When consumers walk into a quick-service restaurant (QSR), they expect a consistent and familiar experience whether it’s a restaurant they frequent often or happen upon while traveling. The ever-reliable food options associated with QSRs are the draw, after all. A Big Mac in Denver shouldn’t taste different from one you order in Bangor or Austin; the same goes for a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich.
But are those dependable menu items why QSRs, like McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A, have top Brand Fandom scores from MarketCast? Yes. And also, no.
MarketCast’s Fandom Model (part of our Brand Tracking+ research solution) reveals multiple ways for brands and marketers to turn consumers into long-term fans by tapping our three Fandom pillars: Presence, Distinction, and Relevance.
Let’s dig into how that breaks down for leading QSRs.
Making Your Presence Known
MarketCast’s Fandom Presence category measures how frequently a brand is encountered, e.g., seen, heard, or read about. Once upon a time, all you needed to be present in consumer’s lives was to have more locations than your competition. Starbucks, for instance, has more than 16,000 stores in the US, a number only surpassed by Subway. While Starbucks’ Fandom Presence Score is well above MarketCast’s normative average, thanks to its many locations and community-focused initiatives, its overall Fandom Score falls short of many of its QSR peers.
Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A has just over 3,000 locations, compared to McDonald’s more than 13,000 in the U.S., but Chick-fil-A tops our overall Brand Fandom category for QSRs. With a cult-like following and limited-time seasonal offerings, like the heart-shaped trays and biscuits released for Valentine’s Day this year, Chick-fil-A is often the talk of social media, especially on TikTok. And its ongoing TV ad campaign, spotlighting real customer testimonials, drives high Message and Brand Recall, as well as overall Ad Likeability when compared to MarketCast’s ad measurement norms.
Authenticity Rules
Our Fandom Distinction category gauges how unique, differentiated, and attractive a brand and its offerings are to consumers. Authenticity also plays a crucial role in how Distinction manifests itself in real life to consumers, and McDonald’s is best in class according to our research.
In the Golden Arches, consumers see diversity and a mission they can get behind. Menus are adapted to reflect the culinary traditions in their international markets, including its McSpicy Paneer vegetarian sandwich in India or its Truffle Mayo Loaded Fries in Sweden (seriously, we want this too!). McDonald’s support for charitable causes, including the Ronald McDonald House Charities, is just as familiar to fans of the brand as the world-famous Big Macs.
Other overachievers in MarketCast’s Distinction category include Starbucks, which wins fans over for making a positive impact on the world, and KFC, which proves reliability matters when it comes to America’s favorite finger-lickin good food.
Staying Relevant in 2024 and Beyond
Delivering on evolving consumer behavior and expectations is key to being Relevant, and Chick-fil-A takes top honors in this MarketCast Fandom category. With perceived best-in-class customer service, and a publicized goal of becoming a zero-waste-to-landfill brand, consumers feel they have shared values with the Atlanta-based QSR. Which, if you’ll recall, is a testament to the hard work the brand has put in over the last decade following past public controversies.
Other food service brands scoring well, including McDonald’s and Subway, often prioritize the customer experience at every touchpoint, from the speed and convenience of service to the quality and variety of the menu offerings.
How does your Brand Fandom measure up? MarketCast uses its Brand Tracking+ solution and its unique Fandom Model to study a wide range of brands across categories, from QSR to Insurance and Banking, Automotive, and Entertainment. Contact us to learn more.