In 2006, 59 percent of fast-food users in Greenville, N.C., patronized a quick-service
restaurant 12 or more times a month (nearly three times a week), making it the No. 1
market for frequent fast-food users in the United States. Portland, Maine, ranked last,
with only a 27 percent incidence of heavy QSR users.
These findings are based on the quarterly syndicated Quick-Track® research program
conducted by Sandelman & Associates, a San Clemente, Calif.-based market research
firm that tracks consumer trends for the restaurant industry. In 2006, the study tracked
quick-service restaurant awareness, usage and customer satisfaction attribute ratings in 61
markets throughout the United States.
Notably, three of the Top 10 markets are in the Carolinas and three are in Texas. The
remaining leaders are located in the southeast United States and Oklahoma. Indeed, none
are north of the Mason-Dixon line.
QSR users in McAllen, Texas, lead the nation with nearly 25 monthly occasions per
person on average. That’s nearly one fast-food visit per person per day on average.
Greenville, N.C., not to be outdone, comes in a close second with nearly 24 monthly fastfood
occasions per person.
At the other end of the spectrum are Portland, Maine, Anchorage, Boston, Portland, Ore.,
and Boise, Idaho, where users have fewer than 13 QSR occasions per month.
In addition to the “Top 10 Markets by Incidence of Heavy QSR Users” and “Top 10 Markets
by QSR Past-Month Frequency per Person,” (see the reports at www.sandelman.com/freereports,)
contains Excel tables, which include all the DMA rankings.
During 2006, Quick-Track telephone surveys were conducted in 61 major markets across the U.S. among a total sample of over 70,000 fast-food users.
