Studying Time: 6 minutes
Who doesn’t love indulging in a juicy burger, some crispy fries, and a relaxing beverage to go alongside?
Fast-service eating places (QSRs) are the right vacation spot to fulfill cravings whereas on the go or from the consolation of our properties. Therefore, it received’t come as a shock that the QSR business in North America has witnessed a big transformation lately, and is predicted to succeed in a valuation of US$ 454.3 billion by 2030.
This additionally signifies that buyer expectations are increased than ever. Not solely do they need comfort and selection but in addition a seamless and interesting expertise at each touchpoint of their shopping for journey. So it’s essential for QSR manufacturers to ace their buyer engagement technique to take care of an edge over rivals.
Let’s deep dive into three main examples of manufacturers that perceive their prospects’ pulse and are nailing their buyer engagement:
QSR Manufacturers Excelling at Buyer Engagement
1. Taco Bell 
Amongst the quite a few campaigns run by Taco Bell, one of the fashionable ones is round Nationwide Taco Day. A lot in order that Nationwide Taco Day has now change into synonymous with Taco Bell, and its artistic buyer activation actions have resulted in digital gross sales attaining greater than 20% share of the corporate’s combine.
In 2021, Taco Bell launched its server on Discord, a chat platform with 150 million month-to-month energetic customers, to crown a “taco champion” by a Taco Trivia occasion. It additionally raided different Discord channels tapped by competitor manufacturers like Jack within the Field, Scorching Subject, and Chipotle by freely giving free tacos. Aside from this, it positioned easter eggs on Reddit and throughout different social channels.
Up to now, Taco Bell’s Discord channel is energetic for followers to attach with others with related style buds and ‘taco ’bout something Taco Bell’. Taco Bell additionally makes use of the channel to host giveaways and enjoyable contests, and collect buyer suggestions.
Equally, on Nationwide Taco Day this 12 months, Taco Bell launched its fan-favorite “Taco Lover’s Go” on the Taco Bell app at a reduced value. This provide was unique to “Rewards Members” and allowed them to redeem a taco each day for 30 days.
To lift extra hype round this, Taco Bell gave 100 Rewards Members the possibility to snag free passes through the Tuesday Drops touchdown web page within the app. The code to get the free go was sprinkled throughout Taco Bell’s social channels. Your complete marketing campaign was promoted throughout Taco Bell’s channels and communities, comparable to e-mail, social media, SMS, and Discord. Moreover, Taco Bell used this momentum to launch its all-new Toasted Breakfast Tacos menu.
Whereas the outcomes of this 12 months’s marketing campaign are but to be launched, when Taco Bell launched the Taco Lover’s Go in 2022, it resulted in 20% new Rewards members. It additionally generated a 16% renewal fee for patrons opting right into a second month.
 Takeaway: Having a loyalty program in your QSR model is crucial, however what’s much more necessary is making it attractive sufficient for shoppers to affix. You are able to do this by launching enticing offers for loyalty members, persistently partaking members comparable to through campaigns round key festivals and different events which might be related to your model, and specializing in community-building. |
2. Wendy’s 
Wendy’s has a historical past of modern buyer engagement campaigns and is known for at all times going ‘all out’ with its advertising technique.
Certainly one of their annual campaigns is for NCAA March Insanity, for which it’s the sponsor and “official breakfast and hamburger”.
For the 2022 March Insanity marketing campaign, Wendy’s rolled out a particular menu, limited-time provides on choose objects (comparable to their Dave’s Single for a buck), and adverts starring NBA legend Reggie Miller. The ‘slam-dunk’ offers had been app-exclusive and designed to spice up app downloads and buyer engagement. They had been promoted on Wendy’s web site, social media handles, push notifications, e-mail, and so on.
Aside from this, Wendy’s unveiled ‘Wendyverse,’ a branded digital actuality expertise positioned on Meta’s Horizon Worlds platform. This was a continuation of Wendy’s distinctive strategy to social media, gaming, and engagement impressed by Wendy’s merchandise and shops.
Wendyverse was promoted throughout all of Wendy’s channels, comparable to social media, web site, app, e-mail, and SMS. This helped to stir the joy of followers across the event and elevated in-store purchases, supply orders, and in-app gross sales.
General, the launch of Wendyverse was an enormous success:
- 52 million customers reached between March 13 – April 30 by Meta adverts
- 650 million+ social media impressions generated
- #1 in each day energetic customers throughout all of Horizon Worlds
- Visited by over 10,000 followers inside the first 7 days
- 16% of return customers inside the first 7 days
- 112% elevate in website visits
| Takeaway: Whenever you plan your buyer engagement campaigns, comply with an omnichannel technique that syncs your communication throughout a number of channels to make sure consistency within the messaging. This includes delivering the appropriate content material to the appropriate prospects on the proper time and throughout all touchpoints. |
3. McDonald’s 
McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food chain, has pioneered buyer engagement. They’ve invested considerably in digital improvements that cater to their buyer’s evolving wants and preferences, leading to enhanced buyer experiences and elevated model loyalty. In keeping with QSR Journal, McDonald’s was essentially the most downloaded food and drinks app in 2022 worldwide (127M) and within the US (40M).
Listed below are among the key providers and advantages McDonald’s offers on its app and web site which have contributed to its success:
- Enticing welcome provides and freebies
- McDonald’s loyalty program ‘MyMcDonald’s Rewards’ that prospects can enroll themselves in. The factors collected could be redeemed for provides primarily based on objects accessible in several level tier teams.
- Choice to pre-order through the app to avoid wasting time for curbside or entrance counter pickups and dine-ins.
- Unique offers on McDonald’s favorites within the app, comparable to Free Fries Friday.
- Contactless cell order and pay possibility.
Aside from this, McDonald’s commonly launches varied interactive campaigns. Certainly one of their most well-known campaigns was the “Trick. Deal with. Win.”
After noticing a sample of lowering restaurant visits throughout October, McDonald’s launched a month-long program to tempt prospects again throughout the post-summer and pre-holiday hustle and bustle.
Clients needed to peel recreation items from the packaging of chosen McDonald’s merchandise or use the app to gather tokens and enter any of the 27 each day sweepstakes. This could give them one in a 4 likelihood of successful their selection of prizes immediately.
The marketing campaign was promoted throughout all McDonald’s shops within the US, on tv, social media, e-mail, SMS, and even on the product packaging. Via the marketing campaign McDonald’s was capable of attain over 10 million shoppers, and the recognition of its app skyrocketed.
Listed below are the outcomes:
- 1.3 billion sweepstakes entries
- 4.1 million app downloads
- 31 million website visits,
- 6.5 million registrations,
- 93% increased buyer engagement
| Takeaway: Utilizing gamification could be a good way to supply a enjoyable and interactive expertise to your viewers. It might encourage them to spend extra time in your app/web site, set your model other than rivals, and depart a memorable expertise. It is without doubt one of the greatest methods to drive engagement and conversions, and bridge the hole between your on-line and offline choices. |
In a Nutshell
The above campaigns are wonderful examples of how QSR manufacturers can efficiently execute artistic buyer engagement campaigns and bridge their on-line + offline choices to supply the very best of each worlds to their prospects. Whereas innovation is a core ingredient, delivering a pure and satisfying expertise is equally necessary. This requires a deep understanding of buyer wants and preferences, and leveraging rising applied sciences that assist to boost the shopper expertise. QSR manufacturers that put their buyer on the middle of their enterprise mannequin will create loyal and enthusiastic prospects who ultimately change into model advocates.
The submit From the Counter to the Coronary heart: Inventive Recipes of three QSR Manufacturers Acing Buyer Engagement appeared first on MoEngage.
