Back when I was in college, I remember a gas station being built a few miles away from campus. The whole concept was a little batty — there were no employees and only credit cards could be used. Quite frankly, I was a little scared to go there. Others likely felt the same way, as it closed down years later. But this was a while back — and it’s possible that the world just wasn’t ready for it back then. Now it’s 2018, robots are the future, and Chick-fil-A is down with the idea of locations that focus solely on mobile ordering. Also? It will be so technologically focused that there won’t even be any seating. Strange, right?
Well, if you live in Nashville or Louisville, you’ll be able to experience this new concept firsthand. According to Extra Crispy, the two cities will be the first to have test locations. Both won’t have dining rooms, and the Nashville Chick-Fil-A won’t even accept your cash. So really, it’s a good time to get a credit card.
As for ordering, most will be done through their mobile site. In doing so, that eliminates the need for a cashier.
The plus side is that your food might get to you faster without all of the in-between steps. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been to Chick-fil-A without a massive line.
Without a dining room, that means that these locations will focus more on kitchen space. And based on the aforementioned massive line at Chick-fil-A, that’s a really smart plan.
It seems like everyone behind the scenes is on board with this big change. Bruce Smith, who is set to operate the Louisville location, said in a statement, “This is a tremendous opportunity to create a better experience for restaurant Team Members and customers alike,” adding that “Team Members can stay focused on making sure every customer has the best possible experience at our restaurants.”
It’ll be interesting to see how quickly customers adapt to these locations. Who knows? This could be the future of fast food.
