Since the pandemic, the food and beverage industry has gone through tectonic changes in response to customer preference.
From mobile ordering to delivery service, customers are now rushing into drive-thru service. Everything is moving in the direction of “order and leave.”
What makes it so well-liked by customers? Drive-thru are primarily concerned with convenience. Customers may place an order, pay for it, and receive it all without leaving their cars.
Nowadays, not only restaurants and fast-food chains have drive-thru lanes, even coffee shops.
Starbucks (shortened Bucks by yuppies) recently launched its 6th store in Davao City located at Damosa Complex, which is also its first drive-thru store in Mindanao.
Caffeine-fanatics can now order and enjoy a freshly brewed beverage Starbucks without staying in the café.
Noey T. Lopez, president of Rustan Coffee, the authorized licensee of Starbucks Retail Business in the Philippines, said in an interview that they are surprised with the positive impact of the Starbucks drive-thru format on the Dabawenyos.
“We are pleasantly surprised how strong the business here in Davao, specially here in Damosa IT Park. I think it’s a combination, its drive-thru plus its much larger store,” Lopez said.
If you are not in a hurry, you can also dine in. The two-story Starbucks in Damosa provides a warm and inviting setting to enjoy beverages and pastries.
Starbucks opened its first store in Davao City in 2011 with a branch at Abreeza Ayala Mall. Then it opened at SM City Davao, SM Lanang Premier, F. Torres St. (Davao Convention and Trade Center), and IT Park Matina.
“I am amazed how strong the business here, its really growing, even when we started. We opened at Abreeza, SM, then my people tell me that the people in Davao City are very particular in customer service. We have to give them better service than we give in Manila. That they are very particular and their expectations are very high. It’s a great sign, there’s so much opportunity, not just in Davao but in Mindanao,” Lopez added.
Starbucks has over 30 drive-thru stores and has over 400 stores in the Philippines. – Maya B. Padillo: “Maya On The Block”, Edge Davao
