Several weeks ago, The Street reported the following news regarding Starbucks: " Starbucks also seems to be having trouble dealing with the rapid rise and popularity of its mobile order and pay technology. On a conference call with analysts, executives said there has been significant uptick in the usage of mobile order and pay. The jump created operational challenges, especially at its highest volume stores at peak traffic hours. The congestion at the beverage hand-off counter resulted in some customers who entered stores or considered visiting a location, but decided not to complete a transaction, the company said."
Meanwhile, this week The Street reported that Dunkin' Donuts would be trimming its menu to improve wait times: "We have thousands of combinations of drinks and sandwiches on our menu, in some cases more than McDonald's (MCD) and other competitors -- we have perhaps gotten too complex," acknowledged Dunkin' Brands Chairman and CEO Nigel Travis in an interview with TheStreet. Travis believes simplifying the menu will help speed up lines both in stores and via drive-thrus."
The issues facing both Starbucks and Dunkin' are not unique. As retail chains mature, they face formidable challenges regarding same-store sales increases. How can they continue to increase comps year after year, even as their industry and their chain matures? Many restaurants resort to "menu innovation" as a means of jumpstarting growth. However, menu innovation inevitably means menu expansion at many restaurant chains. Therefore, operations become substantially more complex. Operating efficiencies diminish, and wait times increase. Customer service begins to suffer. The best chains prune their menus from time to time, so as to regain efficiencies and reduce wait times. Of course, some customers will miss certain items that they have grown to love. Chains need to be prepared for such complaints and train their staff members as to how to handle this pushback appropriately. The chains that are most successful are ready and able to discuss the changes with customers, and they provide a consistent and effective response to customer questions across all locations.
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