• by Teresa Buyikian , August 29, 2023

Consumers top-ranked a McDonald’s ice cream dish for its sales potential in a national study reacting to  QSR summer menu item introductions, according to advertising and marketing effectiveness platform System1 Group. Customers also rated the dish -- McDonald’s Peanut Butter Crunch McFlurry, which combines vanilla soft serve blended with crispy cereal mix and chocolate peanut butter cookie pieces -- “exceptional.”

The London-based System1 Group tested seven of the biggest summer menu product launches using its Test Your Idea platform, which polls consumers on if they would buy or sell shares in a product idea. Responses are measured on three factors: emotional pull (what and how intensely people feel about the idea), predicted acceptance (profit potential according to whether they’d buy or sell shares in the idea), and decision speed (how quickly each idea spurs them to buy shares).

An estimated 500 consumers tested each of the products. Results are in the form of ratings from 1 to 6 stars, depending on the consumer’s opinion on resulting potential for profit.

The Peanut Butter McFlurry was rated 5.5 stars, which indicates “160% above normal sales potential with high profitability,” according to the report. Coming in second was Wendy’s Frosty Cream Cold Brew at 4.4 stars, 100% above normal sales potential with medium profitability. Both products saw high “happiness” reactions among consumers at 50% and higher.

Additional results were as follows: Popeye’s Oreo Cheesecake Cup at 3.9 stars, 50% above normal sales potential and a solid investment; Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Taco, 2.5 stars, 10% above normal sales potential but risk of waste; Cold Stone Cotton Candy, 2.4 stars, 10% above normal sales potential but risk of waste; Burger King Chicken & Waffle Fries, 1.8 stars, 20% below normal sales potential and waste; and Pizza Hut Hot Honey Pizza, 1.4 stars, 20% below normal sales potential and waste.

The report can be viewed here in its entirety.