations include wearing a cloth face covering over your mouth and nose, practicing social distancing, and implementing regular hand washing. If possible, order using a pay ahead method such as curbside pick-up or delivery, and make sure you wash or sanitize your hands after handling your to-go packaging.

If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all Elite Daily's coverage of coronavirus here.