Pandemic-era drive-thru pivot (2020)
When COVID-19 shut dining rooms, McDonald's and other chains relied on drive-thru and delivery. Many stores remodeled to speed up drive-thru lanes, and some kept dining rooms closed even after restrictions lifted.
Sales recovered through off-premise channels, with drive-thru and delivery taking a larger share of revenue.
The chain's revenue mix shifted away from dine-in, making no-seating formats more common.
It explains why a McDonald's can open in 2026 with no seating at all.
