• by Teresa Buyikian , April 3, 2024

Fast food is fast becoming our new, not-so-guilty pleasure.

According to a new study, “Meet the Fast Food High Rollers,” commissioned by the advertising agency Partners +Napier, “more than 80 percent of people with household incomes of $100,000+ are hitting fast food at least once a week.”

And they’re pretty proud of their dining habits – 79% of those respondents would never think to hide that they’re fast food loyalists from their friends, family and co-workers.

Additional interesting findings of the study, found here, which surveyed 1,128 consumers nationwide, include that 74% of these high-income customers like to treat themselves on days they’re in the office and “61% eat out when working from home just to get out of the house.” Despite that these “high rollers” can afford to spend more money on food, 79% said they “love the indulgence of fast food.”

Marketing Daily heard from Partners + Napier’s VP, group strategy director CJ Gaffney on the study’s findings, and what they mean for quick service restaurant (QSR) marketing. (Lightly edited for clarity.)

Marketing Daily: Why do higher income households choose fast food when they can afford much more?

Gaffney: It offers convenience, speed, and consistency amidst their busy lifestyles. Personally, my last fast-food trip involved sitting at McDonald’s with a team of 3rd graders in between games during a travel basketball tournament. Active families are over-scheduled and that leaves little time for anything that doesn’t quite keep to the plan. Additionally, mobile app ordering and loyalty programs have increased our engagement with brands that get it right. Any way you slice it, time is money, and fast food provides a quick solution without compromising schedules.

Marketing Daily: Is this part of a wider trend of a decline in sit-down dining? Extension of the casualness adopted during Covid?

Gaffney: The preference for fast food and the decline in sit-down dining may indeed reflect a broader trend towards convenience and casualness, amplified by the normalization of takeout and delivery during the pandemic. Fast food offers a hassle-free dining experience that aligns with shifting consumer preferences for flexibility and simplicity. Yes, there is a definitive trend toward more takeout/drive-through and a growing generational lean toward casual dining. Other reports suggest Gen Z vastly prefers takeout and – when they do dine in, they are opting for fast casual environments over higher-end dining.

Marketing Daily: Why do you think higher income customers see fast food as an indulgence?

Gaffney: High-income individuals may view fast food as an indulgence because it represents a departure from their typically health-conscious dietary habits. It's an immediate and ever-available pleasure, a momentary escape from the rigors of taking themselves too seriously (which we’re all guilty of from time to time) and a nostalgic reminder of simpler times.

Marketing Daily: How do these results affect marketing and advertising? Should QSR brands target higher incomes?

Gaffney: These insights underscore the need for QSR brands to understand and continue to cater to diverse consumer segments, including but not limited to income level. While traditionally associated with value and affordability, I think the real magic of QSR brands is their permission to play in cultural relevance, while largely staying relatable. Some fast-food brands have hit it big by building connections to pop culture and joining the conversation. When that’s done right, it reaches across all income levels and becomes a binding agent, which I think is why we see so many more “proud patrons” in our study than we did “low-key lovers.”