FORT WORTH, Texas — McDonald’s is testing out a new restaurant concept designed for on-the-go customers. The first newfangled fast-food restaurant opened in Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 1.

This specific location will feature an Order Ahead Lane, which is different from the normal drive-thru. Customers will be able to order ahead on their McDonald’s app prior to their arrival and then receive their meal via a food and beverage conveyor belt.

“At McDonald’s, we’ve been setting the standard for drive-thrus for more than 45 years,” said Max Carmona, senior director of Global Design & Restaurant Development at McDonald’s. “As our customers' needs continue to change, we are committed to finding new ways to serve them faster and easier than ever before.”

This Fort Worth McDonald’s is smaller than the traditional fast-food restaurant, with the intention of providing for customers who want to eat at home or on the go. There is a delivery pick-up room inside for couriers to retrieve food quickly. Customers can also place to-go orders at kiosks and pick up their food on a shelf. Like other McDonald’s restaurant, this test restaurant still has curbside pickup as well as parking spots for delivery drivers.

The new Order Ahead Lane uses technology that allows the restaurant to prepare the customer’s food when they are near the McDonald’s.

“The technology in this restaurant not only allows us to serve our customers in new, innovative ways, it gives our restaurant team the ability to concentrate more on order speed and accuracy, which makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone,” said Keith Vanecek, the franchisee operating the test restaurant.

As of now, the restaurant is the only one of its kind as McDonald’s “tests and learns” about this new concept.

“Testing this new restaurant concept is part of McDonald’s ‘Accelerating the Arches’ growth strategy and we first shared our plans for this concept at our Investor Update in 2020. We're always innovating to improve our customer experience, no matter how they want to order or receive their food. I am immensely proud to have this new restaurant concept serving our customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex,” Vanecek said.