McDonald's testing 60-second drive-thru service

OAK BROOK , Ill., Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Burger chain McDonald's is testing a 60-second drive-thru service in 800 locations across Florida, and will give customers a free sandwich if they fail.

The new project will be conducted daily in September between noon and 1 p.m., with the one-minute countdown starting as soon as customers leave the payment window. On paying for their meal customers will be given a small hourglass-shaped sand timer to check how long it takes to get their meal.

"The 60-second guarantee promotion supports our priority of providing an enjoyable lunch experience for customers in Florida," said McDonald's spokeswoman Lisa McComb.

If a customer is made to wait for more than 60 seconds they will be given a free sandwich the next time they visit the McDonald's location.

McDonald's has been increasingly relying on drive-thru wait areas as they have not been able to service these orders in a timely manner. The company's average drive-thru service time was 3 minutes and 15 seconds, including time spent ordering and paying, according to QSR Magazine's Drive Thru Study.

McComb said customers outside Florida may never see this service as it isn't a test planned for national rollout.