Published November 6, 2015
The explosive growth of fast casual restaurants and other alternatives to traditional fast food establishments has caused many people to declare that fast food burger places are dying out. The slumping sales at McDonald’s over the past three years has added fuel to observers’ claims that burger joints are on the way out. However, the fast food doomsayers are looking at the data incorrectly. American consumers like quick-service burgers just as much as they always have, and demand will remain steady for the foreseeable future.
Despite McDonald’s recent difficulties, the fast food burger market has actually been growing overall. Smaller chains like Sonic, Whataburger, and Hardee’s have all increased their sales over the last few years. Titans like Wendy’s and Burger King have been doing well too, with Wendy’s reporting strong same-store sales growth this year.
Some analysts believe that strong growth for other burger chains comes at McDonald’s expense, but industry experts say that’s just not true. Wendy’s and Sonic have both stated that McDonald’s business fortunes do not affect them materially for good or ill. McDonald’s is also taking steps to get out of its funk by introducing all-day breakfast and simplifying its menu. Early reports indicate that these measures will go a long way towards reversing the chain’s same-store sales declines.
Read the full article here: People Still Like Fast Food
Published November 6, 2015
With fast casual being the hot segment of the restaurant industry right now, many quick-service and full-service restaurants are looking to transition to the fast casual model. At the Fast Casual Executive Summit 2015, several fast casual experts gave advice on how to effectively switch service models. The one thing that everyone stressed was that no matter the service model, the focus must be on the food. Menus and dishes should be simple and uncluttered, and quality cooking should be operators/ number one concern.
Read the full article here: Navigating the Crossover: Fast Casualization of the Restaurant Industry
Published November 6, 2015
According to a recent study about American consumers’ spending habits commissioned by Visa, Americans spend $2,746 a year on lunch. The most common place to eat lunch overall was at home, but the majority of full-time workers reported that they ate lunch at work. On average, the people surveyed for the study said they spent $20 a week on lunch at restaurants, or $1,043 a year. Students were the most likely demographic to eat lunch at restaurants, spending $27.47 a week on average.
Read the full article here: Americans Report They Spend an Average of $2,746 on Lunch Yearly
Fast Food Isn’t Going Anywhere
The explosive growth of fast casual restaurants and other alternatives to traditional fast food establishments has caused many people to declare that fast food burger places are dying out. The slumping sales at McDonald’s over the past three years has added fuel to observers’ claims that burger joints are on the way out. However, the fast food doomsayers are looking at the data incorrectly. American consumers like quick-service burgers just as much as they always have, and demand will remain steady for the foreseeable future.
Despite McDonald’s recent difficulties, the fast food burger market has actually been growing overall. Smaller chains like Sonic, Whataburger, and Hardee’s have all increased their sales over the last few years. Titans like Wendy’s and Burger King have been doing well too, with Wendy’s reporting strong same-store sales growth this year.
Some analysts believe that strong growth for other burger chains comes at McDonald’s expense, but industry experts say that’s just not true. Wendy’s and Sonic have both stated that McDonald’s business fortunes do not affect them materially for good or ill. McDonald’s is also taking steps to get out of its funk by introducing all-day breakfast and simplifying its menu. Early reports indicate that these measures will go a long way towards reversing the chain’s same-store sales declines.
Read the full article here: People Still Like Fast Food
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