Across the restaurant industry, consumer expectations are changing faster than ever. Guests want convenience, speed, and flexibility, and the rise of drive-thru-only (DTO) restaurants is one response to that shift.

These locations allow brands to open in smaller or nontraditional lots, reduce overhead, and serve high volumes efficiently. However, creating a successful location is not simply a matter of removing indoor seating. Every aspect of design impacts operations and guest experience.

HFA has partnered with brands for years to meet these challenges head-on. HFA holds the prototype for Slim Chickens, including its DTO-model, the “Fly-Thru  .”  This model, which only has one open location so far, illustrates HFA’s dedication to principles that apply across the industry.

A Prototype in Action: The Fayetteville Fly-Thru

Slim Chickens began working with HFA in 2014   and  approached the hospitality and entertainment team in 2024 with a clear objective: to create their first drive-thru-only restaurant and a replicable model for future locations. The Fayetteville, Arkansas “Fly-Thru” became that testing ground.

For over five years , Kelly King, HFA Architectural Team Lead, has partnered with Slim Chickens, working directly with corporate leadership and franchisees to ensure that designs reflect the brand’s operational needs and hospitality standards. Kelly’s long-term involvement made her uniquely positioned to lead the Fly-Thru project. She understood the brand’s voice, the expectations of franchise operators, and the practical challenges of real-world sites.

From the start, the project required careful problem-solving. Fayetteville’s site constraints meant that kitchens had to be compact but capable of high-volume service, and the exterior had to clearly convey the Slims brand even without a dining area. Kelly oversaw the process and worked closely with the Slims team to create something scalable to other sites.

Designing for Efficiency and Experience

HFA approached the Fly-Thru with a focus on three integrated elements: operational efficiency, guest experience, and brand consistency.

The team optimized the drive-thru lane layout, balancing traffic flow with kitchen output to minimize wait times. Every square foot of the kitchen was configured to handle high-volume service within a smaller footprint, ensuring staff could work efficiently without compromising food quality. Exterior materials, lighting, signage, and architectural features were carefully curated to convey the brand’s southern-hospitality identity, while highlighting the unique character of this site.

Because Slim Chickens’ corporate headquarters (and its very first restaurant) are based in Fayetteville, this project carried a special sense of significance. For Bentonville-based HFA, it also meant being able to provide hands-on support throughout the process. Kelly and her team were just minutes away whenever questions arose, allowing them to tackle challenges in real time and ensure the prototype performed as well in practice as it did on paper.

That close collaboration with Slim Chickens’ corporate team made the design process both practical and personal. By combining on-site insight with ongoing design guidance, HFA helped translate the concept into a franchise-ready model that could be rolled out consistently across markets.

Extending Lessons Across Brands

While the Fayetteville Fly-Thru is a concrete example, the lessons HFA applies extend far beyond a single location. Designing drive-thru-only models requires:

• Strategic site planning: Evaluating traffic patterns, site constraints, and customer behavior to optimize flow.
• Prototype ownership: Maintaining control of design standards and documentation to ensure repeatability across multiple locations.
• Cross-team collaboration: Bridging corporate vision and franchisee realities to reduce delays, solve operational challenges, and maintain brand consistency.

These principles apply to any brand exploring drive-thru-only expansion. By combining architectural expertise with operational understanding, HFA enables restaurants to grow efficiently without sacrificing guest experience or brand integrity.

Impact and Forward-Thinking Design

The Fayetteville Fly-Thru has set a precedent for drive-thru-only locations. It allows Slim Chickens to expand into smaller and nontraditional lots, accelerates site-to-opening timelines, and ensures every location delivers a consistent brand experience. Beyond that, it provides a scalable template that can guide future franchise expansions, offering both corporate teams and operators the variety needed in a convenience-focused market.

“Drive-thru-only locations aren’t just about speed,” King said, reflecting on the broader significance. “They’re about strategy, alignment, and ensuring every location delivers the guest experience the brand promises. By integrating design, operations, and collaboration, we create a model that can scale across markets while staying true to the brand.”

HFA’s work demonstrates that successful drive-thru-only expansion requires more than architectural skill; it requires long-term partnership, iterative problem-solving, and a deep understanding of the operational realities of the restaurant business.

Takeaway

For restaurant brands pursuing drive-thru-only formats, HFA’s approach provides a roadmap for scalable growth. Through careful site analysis, prototype ownership, collaborative problem-solving, and operationally informed design, brands can expand rapidly, maintain quality, and deliver a consistent guest experience.

The Fayetteville Fly-Thru proves that with the right planning and partnership, drive-thru-only concepts are not just feasible, they can become a strategic engine for growth.

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