In the News
Business Location and the Marketing Mix | The Race for Space for Drive Throughs
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/host-jimriley.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
3rd March 2023
This is a terrific example of the changing patterns of business locations as customers change their buying habits.
The Guardian reports here on the "race for space" among a growing number of businesses wanting to sell using "drive-through" locations.
We are told that in the last 12 months, the UK's 2,256 drive-throughs achieved sales takings of around £2.8bn, down a little from the £3bn in the 12 months of the height of the pandemic when drive-throughs were amongst the few retail food outlets still open.
Always one to manipulate the data to develop application, I work that out at approximately £1.24 million per outlet, or £3,400 per day. That sounds about right.
And there's more data for us to consider. The outlets attracted close to 500m visits a year.
Which means we can calculate average spend per drive-through visit. Takings of £2.8bn, divided by 500 million visits = £5.60 per visit.
Anyway, back to the article!
Read it through and jot down the relative benefits and drawbacks of operating a drive-through compared with a traditional fast-food sales outlet. Spoiler alert - there appear to be many more upsides than downsides.
Which, along with increasing consumer preference for "food on the go" helps explain why demand for new drive-through locations is so strong.
You might also like
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/host-jimriley.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Product Trial at McDonald's - Table Service
9th August 2015
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/host-jimriley.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
The Biz Quiz - 4 November 2015
4th November 2015
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/host-jimriley.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Asos sticks by its strategy - even if it means losing older customers
26th November 2015
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/host-jimriley.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Music Streaming Powers Ahead
13th January 2016
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/host-jimriley.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Takeover Strategy - Who Might Buy Yahoo?
6th February 2016
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/host-jimriley.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Can Ikea Succeed in India?
13th August 2016