Vehicle stacking (the silent deal-breaker)
Drive-thru concepts need 8-15+ vehicle stacks depending on brand. Most local zoning measures stack from the order point back. If your site can't physically hold the queue, your traffic-engineering review fails — and you're back to lease negotiation. Confirm stack length on the survey before you sign.
Setbacks and brand prototype
Brand prototype manuals specify minimum building setback from the drive lane, the property line, and the street. Some sites that look great on a satellite image don't actually fit the prototype once you overlay the manual. We walk the site with the prototype manual open before pre-construction.
Parking ratios
Most jurisdictions require 1 parking stall per 3-4 seats inside. Drive-thru-only concepts need fewer stalls, but ADA stalls are non-negotiable. Hidden gotcha: some municipalities count drive-thru stack vehicles toward parking — others don't. Read the local code.
Utility tie-ins drive your CO date
Sewer, water, and grease-trap connections are the longest-lead utility items. We want to know the depth and direction of the existing main on day one of pre-construction. Surprise utility relocations have killed more opening dates than any other single factor.
Bottom line
Site selection is the single biggest driver of whether you open on your investor date. Get the site right and the rest of the build is execution. Get the site wrong and no contractor can save the schedule. Free site review for 7 Brew franchisees and other QSR operators across the Southeast.