Two questions:
1) Why does it take so long to get a burger and it’s usually cold?
2) Why are some DQs not allowed to sell hamburgers?
1) Most DQ’s don’t do enough volume to establish sales perameters that can predict when you will be busy enough to confidently cook ahead of time knowing that someone will buy that burger while it’s still hot. Plus the vast majority of DQ’s use a flat grill that is hard to maintain 350 deg during peak periods as the heat goes out of the grill and takes longer to recover. You could cook ahead of time like McDonalds does and keep them under a hot lamp but then they’re dry. DQ counters with “we cook it just for you, just how you want it” but it takes more time. I re-modeled my stores and put in the same chain broilers used by Burger King with CCTV order monitors so as soon as you say it to the order taker the order would be started. Service times were reduced and quality was improved.
2) Some DQ’s don’t sell burgers because they are strictly ice cream and drinks “Treat Centers” usually located in malls where the mall operator has non-competition agreements in place with a competitor. Or sometimes it’s because the location doesn’t have the capability to have proper exhausting for a grill/broiler or for fryers. Also your insurance is substantially higher if you have fryers/grill/broiler.