Sandwich-focused fast-casual Schlotzsky's opened its first Design 1000 restaurant in Oklahoma City. Introduced in Q4 2020 alongside the single drive-thru Design 1800, the Design 1000 features two drive-thrus, one on each side of the restaurant. The window on the driver's side is for traditional drive-thru ordering and the passenger side window is exclusively for delivery pickups. Now available to existing and prospective franchisees, this prototype is a nod to the brand's commitment to off-premises access, featuring no indoor seating and a walk-up ordering window in addition to the double drive-thru.
"Over the past couple of years, we've been allocating resources and shifting focus to develop prototypes that offer increased convenience and ease of use for our guests. Design 1000 places an emphasis on off-premises ordering and takes these efforts up a notch," says Shelley Harris, interim chief brand officer of Schlotzsky's. "We know there is consumer demand for greater accessibility to their favorite Schlotzsky's menu items, so this format, which is entirely focused on off-premises access, gives consumers what they are looking for and provides franchisees with a more compact restaurant design to consider for development."
Drive-thrus have always been a hallmark for Schlotzsky's, with more than 85% of total business being consumed off-premises. Both the Design 1000 and Design 1800 prototypes support the off-premises trend by providing superior operational efficiencies to enhance the speed of service and accuracy while also giving current and prospective franchisees the flexibility to develop with competitive real estate. Now, with both new designs in operation, Schlotzsky's plans to gather insights and key data from these restaurants to continue to refine the prototypes for operators interested in growing with the brand. The first Design 1000 location in Oklahoma City is a company-owned and operated restaurant.
2021 was a record development year for the brand, signing 124 franchise agreements with both new and existing franchisees. Today, with 323 restaurants in 24 states and more on the way, Schlotzsky's is aggressively expanding through conversions and new construction.