---
title: "Nathan Lester Joins Scooter’s Coffee to Lead Drive-Thru Innovation"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/f8a455fb-5195-43f0-8b1d-6af64c4df814
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20210707_nathan_lester_joins_scooters_coffee_to_lead_drivethru_innovation.html
category: "Coffee & tea"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Coffee & tea"
topics: ["Operations"]
published: 2021-07-07T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:28:03.245Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504674900247-0877df9cc836?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Nathan Lester Joins Scooter’s Coffee to Lead Drive-Thru Innovation

**TL;DR:** Nathan Lester joins Scooter's Coffee as Senior Director of Drive-Thru Innovation, bringing experience from McDonald's. He will focus on enhancing the customer experience and driving growth goals.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2021-07-07. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20210707_nathan_lester_joins_scooters_coffee_to_lead_drivethru_innovation.html).*

## Story

Prior to Scooter’s Coffee, Lester led strategic initiatives for the past 9 years at McDonald’s, enabling a superior customer experience. Initiatives included digitizing supply chain processes, automating business practices, designing/building the first global sustainability data collection/reporting solution and leading the implementation of its Automated Order Taking initiative.

Lester also oversaw McDonald’s innovation restaurants, implementing breakthrough practices in live environments. Initiatives included voice-activated drive-thru capabilities, predictive production management, robotic/automated cooking equipment and more that drove better business efficiencies and performance.

The Senior Director of Drive-Thru Innovation is a key strategic position at Scooter’s Coffee as the company strives to achieve growth goals and provide innovative ways for customers to get amazing drinks, amazingly fast. Scooter’s Coffee continues to grow rapidly while it strives to provide the best customer drive-thru interaction in the world. Speed, consistency and an amazing customer experience is at the heart of Scooter’s Coffee sales growth.

Prior to his time at McDonald’s, Lester received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois and worked as a Civil Engineer, master planning and designing municipal treatment solutions across the United States. He was enlisted in the United States Air Force where he was a computer programmer, served on the base Honor Guard and completed a tour of duty in Kuwait.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- McDonald's (company)
- customer experience (topic)
- Scooter's Coffee (company)
- growth goals (topic)
- drive-thru innovation (topic)

---
Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20210707_nathan_lester_joins_scooters_coffee_to_lead_drivethru_innovation.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/f8a455fb-5195-43f0-8b1d-6af64c4df814).