Everything in the room has a price tag. The chair you sit in, the cup you hold. People become involved in the room and part of the negotiation process,'' Underhill says. Seating also works to divide or separate sexes. In tracking quick-service restaurant customers, Underhill observed that men prefer to sit near the action and traffic while women move away from it, seeking privacy.
Operators can please both by offering a variety of seating options.
On the topic of restaurant drive-thrus, Underhill borders on euphoria. They're an important part of the future, he contends. Americans love cars and love to eat in them. Build smaller restaurants with larger drive-thru areas and bigger, cleaner, more attractive parking lots, he concludes. Add conveniences such as trash pickup and designated cell phone alleys.