• by Teresa Buyikian , 9 hours ago

As many QSRs have recently revamped their loyalty programs, they are apparently doing so with good reason. A recent report revealed that consumer “loyalty” isn’t quite what it used to be.

The 2026 Phygital Index Report from commerce solution provider Tillster discovered that 45% of consumers have changed their favorite go-to restaurant over the past year. That’s a  substantial increase from the 1/3 who said the same in 2025.

Value, and what consumers perceive value to be, appears to be driving the change. While price remains a top consideration, consumers are placing increasing emphasis on food quality (45%), convenience (44%) and speed (34%) in determining where to spend their dining dollars.

“As more brands compete on price, consumers are taking a closer look at whether the dining experience is worth what they’re paying,” Tillster CMO Hope Neiman told QSR Insider. “Even in difficult economic times, consumers still use dining occasions to connect with each other, reward themselves or simply because it’s the most convenient option for them in the moment. Increasingly, that connection component is becoming a bigger part of how consumers define value.”

The report, which was compiled from a survey of 2,144 U.S. consumers, also revealed that delivery fees are affecting dining habits. Over 60% said they had abandoned a food delivery order due to service fees, while 33% select lower priced menu items and 26% tip less to bring the cost down.

Over one fourth (27%) of those surveyed said they have increased their usage of loyalty programs, but 28% said they’re actually “dissatisfied” with the loyalty programs they belong to, up from 15% in 2025. And despite many chains bumping up their programs, 39% of diners said they don’t even check their loyalty programs consistently, or at all, when deciding where to eat.

“Part of where consumers find value now is in feeling like a brand understands their ordering preferences and dining habits, so brands need to adapt how they engage both new and returning guests with this in mind,” added Neiman. For example, a marketer may rely on a discount to win a first-time consumer, but their job then becomes: How can we use that order data to provide value to that guest next time? In many instances, the best way to activate that data is through loyalty programs, but our data shows that those programs still need work.”

Yet consumers see the value of loyalty programs, with 74% saying the programs do drive additional spend.

“We’re not headed toward a world where consumers stop dining out altogether,” Neiman said. “What’s more likely is that as expectations continue to climb, it won’t be enough for brands to just offer the lowest price. A consumer may visit a QSR because it has the cheapest burger, but if the order is wrong, takes too long or comes cold, that experience destroys loyalty. That’s where the shift is happening: price might win the first visit but without a strong experience, it won’t win the next one.”