learnthe4ps.com - For students of marketing.

This long article examines the importance of the drive-thru window for quick serve restaurants (QSRs).  For example, some Taco Bell  locations get 70% of their business the drive-thru window, with  80% of that revenue coming during the 90 minute lunchtime rush!  With this in mind, Taco Bell has focused on improving the speed and quality of the customer drive-thru experience.  This article, “Taco Bell and the Golden Age of Drive-Thru” (Bloomberg Businessweek, May 5, 2011) details many of those strategy changes.

What do you think this move has to say about changes in consumer behavior?  What other strategy changes could Taco Bell make to further appeal to the drive-thru customer?  Think about each of the 4 Ps.

I know that many marketing students go to work in retail where they often find great opportunities for responsibility and experience.  This short article in Forbes “The 10 Best Employers in Retail,” (Forbes, December 2, 2010) might help you identify some target “customers” for your personal marketing plan.  The downside of this article is the requirement that you have to page through one of those annoying multi-page “slide shows” to see the entire top 10 list.  Don’t you hate those things?  It is worth a look as the list includes some surprises (at least to me).  A quick preview — the top 3 were Overstock.com, REI and Maurices.