The QSR Secret Sauce to Reducing Wait Times and Growing Sales

From breakfast rushes to limited-time promos, quick-service restaurants face relentless pressure to serve faster — and smarter. With more guests ordering via mobile and more teams operating lean, outdated POS models just can’t keep up.

This whitepaper explores how mobile-first, flexible payment ecosystems are helping mid-sized QSRs increase throughput, reduce line friction, and meet enterprise-level expectations — without enterprise-level spend. Download now to uncover how mobility, kiosks, and SoftPOS can streamline service and unlock ROI.

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The New Speed Standard: Are You Keeping Up?

QSR guests won’t wait more than 14 minutes — and 36% say slow service drives them away for good. Today’s most successful operators are transforming payment from a friction point into a growth lever. From drive-thru to dining room, flexible payment systems deliver faster lines, better upsells, and higher check sizes — even during staffing shortages.

Get the strategies, benchmarks, and scorecards designed for mid-tier QSRs ready to move fast and grow faster.

Key Takeaways

The Cost of Slow Service

36% of diners have switched or stopped visiting a QSR due to slow service. Learn how payment bottlenecks directly impact loyalty and revenue — and what leading operators are doing to win guests back.

The Rise of Tap-to-Pay

In the U.S., 80% of card transactions are now tap-to-pay. Find out how mobile-first, contactless payments have become a baseline expectation — and why QSRs that don’t adapt risk losing customers.

The 14-Minute Threshold

The average guest will wait no more than 14 minutes before abandoning an order. Discover why every second counts and how streamlined payments keep throughput high during peak periods.

Kiosks That Drive Growth

Self-service kiosks can cut order times by up to 40% and boost average check size by 15–30%. Explore how kiosks improve efficiency, ease staffing pressure, and increase sales without expanding footprint

Contributors

Patrick McIntyre

Senior Director of Retail Technology at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Patrick McIntyre brings firsthand operational insights from one of the world’s most beloved QSR brands. At Krispy Kreme, he focuses on retail tech strategy, helping locations balance guest experience with throughput efficiency. In this report, he speaks to the critical role of consistent service design and frictionless payments in sustaining loyalty.

Tony Walsh

Head of Retail, North America at Ingenico

Tony Walsh leads retail strategy across North America for Ingenico, working closely with enterprise and mid-market brands to deploy mobile-first payment solutions. In this report, he draws from his experience helping QSRs adopt flexible systems that improve staff efficiency, reduce bottlenecks, and keep guests moving.