Traffic Planning for McDonald’s: Drive-Through Restaurant Case Study

Traffic Planning Consultants (TPC) has supported McDonald’s NZ Limited since 1988, delivering traffic engineering and transport planning services for the majority of McDonald’s restaurant developments across New Zealand. Our involvement spans the full project lifecycle — from site selection and feasibility through to consenting, design, and construction — ensuring efficient drive-through functionality and integration with surrounding road networks.

Summary

Project Overview

Client: McDonald’s NZ Limited
Location: Nationwide, including Karaka, Cavendish Drive (Manukau), and Marshland Road (Christchurch)
Scope: Traffic planning and engineering for new drive-through restaurant sites
Challenges: Efficient site circulation, peak-time traffic management, and compliance with varying local authority requirements

Our Approach

Site Selection and Layout Design
TPC contributed to the due diligence process for proposed restaurant locations, assessing access feasibility, traffic impacts, and on-site design constraints. We developed circulation layouts that optimised drive-through flow, car parking, and servicing operations.

Impact Mitigation and Consent Strategy
For each site, we identified mitigation measures to minimise traffic impacts on the surrounding network. Our team prepared comprehensive Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) reports to support successful resource consent applications, tailoring each to local council requirements.

National Expertise and Consistency
With decades of experience supporting McDonald’s rollouts, TPC ensures consistency and reliability across developments. Our national perspective allows us to respond efficiently to local regulatory conditions while upholding McDonald’s operational standards.

Key Outcomes

Delivered optimised layouts for safe, smooth traffic flow through restaurant sites
Supported fast-tracked development through robust TIA reporting and council liaison
Identified and addressed potential effects on local roads and intersections
Trusted advisor for traffic planning across McDonald’s NZ’s evolving national footprint

Developing a new drive-through or fast food outlet?
Traffic Planning Consultants provide expert Traffic Engineering Investigation and Design and Traffic Impact Assessment services tailored for high-volume commercial developments with complex access and circulation demands.

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