Fast food chains are reducing their footprints for in-person dining to focus on processing off-premises orders, anticipating that consumer preferences for drive-thru, takeout and third-party delivery will remain strong after the pandemic wanes.

An example of the new format is a 2,500 SF prototype of a smaller Hardee's restaurant that recently debuted in Nashville. The unit has 22 interior seats, a 25% reduction of Hardee's traditional configuration.

Hardee's design plans for future restaurants include multiple drive-through lanes and a walk-up window devoted to third-party delivery, according to a recent report in QSR, a magazine that tracks the fast-food industry.