QSR innovation: 5 growth strategies to apply this year

If you’re in the quick service restaurant industry, you know that things did not look good in 2020. According to recent reports, from 2020 to 2021, the market size of the QSR industry in the U.S. dropped by $39.88 billion! 

Of course, this isn’t too surprising given that 2020 was the first year we all were forced to deal with the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

You know what is surprising though? How things bounced back in 2022 even though things have yet to really return to normal. In 2021, the projected market size of the QSR industry managed to surpass the market size of 2019 by more than $500 million.

What’s behind the rebound? Well… it would be hard to single out one factor in particular. But we think the innovative strategies from several major QSR franchises may have had something to do with it! 

And, in this article, we want to bring a few of those innovations to your attention. Our hope is that you can learn from these examples, brainstorm ways to apply them to your QSR, and thrive in 2022!

But before we take a look at those strategies and examples, let’s look at a few of the consumer trends that are driving the need for QSR innovation. 

Convenience is king

Thanks to old and current social distancing practices, off-premise dining is still a rising trend with more customers preferring to order out than dine-in at restaurants. This is largely due to the ease and convenience of takeout and delivery. Two-thirds of surveyed customers indicated that they do not see themselves returning to dine-in regularly at restaurants any time soon. 

Safety remains extremely important

The pandemic has forced restaurants to make cleanliness and sanitation a top priority. But, apart from that, safe food preparation is also a big concern for customers. More than half of surveyed respondents (55%) expressed their willingness to pay a premium of 10% to 50% for safety information on their food. 

Digitalization is the way to go

Regardless of the ordering method, customers now prefer their restaurant experience to be as seamless as possible—even if that means little to no in-person interaction. Half of the surveyed customers reported a preference for using an app to order takeout. 81% of customers said they would prefer an automated voice system when ordering from a drive-thru. 

5 growth strategies QSRs can apply in 2022

The next few years of the restaurant industry will be defined by innovation and growth. Here are five lessons you can learn and apply from QSRs who are already adapting to the future of the restaurant industry. 

1. Exclusive privileges for app users 

It may seem troublesome to develop an exclusive app for your restaurant when many customers are already used to using third-party delivery apps like Uber Eats and Grubhub. But that doesn’t mean they’re not a good idea. 

Within your app, you have a direct line of communication with your customers and you can keep them coming back by offering special privileges for app users. For example, the fast-food burger chain Shake Shack created an exclusive curbside pickup lane for customers who placed orders using the restaurant’s Shack App.

2. Drive-thru only restaurants  

It may be a while before your customers feel as comfortable dining in as they did pre-pandemic. And this means you have fewer opportunities to gain their loyalty within the premises of your restaurant. So, why not improve their drive-thru experience?

For example, in 2021, Ono Hawaiian Barbecue opened a new location exclusively for drive-thru and takeout orders, including only menu items that are quick to cook and easy to transport.  

3. Multi-channel ordering options

When you provide multi-channel ordering options, you make it easy for customers to order from your restaurant. You also make it more likely that they’ll order from you again in the future. So, make sure your customers can place orders through your website, app, third-party delivery apps, etc. 

Panera recently partnered with Google Maps to create a frictionless ordering process. Customers can order food from Panera within Google Maps after searching for the restaurant’s locations. 

4. Partnerships with influencers 

How you brand and market your restaurant has evolved during the pandemic. Before, it used to be common practice for major QSRs to sponsor celebrities to appear in commercials and print ads. Now, those partnerships are happening online with influencers. 

For example, McDonald’s partnered with rapper Travis Scott to create the “Travis Scott Meal.” Because of the rapper’s fame, videos about this meal went viral on TikTok—even though it consisted of items from McDonald’s regular menu. Partnering with a famous rapper may be out of reach for your QSR, but partnerships with smaller, local influencers can have just as big of an impact. 

5. Timely social media campaigns 

With few places to go without fear of COVID-19, customers have spent more of their time and money on the internet during the past two years. As a result, more restaurant owners have accepted that a strong online presence is one of the best ways to engage with customers. 

One of the best things you can do on social media in 2022 is to stay on top of trends and create timely promotions around those trends. For example, Roti created a “National Hummus Month” social media campaign to boost brand awareness and increase orders. The restaurant offered discounts and made charity donations whenever a customer posted a picture related to the campaign on social media. 

Final thoughts

The COVID-19 pandemic might have slowed your restaurant’s growth down in 2020 or prohibited you from starting a restaurant at all. But now that it’s 2022, it’s time to adapt to new customer behaviors and innovate to prepare for the future of the restaurant industry!

As we’ve shared in this article, you can help your restaurant continue to grow by implementing strategies like: 

• Exclusive privileges for app users 
• Drive-thru only restaurants 
• Multi-channel ordering options 
• Partnerships with influencers 
• Timely social media campaigns

And, if you want more ideas on how to help your restaurant thrive, check out the rest of our blog where we share tips on topics like the best restaurant employee retention strategies for 2022!