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Quick Service Restaurants - US - May 2017

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Definition
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
The issues
Discount supermarkets receive modern, health forward updates
Figure 1: Food sales at home and away from home, December 2015-December 2016
Fast food faces a customization struggle
Figure 2: Interest in customizable menu items from 2016 to 2017, by iGens and Millennials, February 2016 and March 2017
Urban and suburban Millennials are not one and the same
Figure 3: Consumer attitudes toward QSRs, by urban and suburban Millennials, March 2017
The opportunities
Target iGens with speciality beverages
Figure 4: QSR beverage preferences, by iGens and Millennials, March 2017
Parents are a key demographic for basic coffee offerings
Figure 5: QSR beverage preferences, by parent and nonparent, March 2017
Fast food has tradition on its side
Figure 6: Trust toward QSR Menu Claims, March 2017
What it means
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Lunch becomes a core area of competition
Delivery is changing the game
An opportunity to bring back play
MARKET PERSPECTIVE
Delivery has changed what convenience means
Figure 7: Reasons for having restaurant food delivered, June 2016
Starbucks and grocery stores compete with the QSR space to target the lunch crowd
Life – An Informal Affair Trend
MARKET FACTORS 
The evolving definition of play for parents and kids
Affordable grocery stores cater to health forward food trends
Figure 8: Food sales at home and away from home, December 2015-December 2016
KEY TRENDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
The power of social media
Regional menu items provide local appeal
The operations behind automation
WHAT’S WORKING?
Regional dishes go national
Defining a fast food core in an evolving foodservice landscape
A social media identity
WHAT’S STRUGGLING?
Value in a competitive landscape
Breakfast gets competitive
WHAT’S NEXT?
Automation requires new operational logistics
Clean label commitments
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
Soda leads in beverage interest
Consumers are satisfied with fast food quality and consistency
Claims can have a different meaning for every generation
VISITATION BY CHAIN 
McDonald’s leads in visitation
Figure 9: QSR visitation by chain, March 2017
Men are a target consumer, but don’t count out women
Figure 10: QSR visitation by chain, by gender, March 2017
Figure 11: QSR visitation by chain, by gender and age, March 2017
Taco Bell appeals to younger consumers
Figure 12: QSR visitation by chain, by generation, March 2017
Higher income consumers are a demographic to watch
Figure 13: Any QSR visitation, by income, March 2017
Taco Bell and Arby’s share a similar demographic
Figure 14: visitation to QSR Chains, by Taco Bell Visitors, March 2017
Parents rely on fast food
Figure 15: QSR visitation by chain, by parent and nonparent, March 2017
Hispanics are core fast food consumers
Figure 16: QSR visitation by chain, by Hispanic origin, March 2017
QSR BEVERAGE PREFERENCES
Soda leads in fast food beverage preferences
Figure 17: QSR beverage preferences, March 2017
Iced tea appeals to women
Figure 18: QSR beverage preferences, by gender, March 2017
Parents love coffee
Figure 19: QSR beverage preferences, by parent and nonparent, March 2017
iGens care about the specialty beverages
Figure 20: QSR beverage preferences, by iGens and Millennials, March 2017
SATISFACTION ACROSS QSR CHAINS
Overall satisfaction for McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Arby’s
Figure 21: Key drivers of satisfaction with QSRs, March 2017
Taco Bell delivers in innovation
Figure 22: Key drivers of satisfaction with Taco Bell, March 2017
McDonald’s struggles with innovation and health
Figure 23: Key drivers of satisfaction with McDonald’s, March 2017
Arby’s drives satisfaction with menu variety
Figure 24: Key drivers of satisfaction with Arby’s, March 2017
TRUST TOWARD MENU ITEM CLAIMS
Classic and Traditional are the most trusted claims for fast food
Figure 25: Trust toward QSR Menu Claims, March 2017
What claims are really on the menu?
Figure 26: QSR menu item claims, Q1 2015-Q1 2017
Figure 27: QSR menu item claims, Q1 2015-Q1 2017
Women need increased proof for natural claims
Figure 28: Trust toward select QSR Menu Claims, by gender, March 2017
Claims have a different meaning for every generation
Figure 29: Trust toward QSR Menu Claims, by generation, March 2017
Blacks lean toward the homestyle claim
Figure 30: Trust toward QSR Menu Claims, by blacks and non-blacks, March 2017
Hispanic Millennials trust the handcrafted approach
Figure 31: Trust toward QSR Menu Claims, by Hispanic Millennials and non-Hispanic Millennials, March 2017
Taco Bell defines signature menu items
Figure 32: Trust toward QSR Menu Claims, by QSR chain, March 2017
ATTITUDES TOWARD QSRS
Convenience remains key area of focus for fast food
Figure 33: Consumer attitudes towards QSRs, by generation, March 2017
Coffee presents opportunity
Men value the fast food experience more than women
Figure 34: Consumer attitudes towards QSRs, by gender, March 2017
Coffee happy hours can appeal to Hispanic consumers
Figure 35: Consumer attitudes towards QSRs, by Hispanic origin, March 2017
Happy hour anyone?
Figure 36: Consumer attitudes towards QSRs, by age, March 2017
QSR MENU PREFERENCES 
The healthy challenge
Figure 37: Menu preferences at QSRs from 2016-2017, February 2016 and March 2017
Women care about healthy sides and men care about premium ingredients
Figure 38: Menu preferences at QSRs, by gender, March 2017
Healthy sides versus fried sides
Figure 39: Interest in healthy and fried sides from 2016 to 2017, by iGens and Millennials, February 2016 and March 2017
Offering customization in moderation
Figure 40: Interest in customizable menu items from 2016 to 2017, by iGens and Millennials, February 2016 and March 2017
Sauce on the side…
Figure 41: QSR menu preferences, by parents and non-parents, March 2017
Can organic and fast food work together?
Figure 42: QSR menu preferences from 2016 to 2017, by race and Hispanic origin, March 2017
A LOOK INTO MILLENNIALS 
Don’t count out urban Millennials
Figure 43: QSR visitation by chain, by urban and suburban Millennials, March 2017
Delivery presents opportunity with Millennials
Figure 44: Consumer attitudes toward QSRs, by urban and suburban Millennials, March 2017
Basic coffee fits the bill
Figure 45: Interest in QSR beverages, by Millennial parental status, living location and income level, March 2017
Signature versus premium
Figure 46: Trust toward QSR Menu Claims, by Millennial parental status, living location and income level, March 2017
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES AND ABBREVIATIONS
Data sources
Consumer survey data
Abbreviations
Abbreviations
Terms
APPENDIX – CONSUMER 
Figure 47: Distribution of generations, by hispanic origin, 2017
APPENDIX – KEY DRIVER ANALYSIS
Interpretation of results
Figure 48: Level of satisfaction with Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and Arby’s – Key driver output, March 2017
Figure 48: Level of satisfaction with Taco Bell – Key driver output, March 2017
Figure 49: Level of satisfaction with McDonald’s – Key driver output, March 2017
Figure 50: Level of satisfaction with Arby’s – Key driver output, March 2017

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