In most quick serve restaurants, employees serve customers either through drive through service windows or through full-sized doors. Now, TORMAX, a global leader in automatic sliding door systems, has created innovative new automatic hybrid systems that combine both the service window and the full-size door for maximum flexibility and efficiency for curbside and drive-through restaurant service.
The new TORMAX service sliding door systems are specially engineered for drive-through restaurants and stores. During slower times, the door can be configured as a service window for standard drive through use. During peak hours, the system can function as an automatic door, allowing employees to quickly, efficiently step in and out of the restaurant to deliver food directly to customers in their vehicles.
“This is an entirely new concept that gives drive-through restaurants and businesses the flexibility to use these systems as either a service window, or as a full, automatic sliding door that allows employees to quickly go in and out of the building to deliver food to customers,” says Clint Butts, TORMAX National Accounts Manager. “The advantages include improved productivity and increased efficiency in serving customers.”
The new TORMAX systems have been tested in drive-through restaurants, coffee shops and grocery stores throughout the country and have a proven track record of improving productivity and increasing revenues. These versatile automatic door systems are ideal for both payment areas and food preparation and delivery areas. Many [quick-service restaurant] customers are installing two of the doors for use in both payment and food delivery areas.
“Our customers have analyzed the traffic flow during peak service hours and have found that even minor bottlenecks in customer service areas can have a big impact on revenue,” Mr. Butts says. “These versatile new automatic service sliding door systems can quickly pay for themselves by allowing restaurant managers to maximize productivity and efficiency and serve more customers per hour.”
During low volume hours, door panels can be kept closed and locked, with only the service window active, acting as a drive-through window for taking payments and transferring food to customers. During high volume times, the full door panels are powered open and closed, allowing employees to walk through the door to serve customers at their vehicles. These easy-to-use doors allow employees to carry more food and deliver more orders at a time instead of fumbling with door handles with full hands. They also allow a more personalized customer exchange, enhancing customer service.
Operation of the Service-Slider is controlled by a Knowing-Act Device (ex. Touchless push-plates) on the interior, with options for Access-Controlled activation for the exterior side.
The TORMAX Service-Sliding door systems offer three product lines and five models, with all units sized to meet specific needs of each business. Options include:
• Split panel service sliding door: automatic bi-part sliding door panels are split into an upper and lower half. Employees can set only the upper panel to open, creating a service window, or upper and lower panels can open for walk-through service.
• Half-panel service sliding door: automatic bi-part sliding doors with manual exterior door panels that close to form a counter for food trays, etc. With service window panels mounted on the exterior, this configuration positions the server closer to the drive-through customer. Also available in a hurricane impact-rated model.
• “C” panel service sliding door: Automatic bi-part sliding doors with manual exterior service window panels. The enlarged “C” panel design reduces the service window opening height and width for maximum energy efficiency. Also available in a hurricane impact-rated model.
As a leader in automatic door systems worldwide since 1951, TORMAX has developed motorized door systems with powerful motors that work quickly and efficiently, for greater productivity, better access control and environmental separation.
