Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) have evolved significantly in recent years, largely due to the rise in online ordering and collection. The shift towards digital channels presents immense opportunities to increase turnover and build customer loyalty. One way to capitalise on this trend is to focus on creating memorable customer experiences and building habitual behaviours. This article will outline several strategies QSRs can implement to increase turnover, offering examples from successful restaurants around the globe.
1. Create an Occasion for Repeat Orders
Customers love traditions, and one way to drive repeat behaviour is to give them a reason to come back regularly. By turning online orders into an “occasion,” QSRs can build customer habits around specific days, driving regular sales spikes.
Examples:
- Family Feast Fridays: Encourage families to order by offering a family-sized meal at a discounted price every Friday. For example, a pizza chain could offer a deal like “2 large pizzas, 2 sides, and 4 drinks for €20 every Friday.”
- Two for Tuesdays: Offer two-for-one deals every Tuesday. Dominos has long employed this strategy successfully with their "Two for Tuesdays" pizza deal, encouraging customers to associate Tuesdays with pizza night.
These "occasion" strategies build habits and routines, making customers more likely to come back week after week.
2. Bundle Deals for Simplicity and Value
Creating clear, easy-to-understand meal bundles is another great way to drive more frequent orders. Customers enjoy the simplicity of knowing exactly what they are getting, especially when they feel like they are receiving great value.
Examples:
- 1 Pizza, 1 Side, 1 Drink for €15: A simple bundle that offers value for money, similar to what Pizza Hut offers with their “Pizza Meal Deals.” This bundle is particularly appealing to customers looking for a quick, easy, and affordable dinner solution.
- Burger, Fries, and Drink for €10: McDonald’s has long perfected this model with their "Extra Value Meals." These bundles make it easy for customers to get a full meal at a set price point, increasing the likelihood of add-on purchases (like desserts or additional sides).
The key here is to present value clearly and make it a no-brainer for customers to opt for a full meal deal over a single item.
3. Exclusive Online-Only Deals
Offering exclusive discounts for online ordering or collection can be a powerful incentive to push customers toward these channels. It also gives QSRs a direct way to upsell, cross-sell, and build their customer databases for future marketing efforts.
Examples:
- Online-Only Discount: For instance, Burger King runs offers like "Order online and get 20% off your first purchase," driving more people to use their digital platforms. Once customers start using the online service, the convenience of reordering is likely to keep them coming back.
- Exclusive Menu Items: Wendy’s often features "online-only menu items," encouraging loyal customers to use their app or website to access these special deals, such as limited-edition burgers or desserts.
4. Loyalty Programs and Rewards
Loyalty programs are a proven way to increase customer retention and encourage repeat business. By rewarding customers for their orders, you make them feel valued and give them a reason to return.
Examples:
- Points-Based Loyalty Programs: Starbucks uses a highly successful points-based system, where customers earn stars for every purchase through their app. These stars can be redeemed for free drinks, food items, or merchandise, encouraging customers to order through the app consistently.
- Get X, for just £5 with code xxxxx: Offer customers discounts on particular items, allowing them to enjoy tangible free products as a reward.
5. Personalisation and Data-Driven Recommendations
With more customers ordering online, QSRs can gather valuable data on their preferences and order history. Using this data to provide personalised offers and upsell recommendations can increase basket size and turnover.
Examples:
- Customised Offers: Chipotle often sends personalised promotions to customers based on their previous orders. For example, if someone frequently orders guacamole, they may receive an offer for free guac with their next order.
- Order Reminders: Using data to remind customers of their past orders can be highly effective. For instance, sending a reminder to a customer that they ordered last Friday and do they want to order again this Friday can nudge them towards placing another order.
6. Timed Promotions to Create Urgency
Limited-time offers (LTOs) and flash deals create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to order now rather than later. This strategy taps into the fear of missing out (FOMO) and can drive short-term sales spikes.
Examples:
- Flash Sales: A pizza brand could run a flash sale like “Order before midnight and get 30% off all orders with code xxx.” Promotions like this encourage impulse purchases, driving quick increases in turnover.
- Seasonal Offers: Taco Bell is known for limited-time seasonal items, such as the “Nacho Fries.” These limited availability items drive both new and returning customers to the restaurant while the promotion lasts.
7. Simple Reordering Options
Customers want convenience, and offering simple, order reordering can help keep them coming back without any friction. Many customers love the ease of simply reordering their favourite meal.
Examples:
- Order Reorder: The handy “reorder Order” button allows users to instantly reorder their favourite meal with a single click. This makes it easy for customers to fall into a routine of ordering the same thing repeatedly, without even thinking about it.
8. Partnerships with Delivery Apps
QSRs can partner with third-party delivery services like UberEats, Just Eat, or Deliveroo to reach a larger audience. By offering exclusive deals or bundles through these platforms, restaurants can increase their visibility and drive more sales. We recommend using these 3rd parties as a discovery tool for new customers. Once they have ordered you should encourage them to order from you directly.
Examples:
- Exclusive Partner Deals: McDonald's offers exclusive discounts through UberEats, such as "Free delivery on orders over €10." This helps drive both delivery sales and brand loyalty, as customers associate McDonald's with convenience and affordability.
- Featured Listings: QSRs can pay to be featured at the top of these delivery apps, boosting their visibility during peak ordering times, such as dinner hours or weekends.
Conclusion
In today’s competitive QSR landscape, online ordering and collection represent significant opportunities for increasing turnover. By creating an “occasion,” offering simple and clear bundle deals, utilising loyalty programs, and using data to personalise offers, QSRs can foster habitual behaviour and build long-term customer loyalty. Other strategies such as timed promotions, exclusive online offers, and partnerships with delivery apps can help further boost sales.
By incorporating these strategies into their business model, QSRs can effectively tap into customer preferences and drive repeat behaviour, leading to sustainable turnover growth in the online ordering space.
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