The QSR Brand’s Not-So-Secret Weapon: Mobile Phones

People use their phones for just about everything. Whether it’s to find a date, text a mate or remind them of an important task, cell phones are the new lifeblood of our personal lives and productivity. And that productivity is converting to profit for savvy QSR brands as they are turning to mobile to make customer interaction easier - and more effective.

For the cost of implementing a mobile app or similar rewards program, there is a significant return on investment. And that’s why you’ll see more and more brands turning to mobile platforms to attract, retain and re-engage with their customer base.

Sure, mobile is cool, but is really that important to a QSR?

Actually, yes. In a recent U.S. study, it was shown that:

Over 60% of patrons have a QSR app on their mobile device. Many have more than one.

Over 70% have used their mobile devices inside a QSR location.

Over 30% use a mobile app (loyalty, discount, etc) every time the eat at a QSR location.

That translates into a lot of people spending a lot of time on their phones in their favorite restaurants. If we read into this a little bit more, we can see that customers are turning to mobile to enhance their dining experience - to make it easier, to save them money and to have more control over how they interact with their favorite dining brands.

So how is mobile boosting the bottom line for QSRs?

Well, if we look at the main three tasks people are using their phones for when it comes to QSRs, we see that they all lead to greater profits. But the question remains - how is this happening? Let’s take a look…

Mobile marketing boosts monthly visits. From searching for the nearest QSR location to notifications about new menu items and specials, mobile usage can really increase the number of times a person visits a location each month. The right application - one that puts the user in control of their experience - leads to increased visits which, as we all know, leads to more profits.

Mobile marketing boosts order size. Profitable brands already know that mobile menus and mobile ordering are creating larger orders. Just ask Taco Bell, who sees a 30% higher average order total versus in-store orders. We can’t think of one brand that wouldn’t like to see those numbers. The numbers of people placing mobile orders is also expected to increase by double digits over the next few years. Smart QSR brands will get on-board with this if they want to see profits increase.

Mobile marketing increases loyalty and market share. A good mobile experience is one that practically knows when you’re hungry (or at least when you’re most likely to eat) and follows through to after you eat to gather feedback and other intelligence. Smart QSR brands reward mobile users for taking mobile action that include ordering and sharing experiences on social media.

It’s important to note that when we say mobile, we are talking about privately developed and branded applications. No QSR is going to be profitable using the apps of other brands like Yelp and Uber Eats. It’s just not going to happen. Their one-size-fits-none approach is a recipe for mobile failure.

The best mobile apps are ones that are developed with the brand’s users in-mind. They take time, reasearch and true creativity to deliver the kind of mobile experiences that customers want - and will come back to time and time again.