# Touchless Fast Food Restaurants The New Burger King Restaurant Design Supports the New Normal By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2020-09-03 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-king-restaurant-design References: [businesswire](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200903005182/en) & [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwpz-wBqo4k&feature=youtu.be) As restaurants have reopened their doors to serve customers during a global pandemic, it's become clear that there are new safety protocols and design features that need to be in place to support community health, as seen in the new [Burger King](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spongebob-menu) restaurant design. The new Burger King concept was created to support changing consumer behaviors and safety measures with dedicated mobile order and curbside pick-up areas, as well as drive-in and walk-up order areas. The restaurant concept also introduces an [enhanced drive-thru experience](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/digital-drive-thru-20) and exterior dining spaces, since the overall physical footprint of the location is about 60% smaller than usual. Some of the most notable features of the "[Restaurant of Tomorrow](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/addams-family)" include pick-up lockers for mobile and delivery orders, as well as a suspended kitchen and dining room above the drive-thru lanes to maximize space. Image Credit: Burger King ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 52% | Activity: 93% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Touchless Fast Food:** Opportunity for fast food restaurants to incorporate touchless technology in order to enhance safety and convenience for customers. - **Mobile Ordering:** Rising trend of mobile ordering in fast food industry, allowing customers to order ahead and limit contact with employees. - **Drive-thru Innovation:** Impact of COVID-19 on the fast food industry has led to drive-thru innovations such as suspended kitchens and pick-up lockers for mobile and delivery orders. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Fast Food:** Fast food industry can explore touchless technology and mobile ordering to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and enhance safety protocols. - **Restaurant Design:** Opportunity for restaurant design firms to create innovative spaces that support safety measures and changing consumer behaviors, such as dedicated mobile order and curbside pick-up areas. - **Restaurant Technology:** Market for restaurant technology solutions can thrive by offering touchless payment systems, mobile ordering platforms, and drive-thru innovations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Digital-Only Drive-Through Lanes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-in-forth-worth.md) - [Virtual Restaurant Drive-Thrus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-drivethru.md) - [Gesture-Based QSR Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/touchless-menu-gesture-technology.md) - [Virtual QSR Drive-Thrus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smashburger-1.md) - [Digitally Focused Prototype Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prototype-restaurants.md) - [Tech-Driven Drive Thrus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/techdriven-drivethru.md) - [Future-Facing QSR Locations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/white-castle-castle-of-tomorrow.md) - [Drive-Thru Conveyor Belts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-drive-thru.md) - [Mobile-Order-Only Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chick-fil-a-mobile-ordering.md)