How Coffee Drive Thrus Can Use Tech Without Losing Hospitality

The best systems remove friction while keeping baristas at the center.

In coffee drive thrus, technology is increasingly positioned as the answer to speed, accuracy, labor pressure, and tighter margins. But guests do not necessarily want a fully automated experience. According to the National Restaurant Association, 62 percent of limited-service guests prefer traditional employee-provided service over an experience involving technology. At the same time, 40 percent said they welcome technology that makes ordering easier and faster.

For coffee operators, there should not be a choice between tech and hospitality. Using technology to make hospitality easier to deliver is where the real opportunity lies.

Hospitality first approach

“At The Human Bean, we start with the guest experience,” says Scott Anderson, chief operating officer of The Human Bean. “We call it the ‘Bean on Top,’ and it serves as the filter for every technology decision we make. Technology should support the connection between our baristas and guests—not replace it or create another obstacle.”

That mindset creates a practical test for every new investment. Does it make ordering more convenient? Does it improve speed, accuracy, or consistency? And does it provide clear value to franchisees? If not, it may be interesting technology, but it is not necessarily the right technology for the brand.

The most effective restaurant technology often operates quietly in the background. It improves information flow, gives teams more visibility, and removes moments of friction that can slow service or cause an order error.

Streamlining operations

That is particularly important in specialty beverage operations, where customization can make accuracy difficult during high-volume periods. The Human Bean has worked closely with Toast to develop a drive-thru technology system around its operating model, including order-confirmation screens that give guests and team members additional opportunities to verify an order before it is completed.

“Behind the scenes, the system also creates a clearer and more consistent flow of information from the point of order to the baristas preparing the drinks,” Anderson says. “That visibility helps reduce miscommunication, prevents mistakes from traveling further down the line, and allows corrections to be made before the guest reaches the window.”

The result is fewer re-makes and stronger throughput, but the advantage is bigger than efficiency alone. Better systems can reduce stress for baristas during a rush, giving them more capacity to focus on the drink and the guest in front of them. For The Human Bean, maintaining human connection means choosing tools that help baristas remain present in the experience.

Rather than replacing order-taking with an automated voice, The Human Bean uses handheld devices that allow baristas to meet guests at their vehicles, take their orders face to face, and send those orders into the store in real time. Production can begin immediately while the guest still receives a personal interaction.

“That approach allows technology and hospitality to work together,” Anderson says. “The technology improves speed, order flow, and execution, while the barista creates the personal connection that keeps guests coming back.”

That distinction matters as automation accelerates across the industry. According to Toast’s 2026 Regulars Report, only 30 percent of guests say they consistently feel recognized by restaurants they frequent, while 48 percent say being remembered by staff is what makes them feel most valued—more than twice the share who prioritize points-based rewards.

Balancing tech and labor

The same principle should guide technology that guests never see. AI and other tools can support forecasting, scheduling, training, communication, and decision-making, helping operators protect margins without treating labor as a function to eliminate.

“The right balance is to automate tasks—not relationships,” Anderson says. “Use technology to remove friction, improve decision-making, and give team members more time to focus on guests.”

For franchisees, that means adopting technology deliberately, with training, implementation guidance, and field feedback. The goal is not to make a coffee drive thru feel more automated. It is to give baristas the tools to deliver faster, more accurate, and more consistent service while preserving the neighborhood connection that gives guests a reason to return.