May 23, 2013

Chick-fil-A

Double Trouble?
March 2013

Tony Holmes had a problem: The drive thru at his high-traffic Chick-fil-A restaurant in Apex, North Carolina, was too crowded.

For nearly two years, he tried line busting with employees outside wearing headsets. Then he gave those employees handheld remote units to streamline ordering....

Chick-fil-A Celebrates 40 Years of Team Member Scholarships

Since Truett Cathy established the company’s first scholarship program in 1973 to encourage Chick-fil-A restaurant employees to further their education, the company has earmarked a portion of its proceeds to give back to its team members in the form of college scholarships. Last year was...

Wendy's Ranks No. 1 for Kid-Friendly, Healthy Options

According to Restaurant DemandTracker, a recent survey of restaurant customers in the United States, households with younger kids are much more likely to seek out restaurants with kid-friendly menus, and many of those consumers are looking for healthier food items on the menu for their families...

Get in the Game
March 2013

Imagine a market of 173 million potential customers. Seventy-eight million of them are female (often the primary decision-maker in the family), 61 million are college students, and 29 million have an income of more than $100,000.

Seems like a no-brainer for operators, right?

McDonald's Has Best Service, Value, Consumers Say

In a recent survey of restaurant customers in the United States, when it comes to identifying what drives loyalty for restaurants, the most commonly cited factors in determining which quick-service restaurant is visited most often are good value (58 percent), convenience (57 percent), low prices...

Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Tortilla Soup Back for Limited Time

Last year, Chick-fil-A customers couldn’t get enough of the chain’s take on a Southwestern, spice-infused Chicken Tortilla Soup. Back by popular demand, Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Tortilla Soup will be available in restaurants nationwide from January 2 through March 31.

All Hail the Crew
December 2012

They open and close the store and keep it running in the time between. They cook and serve your food, operate your drive thru, and even empty the trash and clean the bathrooms.

But most importantly, your crewmembers are the ones who represent your brand to the customer, and they can...

Year of the Brand
December 2012

In this last Brand New Perspectives of 2012, I’m breaking from my usual Q&A format to recap some of the most important brand developments in fast food this past year.

Despite the sluggish economy and uncertainty that typically accompanies election years, companies in our...

Chick-Fil-A Takes the Title of America’s No. 1 Chicken Chain

Chick-fil-A tops the list of favorite chicken chains, according to a national study from Market Force, a worldwide leader in customer intelligence solutions. Chick-fil-A was voted America’s No. 1 chicken chain in a restaurant industry survey of more than 7,600 consumers. Raising Cane...

Chick-fil-A Preps for Holidays with Calendar, LTO Milkshake

Just in time for holiday gift giving, the Chick-fil-A "Eat Mor Chikin" Cows are saluting 12 of history's most famous "moonarchs" with the debut of the 2013 Cow Calendar. These regal bovines aren't the only reason the restaurant chain is celebrating this season. Chick-...

2012 QSR Drive-Thru Study
October 2012

The drive-thru operation of a quick-service restaurant may seem relatively cut and dried, but operators aren’t resting on their laurels when it comes to their outdoor business. For many brands in the industry, the drive thru can account for anywhere between 50 and 70 percent of sales...

Drive Time
September 2012

Breakfast is on a roll.

Even though most Americans prepare or eat their morning meals at home, an increasing number of them are opting for breakfast on the way to work, particularly at quick-service restaurant locations.

Nearly half of consumers visited a limited-service restaurant...

The Dietary Restriction Playbook
September 2012

When Marley Hodgson and Dan Long opened their first Mad Greens eatery in December 2004, terms like gluten-free, lactose intolerance, and vegan were not foremost in their entrepreneurial minds. These days, however, the 11-unit, Denver-based salad chain finds itself regularly contemplating and...

Child’s Play
August 2012

It’s a given that most American kids love pizza, burgers, tacos, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Many of these are also the types of food that can come under fire from parents and nutritional experts who worry about what kids are eating, particularly...

Starbucks Holds $87.4M in Impact Media Value

Starbucks is the top quick-service restaurant brand with $87.4 million of Impact Media Value according to General Sentiment’s Q2 2012 QSR MediaMatch report.

McDonald’s ($39.4 million), Taco Bell ($38.7 million), Burger King ($37.4 million), and Chipotle ($29.5 million) round...

Chick-fil-A Offers Free Meals to Cow-Clad Customers July 13

If you're planning to steer clear of black cats and sidewalk cracks on Friday the 13th, why not change your luck by dressing as a cow instead? On Friday, July 13, Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide will celebrate its annual Cow Appreciation Day event by offering a free meal to any customer...

Subway Leads Industry in Familiarity, Product Quality

When it comes to familiarity, product quality, and intent to purchase, consumers rank Subway higher than any other quick-service brand, according to a new study.

Dairy Queen, Wendy’s, Five Guys, and Chick-fil-A round out the top five of the Harris Poll EquiTrend Study, which...

Very Quick Service: Industry-Related Drivers Race to Win

Robbie Davis, driving the #37 MINI of Charleston MINI Cooper, scored a pro series win at the New Jersey Motorsports Park GRAND-AM auto race, while Chip Howell, driving the #55 MINI Cooper Pioneer Racing car sponsored by QSR magazine, set the fastest lap and track record for the B-Spec...

Chick-fil-A Promotes Five Executives to EVP

Dan T. Cathy, president and COO of Chick-fil-A, Inc., is proud to announce the promotion of each member of the company’s executive committee from senior vice president to executive vice president, effective immediately.

Donald “Bubba” Cathy, Perry Ragsdale, Steve...

Millenial Consumers Rank Their Top Chains

Millennials are unique. They communicate differently, are self-expressive, confident, liberal, upbeat, and open to change. But marketing to them can be a challenge.

This group (ages 19-34) has a distinct perspective on dining occasions, placing more value on attributes like social...