Market Force Blog

This Year's Surprise Winner in Customer Loyalty and Trust

Written by Scott Griffith | Aug 7, 2024 9:04:03 PM

Andy's Frozen Custard: A Recipe for Success

The secret behind Andy's Frozen Custard's success lies in its unwavering commitment to high-quality products, exceptional customer service, and strong community involvement. Andy's President emphasized their straightforward approach: "Hire great people, treat them right, and try to get the product in as many mouths as possible." This strategy has not only propelled Andy's to the top of the CLI rankings but also boosted its brand trust, overtaking MOD Pizza for the top spot. Other top performers in the CLI include Chick-fil-A, Culvers, Dutch Bros, and In-N-Out.

Burgers and Chicken: A Hotly Contested Battle

The burger and chicken categories were particularly competitive this year. The top five burger brands – Culvers, In-N-Out, Freddy's, Five Guys, and The Habit – all performed exceptionally well, with CLI scores ranging from 4.5 to 4.67 on a 5-point scale. In the chicken category, Raising Cane's is giving Chick-fil-A a run for its money, while other brands lag behind.

Dutch Bros Dominates 'Share of Wallet'

Dutch Bros has emerged as a leader in the 'share of wallet' metric, which measures how much customers spend on a particular brand. Coffee companies dominated this category, with Dutch Bros leading, followed by Starbucks, Tropical Smoothie Café, Jersey Mike's, and Dunkin' Donuts.

Challenges and Opportunities in the QSR Industry

Despite excelling in speed of service, staff friendliness, and beverage quality, the QSR industry faces significant challenges in providing healthy options and value for money. Recent price hikes have notably impacted customer perceptions. The study underscores the critical importance of food quality, customer service, and competitive pricing in driving repeat business.

Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

The study reaffirms the strong correlation between customer satisfaction and loyalty, with an 89% correlation between satisfaction and likelihood to recommend, and a 74% correlation between satisfaction and likelihood to return. However, there is room for improvement in problem resolution, as 57% of customers expressed dissatisfaction with how their issues were handled. Enhancing customer recovery processes remains a key area for growth.

Leverage Insights for Business Growth

QSR brands can leverage these insights to refine their operations and promotional strategies, driving consistent growth and profitability. For full access to the QSR study results, visit our QSR Results page.

For more detailed information and to see how your brand ranks against industry benchmarks, please schedule a demo.

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