Fast food customers know sometimes the drive-thru just isn't that speedy.
But there may be good news for the time pressed: some McDonald's locations are guaranteeing speed at breakfast...and they're putting free food on the line. (Tweet this)
As part of a new 60-second guarantee that began Monday, guests at restaurants in the New England states (excluding Fairfield County, Connecticut) will get a timer once they pay for their breakfast. If they do not receive their breakfast within 60 seconds, they will get a coupon for a free sandwich on a future visit. The promotion will last until the end of August, wrote company spokeswoman Lisa McComb in an email.
Other locations have tried similar promotions in the past. Last summer, a separate promotion offered McDonald's customers at participating South Florida restaurants free food if their lunch did not arrive within 60 seconds after paying for it.
Improving speed and accuracy are key goals for McDonald's as it continues its turnaround attempt.
As part of this effort, the company is testing a simplified drive-thru menu board, which will slash the number of items listed by half in favor of featuring its most popular items.
Read MoreMcDonald's tackles drive-thru's oldest problem
A separate initiative at the chain attempts to cut down on drive-thru order mistakes. The new program called "Ask, Ask, Tell" instructs drive-thru crew to repeatedly verify the correct order at three separate times (when a customer orders, pays and receives a meal) to improve accuracy.
Currently, about 70 percent of McDonald's sales occur via the drive-thru, highlighting just how important it is for McDonald's to put the "fast" back in the fast food drive-thru.