What Americans Crave in 2025: Insights from 1,000 QSR Customers

38% of Americans are eating out less in 2024 than they did a year ago. 

The pressure is on for fast food chains grappling with rising costs and heightened expectations from their loyal customers.

It’s cause for concern for Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs). Costs are increasing significantly in labor, supply chain, property, and taxes. So when glaring statistics surface like the one above, it’s safe to say that a red flag has been raised. And, it has been for months now.

Phase one of a two-part benchmark study was conducted by Storesight and Kantar from September 10-19, 2024 — surveying 1,000 customers on top QSR industry issues.* The main takeaways? Americans say they’re spending more, going out to eat less, trying to eat healthier, and looking for ways to make their dollar go further.

“That’ll Be $12.89 at the Window”
How Fast Food Costs Are Adding Up

More than half of regular fast food customers say that they’re spending more money than they did a year ago. Whether or not that’s actually accurate, that’s their honest perception.

With common factors like inflation, we figured this may be the case. Storesight decided to dig a bit deeper: if customers had to restrict their spending, what would be their first action item? Select a cheaper entree, order a smaller size? 

The top three answers to this hypothetical scenario were choosing to leave off a dessert (24%), order from the value menu (19%), or leave off a beverage (17%).

However, we find the bottom three options to be the most telling. Ordering fewer meals (2%), ordering a smaller meal size (3%), or leaving off a side item (6%)? Unthinkable. As QSRs strive to curate the most exceptional experience for cash-strapped customers, side items and meal sizes seem to be more valuable than beverages and desserts.

“Honey, We Have Food at Home”
The Cost of Convenience

It’s been established that nearly 40% of Americans say they’re going out to eat less than they did last year, but why?

In our survey, 83% of customers reported that they purchase fast food once a week or more. That’s nothing to bat an eyelash at — especially when considering they’re spending more money while they’re out. When we asked why they’re deciding to stay in more often, we were met with explanations of increased cost of living, increased menu prices, and reduced disposable income.

The economy has forced the hand of both the customer and the chain restaurant: requiring budget cuts and ways to make the dollar go further. But, more on that later.

Despite customers pulling back from QSR visits, restaurants are doing their best to highlight their most outstanding quality: convenience. As one of its main priorities since their creation, quick service and fast casual restaurants have capitalized on ease and accessibility. The convenience to not shop for ingredients, cook, or clean is a substantial draw. 

What better way to bring back the crowds than the promise of faster drive-thrus, more accurate order fulfillment, or mobile-only lanes?

The most important factor when customers are deciding to go through the drive-thru — rather than eating inside — is the convenience of staying in the car. The next closest factors are perceived shorter amount of time in line and less interaction with others. 

“Did You Want to Scan for Points?”
Loyalty Programs on the Rise

Today’s QSR is at the mercy of its customers with high demands and even tighter wallets.

With the average American looking to make their dollar go further, most customers have turned to loyalty programs through mobile rewards apps.

A third of surveyed consumers say they have 5 to 8 fast food apps downloaded on their smartphones, not including apps like DoorDash or Uber Eats.

When asked about what consumers told Storesight about seeking value and how it relates to app usage, Storesight Vice President of Channel Strategy Chris Munos shared, “It appears inflation is heading in the right direction, but fast food consumers are still looking for value and say they are visiting less frequently than a year ago.”

And, with an additional 22% of people having 8 or more apps installed on their iPhones and Androids, this gives QSRs powerful real estate on mobile devices.

Scanning for points and rewards is the top feature used for these downloaded apps, with ordering food and looking at the menu coming in close after. Whether it's direct incentives-based models like My McDonalds Rewards or points-based like the Chick-fil-A One loyalty program, customers are looking for ways to save money.

When it came to using third party apps like Uber Eats and Doordash, 65% of respondents said they rarely or never use it as a way to order or receive take out. This shift away from third party apps can be correlated to less demand post-pandemic and QSR chains making significant improvements to their own apps.

“Fried or Grilled?”
Health on the Menu

More than ever, consumers are concerned about their food’s nutritional value. Not just in the U.S., either.

Field Agent UK ran the same study* with their British consumers and found similar results. 

When regarding the choice between quick service restaurants, the study shows that healthy ingredients, sustainable macros, and made-without foods were all significant factors. 

One of the major difficulties in choosing healthier options at QSRs, according to the survey, is a guide to healthy eating and drinking. 74% of Americans and 62% of British share that a guide would be beneficial to their decision.

However, when it comes to environmental or allergen impact, those in the UK care significantly more than those in the US when choosing a fast food restaurant. 

“If You Ask Me…”
What Consumers Really Want

According to Storesight and Kantar’s September 2024 study, America’s top three favorite fast food restaurants are Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, and McDonalds.

When diving deeper into why, we uncovered that the following criteria ranked highest: ease of ordering, quality of food and taste, and food quality consistency. Time and again, we see that a consistent, reliable fast food experience is what participants gravitate toward.

QSRs are striving for consistency, cleanliness, excellent customer service, and much more to continue to earn the business of today’s discerning consumers — who demand speed, quality, and value with every meal. Looking to the future, we asked how customers would like to see fast food restaurants change. The most commonly used phrases in the write-in were ‘more options’, ‘quality’, and ‘service’.

Here’s what a few real customers had to say about the changes they’d like to see.

• “I'd love for fast food places to offer more delivery options.” —Alia A., Ohio

• “I wish fast food restaurants would focus more on providing detailed nutritional information directly on the menu, making it easier to make informed decisions about healthier options without needing to search online or on packaging. This would allow for quicker, more transparent choices when ordering.” —Kate G., Missouri

• “Consistency across locations.” —Alex L., Massachusetts

• “Friendly service. I have stopped going to some locations due to the staff being disrespectful.” —Craig E., North Carolina

• “I wish they would provide higher quality food. I would also appreciate high protein options.” —David W., Georgia
  

“Does the Audio Match the Visual?”
Storesight Sends Shoppers Inside Top QSRs

Part two of the Storesight and Kantar Benchmark Study is underway. Storesight sending the same consumers from part one to fast food restaurants near them to share about their in-person experience.

Part two of the Storesight and Kantar Benchmark Study will be published to QSR Magazine early 2025.

The Fast Food Forecast for 2025

The study conducted by Storesight and Kantar reveals that American consumers in 2025 are spending more but dining out less, placing increasing demands on QSRs to provide value, convenience, and healthier options.

These shifts in consumer behavior highlight the need for fast food restaurants to adjust their strategies —  particularly in terms of pricing and loyalty programs, as well as meeting the growing interest in nutritional transparency. The top fast food chains must continue to refine their service quality and product offerings to stay competitive.

Looking ahead, QSRs should anticipate heightened expectations around speed, consistency, and mobile integration. 

The demand for healthier ingredients and enhanced convenience through technology, such as mobile ordering and drive-thru efficiency, will likely shape the future landscape of quick service and fast casual chains. Fast food brands that excel in innovation and customer service will be best positioned to weather economic pressures while meeting evolving customer preferences in the years to come.

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_{* Survey Details
All survey respondents were U.S. adults at least 18 years of age and smartphone owners. The survey was executed through the Storesight platform, September 10-19, with a random sample of shoppers. Demos: Gender - Female (75.1%), Male (24.0%), Prefer Not to Say (0.09%), Age - 18-29 (10.9%), 30-39 (33.4%), 40-49 (31.8%), 50+ (23.6%); Household Income - < $35K (11.8%), $35-49K (12.6%), $50-74K (13.6%), $75-99K (14.2%), $100-125K (8.9%), $125K+ (14.1%), Prefer Not to Say (8.6%); Race/Ethnicity - Caucasian/White (62.6%), Latino/Hispanic (8.5%), Asian American (6.7%), African American/Black (6.6%), Native American (1.2%), Other (3.7%)}