As restaurants find themselves moving closer
to normality, many are placing different bets about which -- if any -- of COVID-era consumer trends are likely to be permanent.
A new study from Market Force, based on responses from some
9,500 consumers about what they expect from quick-serve restaurants going forward, has teased out four areas that it says QSR chains should invest in, even as the memory of pandemic purchasing
fades.
Make apps more appetizing. Consumers spent the last 15 months happily downloading apps that made eating easier, with Uber Eats and DoorDash among the most popular. Brands
should lean into this digital transformation by making their apps shine.
"An increase in branded app downloads creates an opportunity for QSR brands to replace the third-party giants, cut down
on fees, and take full control of the customer journey," notes the report. High-performing apps help "brands create a consistent experience that is on-brand and resonates with customers. With this
level of control, QSR brands will be able to understand what actions will improve conversion, create trust and build loyalty."
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McDonald’s, for example, is promoting its collaboration
with supergroup BTS with plenty of in-app content.
Build good clean trust. "Expectations increased as priorities moved to health and safety first, which have in turn shaped
decision making and buying behavior," the Peachtree Corners, Georgia-based market research company says. Consumers are currently choosing restaurant brands they believe provide clean and
sanitized experiences, and will likely continue this trend.
Listen better. Omnichannel communication makes it easier for customers to complain rather than just walk away. That allows
restaurants to find and fix problems faster before losing more business. "Real-time 'voice of the customer' feedback needs to be collected through multiple channels (offline and online) to make
communication convenient," Market Force says.
Sharpen digital experiences. As consumers adopt more digital steps in all shopping areas, the brands investing most in improving
digital customer experience are more likely to delight customers and increase sales.
Most chains are already doing this. Yum! Brands recently announced plans to buy Dragontail Systems Limited,
an AI kitchen-order management system, for $72.5 million. It already uses the system in some 1,500 of its Pizza Hut stores and says it plans to expand the technology to KFC and Taco Bell.