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Speed. Space. Performance.
Welcome to a new era in QSR packaging.
The QSR industry is facing a challenging new reality: quick is just not quick enough. Consumers not only want but also expect the fastest service experience possible. But speed alone isn’t enough; they want it paired with consistently high-quality food.
This is far from dining as usual.
Smaller kitchens. Rising order volumes. Digital-first, dining-room-free formats. The foodservice industry is evolving like never before. Today, every inch of counterspace and every second of throughput matters.
This is a turning point in our industry. We will be breaking down the four key trends driving this change. One commonality throughout all of this is obvious: packaging won’t just be a container anymore; it will need to become an operational optimizer by delivering on these critical components.
Seconds Faster
- 5 Seconds Faster = $8,200 more revenue
Speed: Packaging designed for quick grabs, easy handling, and minimal prep work can shave meaningful seconds off at the window. Every 5 seconds of saved service time equates to $8,200 in added annual revenue per store.¹
- 70% of QSR revenue is via drive-thru
Space: Stackable, modular solutions are turning cramped kitchens into efficiently run operational systems. This is critical in an industry where 70% of all QSR revenue flows through the drive-thru.²
- 50%+ of consumers would pay more for packaging that supports quality
Performance: From insulation to ventilation, it is pivotal that packaging performs. Over 50% of consumers would pay more for premium packaging that supports food quality during transport.³
Trend 1: Dining Rooms are Disappearing
Dining rooms in the QSR space are disappearing. Digital formats are reshaping the restaurant experience. Drive-thru-only builds. Ghost kitchens. Seating is being rapidly phased out to make way for more off-premises growth.
The future of the QSR industry will belong to a window-first, pickup-driven consumer experience. With some of the most notable names in the industry phasing out seating to prioritize drive-thru operations, this shift will only continue to grow.
Key Stats
- 85% of ghost kitchens operate exclusively through online-ordering platforms.⁴
- S. ghost kitchen revenue reached $98B in 2025.⁵
- Projected to hit $2.9T by 2032 (62% CAGR).⁵
- 20% of all North American food delivery orders come from ghost kitchens.⁶
With fewer available brand touchpoints, your packaging serves as more than just a container. It needs to be your brand ambassador, designed for quick hand-offs and quality control.
Examples
- Chipotle expanding Chipotlane drive-thru-only stores
- Wingstop moving toward off-premises-only prototypes
- Panera Bread launching pickup-only “Panera To Go”
Sources: QSR Magazine; Restaurant Dive; Nation’s Restaurant News
Trend 2: The Race for Space
Kitchen space is shrinking. Menus are expanding. Order complexity is rising.
Flexible and adaptive packaging formats clear space, simplify service, and make it easier for teams to deliver faster with less effort.
Key Stats
- Compact QSR footprints can be as small as 500 sq. ft.⁷
- 50% of operators have invested in kitchen equipment/redesigns for compact efficiency⁷
- Leading QSR brands actively reducing SKUs to simplify operations⁸
Examples
- Krystal reducing stores from ~2,700 to 1,200 sq. ft.
- 7 Brew Coffee scaling 500-sq.-ft. double drive-thru huts
- Starbucks launching pickup-only sub-1,000-sq.-ft. formats
Sources: Restaurant Dive; QSR Magazine; Nation’s Restaurant News
Trend 3: Quick Gets Quicker
Drive-thru speed is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity.
Operators are redesigning lanes, investing in upstream ordering, and leaning on innovative packaging as a silent accelerator at the window.
Key Stats
- Drive-thru service time improved 14 seconds YoY in 2024⁹
- 85% of operators report struggling with digital ordering demands¹⁰
- 27% planned to add more drive-thru lanes in 2025¹⁰
Every second is money gained or dollars lost. Packaging is becoming less of an afterthought and more of a performance tool.
Examples
- McDonald’s testing AI voice ordering
- Taco Bell Defy four-lane concept
- Chick-fil-A expanding mega dual-lane drive-thrus
Sources: QSR Magazine; Nation’s Restaurant News; Restaurant Dive
Trend 4: Fresh Comes First
Speed and space mean nothing if food quality doesn’t hold up.
Packaging now serves as the last line of defense between your brand’s promise and the consumer’s experience.
Key Stats
- Off-premises channels account for 30–60% of restaurant revenue¹¹
- 90% of consumers would order more items if delivery quality matched on-premises³
- Consumers demand durable, insulated packaging¹²
The hand-off doesn’t end at the window. Packaging carries a promise to the customer’s home.
Examples
- Domino’s insulated delivery systems
- Sweetgreen travel-optimized bowls/lids
- Chipotle vented snap-fit lids
Sources: QSR Magazine; Restaurant Dive; Nation’s Restaurant News
Conclusion
Solving for speed, space, and performance.
Every second saved. Every inch reclaimed. Every meal kept fresh. Now more than ever, packaging performance is pivotal. It can bolster efficiency and elevate the dining experience while demonstrating a commitment to your customers in the process.
At Huhtamaki, we innovate with packaging designs that help you drive speed, reclaim space, and preserve performance. We believe in being more than a vendor-we are your partner, always working to support you by answering today’s challenges while preparing you for tomorrow’s opportunities. That’s how we’re solving packaging.
Sources
- RSSTS. (2023, July 25). Boosting monthly revenue using drive-thru timer data. RSSTS. https://www.rssts.com/boosting-monthly-revenue-using-drive-thru-timer-data
- Revenue Management Solutions. (2025, May). Drive-thru trends 2025: QSR. Revenue Management Solutions. https://www.revenuemanage.com/blog/drive-thru-trends-2025-qsr
- Restaurant Business. (2024, January 24). Consumers dining off premises want speed, value and better packaging. Restaurant Business Online. https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/consumers-dining-premises-want-speed-value-better-packaging
- ZipDo. (2025). Ghost kitchen statistics: Market insights and key trends. ZipDo. https://zipdo.co/ghost-kitchen-statistics
- Coherent Market Insights. (2025, May). U.S. dark kitchens (ghost kitchens/cloud kitchens) market... Coherent Market Insights. https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/industry-reports/us-dark-kitchens-ghost-kitchens-cloud-kitchens-market
- ZipDo. (2025). Ghost kitchen statistics: Market insights and key trends. ZipDo. https://zipdo.co/ghost-kitchen-statistics
- QSR Magazine. (2023, August). The art of compact restaurant design. QSR Magazine. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/growth/the-art-of-compact-restaurant-design
- Alicia Kelso. (2025, March 6). Several restaurant chains are reducing the size of their pantries. Nation’s Restaurant News. https://www.nrn.com/restaurant-operations/several-restaurant-chains-are-reducing-the-size-of-their-pantries
- QSR Magazine. (2024, October). The 2024 QSR drive-thru report. QSR Magazine. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/the-2024-qsr-drive-thru-report
- Restaurant Dive. (2024, February). 72% of restaurant operators struggling to meet digital ordering demands. Restaurant Dive. https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/72-percent-restaurant-operators-struggling-to-meet-digital-ordering-demands/646203
- Menuviel. (2025, April). How to optimize packaging for takeout quality. Menuviel Blog. https://blog.menuviel.com/how-to-optimize-packaging-for-takeout-quality
- QSR Magazine. (2023, October 19). Foodservice packaging’s impact on customer experiences. QSR Magazine. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/growth/consumer-trends/foodservice-packagings-impact-on-customer-experiences/