See what customers demand from their favorite QSRs
Brands earn loyalty by satisfying these tall requests.
There was a time was when QSRs only had to offer great-tasting meals at reasonable prices to secure a sizable share of the market. But now the battle has evolved to pleasing customers who want something beyond a delicious meal and the occasional discounts – be it from expanded menu options to better customer service.
New products and more information
Cibo Espresso fans, for example, have successfully convinced the café chain to introduce no added gluten products and lactose-free milk, which co-founder Roberto Cardone said stemmed from “becoming more aware of their dietary requirements.”
Meanwhile at Ali Baba, food ingredients and provenance have become top concerns, with customers demanding to know what the kebab chain puts in each product and how its food ingredients are sourced.
“They want to know what is in their product and where it comes from,” said Dominic Cain, General Manager- Operations & Marketing at Ali Baba, “They also want some confidence in the brand they are purchasing from, to ensure they will get a quality product wherever and whenever they visit.”
Grill’d customers share the same fascination in food sourcing, revealed Simon Crowe, Founder of Grill’d.
“They care where their food comes from. We make a point of showing customers where our meat and ingredients come from so our customers know exactly what they’re getting each time and we ensure we are offering quality product and ethically sourced meat, with 100% grass fed, hormone free beef and lamb.”
Crowe added that many still yearn for a fantastic dining ambience, and base their dining decisions on who can provide a thoroughly satisfying meal experience.
“Our customers are after great tasting and quality meals in a welcoming and friendly environment. They love Grill’d because of the entire experience it provides – amazing burgers and beers, friendly staff, original décor, great music, and an unforgettable dining atmosphere.”
Unfailing consistency
Over at Chatime and Wok In a Box, customers expect unfailing consistency in product quality and customer service – with the implied risk that should both brands fail, there are plenty of other brands that can step up to the plate.
“Our Chatime customer wants consistent and high quality drinks, excellent customer service, superior tea experience and fun and exciting Chatime activities and events that they can attend,” said Karen Leong, Head of Marketing at Chatime.
“We have a strong focus on improving in-store training for our staff so that they deliver high quality drinks consistently to our customers,” she added.
Meanwhile, Andrew Pearce, National Marketing Manager at Wok in a Box shared: “Customers really value consistency across different locations, especially within a franchise system like Wokinabox, QSRs need to have a more personal, reciprocal relationship with their customers.”
In terms of customer service, Pearce said that customers demand and expect the full range of conveniences from restaurant chains – from mobile apps to loyalty schemes, as well as delivery and online ordering options.
Every interaction or request has to be fast and almost instant, even when responding to comments or complaints.
“Within the world we live having social media and personal email at our fingers tips customers expect their comments or complaints replied to nearly instantly,” said Pearce.
“We feel that it is imperative to answer all customers' comments or complaints within 24 hours, which is part of the reason why we brought social media in-house. Responding promptly helps us to build our brand, to fix what we are doing wrong, and not to mention develop and reform customer relationships,” he added.
