Dive Brief:
- Bojangles will install electric vehicle chargers across several locations, the company said Monday in a press release. The rollout will begin during Q4 2025, with the stations coming online in 2026. The exact number of participating locations has yet to be determined, a company spokesperson said in an email to Restaurant Dive.
- The partnership is with Smart Big Box, Alyath EV, and Energy and Environmental Design Services. Smart Big Box has contracted with Energy and Environmental Design Services as the installer and maintenance partner, according to the press release.
- Other chains, such as Subway, Taco Bell and Starbucks, have added charging stations at a limited number of locations in recent years, but there has yet to be widespread adoption of EV charging stations as a design staple in the QSR sector.
Dive Insight:
The addition of charging stations is generally aligned with Bojangles’ effort to expand the use of new tech across its system. Last year, the chain began deploying voice AI at hundreds of drive-thrus and installed self-order kiosks throughout its system. The QSR is also eyeing nationwide expansion. Bojangles tech adoptions could benefit new and existing franchisees that want another feature to attract customers.
The EV charging stations are meant to provide convenience for Bojangles’ customers, allowing them to charge their vehicles while they eat their meals. Each restaurant will have a minimum of four charging posts, and each station will vary between level two (medium) and level three (high speed) with the goal of over 97% uptime. Average charge times are 30 minutes for level three/high speed, but the actual time could vary depending on the level of the station and vehicle specifications, a company spokesperson said.
QSRs can benefit from EV charging stations by offering added features to customers who spend at least 15 minutes at the store, about the time it takes for ultra fast charging, experts previously told Restaurant Dive. ChargeNet said that many EV drivers chose to eat at Taco Bell locations with chargers.
Restaurants may be attracting more EV charging sessions than convenience stores, according to a recent report. Sessions at restaurants with an EV charger rose 22% to 225 monthly sessions from September 2023 to December 2024.
Restaurants typically provide 300kW stations, which are more popular with drivers than the models most frequently used by c-stores. This trend could provide another competitive advantage over the c-store industry at a time when that sector’s foodservice options threaten to eat into restaurant traffic.
