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Unlocking QSR Success in 2024: Insights from Post-pandemic Data

Unlocking QSR Success in 2024: Insights from Post-pandemic Data

As we began 2023, much of the restaurant industry believed customers had returned to pre-pandemic dining behavior. Standard indices supported the claims – month-over-month and year-over-year, traffic was stable or growing, and customers seemed to accept higher average...
Q2 2023 Consumer Survey Unveils Restaurant Spending Trends

Q2 2023 Consumer Survey Unveils Restaurant Spending Trends

Restaurant consumers are aligning their desire to eat out with the realities of inflation, according to Revenue Management Solutions’ most recent report — and for better and worse, the check reflects it.   Here are four things to know from the latest RMS consumer...

July 2023

Q2 2023 US Quick-Service Sales & Traffic Performance In Q2 2023, QSR US traffic decreased by -1.8% YOY compared to Q2 last year. Performance declined slightly compared to the previous quarter, when traffic was down -0.7% YOY. Average price in Q2 increased by...
2023 Q1 France Edition: How Guest Behaviors Have Shifted

2023 Q1 France Edition: How Guest Behaviors Have Shifted

To better understand how consumer behavior has changed, RMS surveyed French respondents and compared results to Q1 2022. Explore evolving restaurant price perceptions and dining habits. Discover if rising inflation is leading guests to reduce restaurant spending...

May 2023

US Quick-Service Sales & Traffic Performance QSR US traffic decreased by 1.9% YOY compared to last year when guests returned to dining out after Omicron cases slowed. Average price increased 10.6% YOY, though slightly down compared to last month’s YOY comparison...
Q1 2023: Restaurant Apps, Loyalty Programs and Dining Choices

Q1 2023: Restaurant Apps, Loyalty Programs and Dining Choices

In an increasingly price-sensitive environment, restaurant apps and loyalty programs offer an opportunity to build traffic and drive sales through customized promotions. However, what’s important to your customers is changing due to inflation. RMS shares...

April 2023

US Quick-Service Sales & Traffic Performance QSR US traffic (-0.7% YOY) is approaching Q1 2022 levels when traffic was relatively high due to Omicron recovery traffic. Average price increases are slightly lower, at 13.8% YOY, compared to last...
3 Successful Ways to Target QSR Frequent Diners

3 Successful Ways to Target QSR Frequent Diners

When Revenue Management Solutions (RMS) analyzed the numbers from its survey of nearly 800 restaurant goers, the results revealed a demographic honeypot. Frequent users —those dining out more than 10x a week — made up 25% of the total respondents. Based on their...

February 2023

US Quick-Service Sales & Traffic Performance QSR US traffic is slightly down compared to last year, despite weaker traffic in January 2022 due to the spread of the Omicron variant. We anticipate YOY traffic to remain flat for the next few months.  ...
4 Things Every QSR Should Know to Increase Profitability– Part 2

4 Things Every QSR Should Know to Increase Profitability– Part 2

In a recent post, we shared two essential things quick-service restaurants (QSRs) should know in 2023 to increase their profitability. If you missed it, take a moment to catch up on why and how loyalty programs, coupons, menus and the ordering experience can play a...

January 2023

US Quick-Service Sales & Traffic Performance QSR US Traffic is down 4.2% compared to Q4 2021 and slightly lower than in the previous quarter. Average Price is up 16.2% YOY but has started to stabilize, with only a slight increase compared to Q3...
2023 Q1: Usage Across Generations & Households

2023 Q1: Usage Across Generations & Households

To better understand how different customer segments are currently using restaurants, RMS surveyed over 780 US diners. This report take a deep dive into different households and generations, and shares insights on how behaviors differ across restaurant revenue...
4 Things Every QSR Should Know to Increase Profitability– Part 1

4 Things Every QSR Should Know to Increase Profitability– Part 1

Today’s restaurant consumers have changed. Not only do they perceive that restaurant prices are at their highest since Q1 2021, but they’re more price sensitive than ever and have even changed how they view menus. These changes in customer behavior aren’t necessarily...
Q2 2023 Consumer Survey Unveils Restaurant Spending Trends

We asked, they answered. What QSRs should know about value in 2023

As the economy shows signs, however slight, of easing its grip, saving money remains on consumers’ minds. Considering the economic climate, we asked our analysts around the globe for their thoughts on must-watch trends for Quick-Service restaurants (QSRs) in 2023. The...
5 Ways Generations Use Coupons at Quick-Service Restaurants

5 Ways Generations Use Coupons at Quick-Service Restaurants

Boomers, Gen X, millennials and Gen Z; families with children and those without. How does each of these generations find deals for dining out — or do they look for discounts at all? RMS surveyed more than 790 people across the US to find out. Here are the top 5...
How Much Price Is Too Much Price for QSR Customers?

How Much Price Is Too Much Price for QSR Customers?

The most recent third-quarter figures from the US Commerce Department indicate a 2.6% increase in the GDP. Compare that growth to the first half of the year, when the economy was headed the other way (downward), and if you squint hard enough, it may look like we’re...

November 2022

US Quick-Service Trends QSR US traffic is down 2.6% when compared to October 2021. Regarding month-over-month traffic performance, trends saw a slight decline compared to September (-1.7%). Pricing activity increased again. Year-over-year, average price increased by...
October 2022

October 2022

US Quick-Service Trends QSR US traffic is down 3.7% when compared to Q3 2021. However, traffic performance has slightly improved compared to Q1 and Q2 2022, mainly a result of comping against stronger performance last year. Pricing activity continues to...
Viva la QSR in France. Why Dining Out Is Still In.

Viva la QSR in France. Why Dining Out Is Still In.

Among six countries RMS surveyed, French diners are an exception: They are spending the same amount or more of their disposable income on FAH.Macroeconomics plays a large part in France’s unique dining perspective, but there are lessons for operators not in France. As...

August 2022

US Quick-Service Trends July QSR US traffic trends YOY align with previous months. Pricing activity rose to its highest since August 2020. Monthly average price jumped from 10.7% to 11.8%, but YOY trends are starting to level off. Breakdown of Monthly QSR Trends The...
2022 Insights: Japan Edition

2022 Insights: Japan Edition

For our next report in our global series of consumer insights, RMS surveyed respondents in Japan to learn more about recent restaurant consumer behaviors and how the current inflationary environment is affecting dining habits. Are guests spending more or less of their...
2022 Insights: Spain Edition

2022 Insights: Spain Edition

For our global series of consumer insights, RMS surveyed respondents in Spain to learn more about recent restaurant consumer behaviors and the effects of the current inflationary environment on their dining habits. Do guests believe the restaurant industry is better...
2022 Insights: Germany Edition

2022 Insights: Germany Edition

In continuation with our global series of consumer insights, RMS surveyed respondents in Germany to learn more about recent restaurant consumer behaviors and the effects of the current inflationary environment on their dining habits. What revenue channel did guests...
5 Ways Generations Use Coupons at Quick-Service Restaurants

Innovation for Quick-Service Restaurants in a Post-Pandemic World

Customers continue to count on restaurants for innovation across all channels.RMS findings indicate that it’s not value that compels guests, it’s quality. In a world gone hybrid, it might seem as if all available creativity has been spoken for, used in its entirety...
QSRs Should Expect a Mixed Bag of Consumer Behavior for the Holidays

Order Up! What’s Ahead for Restaurants for the Rest of 2022

Plant-based (not vegan) seafood has arrived. So have robots.Ghost kitchens are smart, but some guests are leery.Tech and big data, but make it useful. RMS has been tracking the latest trends in the restaurant industry and was on hand at the 2022 National Restaurant...
2022 Insights: France Edition

2022 Insights: France Edition

As part of our global consumer insights edition, RMS surveyed respondents in France to learn more about how the inflationary environment has affected restaurant consumer behavior. Do guests believe the restaurant industry is better now in comparison to last year? How...
Q1 2022: How Dining Habits Have Changed by Generation

Q1 2022: How Dining Habits Have Changed by Generation

How do dining habits differ across Gen Zers, Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers? We asked over 800 US diners to find out. While some generations have stuck to habits developed throughout the pandemic, others are starting to change due to the current inflationary...
Dine-in restaurant guests share recent pain points

Dine-in restaurant guests share recent pain points

Restaurant brands are eager to keep diners coming back but may be surprised to find that it’s not always price that sends customers away. Diners have little patience for longer wait times, but upfront communication can help alleviate their...
RMS Restaurant Perspective: Korea

RMS Restaurant Perspective: Korea

COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines are starting to ease up across the US, but what does it look like in other areas of the world? How are restaurants dealing with changes in consumer behavior and tackling inflation? Revenue Management Solutions Consultant, Cathy Ko,...
5 Restaurant Trends You Need to Know for 2022

5 Restaurant Trends You Need to Know for 2022

A new year brings a new RMS report and trend predictions for 2022. Nearly two years into pandemic life, one might wonder, “Have we reached the end of the ‘new normal?” because as the latest findings indicate, the more things stay weird, the less they seem to change...
2022 Q1: Overcoming Customer Pain Points

2022 Q1: Overcoming Customer Pain Points

The pandemic created levels of volatility never before seen in the restaurant industry. To help operators better understand the current climate, RMS asked more than 800 US respondents to share the satisfaction level of their recent restaurant experiences, and if there...
Fall 2021: Vaccinations, Return to Office & More

Fall 2021: Vaccinations, Return to Office & More

We surveyed over 900 US consumers to understand their sentiments towards proof of vaccination and requirements for testing when dining out, and how their dining behaviors changed over the summer as more respondents returned to the office.
What Consumers Expect From Restaurants Now

What Consumers Expect From Restaurants Now

More than 800 US consumers recently shared their views with RMS about restaurants in the current COVID-19 times. The respondents represented all generations, from boomers to Gen Z. When asked about their restaurant usage, more than half (56%) responded they order from...
RMS Restaurant Perspective: Korea

RMS Speaks About Europe’s Restaurant Industry

RMS UK Managing Director Philipp Laqué recently shared insights on the UK’s restaurant recovery at the European Digital Foodservice Summit in a presentation titled: “Beyond Lockdown – How Europe’s Restaurant Industry is Dealing with the Restart...
2021 Q2: UK Edition

2021 Q2: UK Edition

In this special edition report, we surveyed over 400 UK respondents to understand current consumer behaviors in the market, price perceptions and what makes guests choose combo meals when visiting their favorite quick service restaurant.
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

Early in 2020, restaurants had to hit the brakes hard. The industry is revving back up now, but the landscape has changed. Drive-thru is on fire, dark kitchens came out of the shadows, mobile ordering is at an all time high and 90% of consumers say they prefer...
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

9 Ways Restaurant Operators Can Adjust to What Will Be

There’s no denying COVID-19 has brought many firsts and rapid change. For most, it’s the first crisis that has shifted the lives of everyone on the planet, all at the same time. The disruptions in our collective social environments and lifestyles have been...
2021 Q2: Consumer Well-being

2021 Q2: Consumer Well-being

In continuation with our 2021 Q2 consumer update, we asked over 1,100 US respondents a series of questions on their overall well-being to better understand how it affects different generations, dining habits and concerns.
QSRs Should Expect a Mixed Bag of Consumer Behavior for the Holidays

Restaurants Return: A Slow Road to Recovery

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RMS Restaurant Perspective: Korea

The Impact of COVID-19 on Restaurant Consumers

2020 has been called the “year of irrevocable inflection” for the restaurant industry. We agree and have expanded our data collection to support our clients and the industry as they manage rapid change. Most pointedly, we’ve checked the pulse of consumers with...
Study: QSR price trends do a bit of a flip-flop

Study: QSR price trends do a bit of a flip-flop

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What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

What America’s spending its stimulus checks on

Recommended for youNewsRestaurants Get Sales Lift From Latest Stimulus ChecksJanuary 2021Client Successes, NewsFamous Dave’s Outsources Pricing to Sauce Up Its MarginsApril 2013NewsRevenue Management Solutions promotes its President of EMEA to Chief Marketing...

What’s ahead for plant-based meats and proteins?

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The impact of plant-based foods on restaurant recovery

The impact of plant-based foods on restaurant recovery

While the chicken wars flocked to new heights this year, another burger alternative is quietly growing its share: plant-based proteins. Not confined to a drive-thru sandwich, the category encompasses a wide range of grocery and restaurant options, including nut and...
Über den Post-Corona-Gast

Who’s Really Winning the Chicken Sandwich Wars?

Recommended for youNewsChick-fil-A scoring big in Chicken Sandwich Wars...for nowFebruary 2021NewsDid Taco Bell really just join the ‘chicken sandwich war’? Here’s some perspectiveFebruary 2021NewsWinner Winner: Chicken for dinner — and lunch and breakfastJuly...
Restaurant Industry Update: UK Edition 2021

Restaurant Industry Update: UK Edition 2021

We don’t yet know the long-term impacts of the COVID pandemic on the global restaurant landscape. And, in the UK, the bruised and battered industry is being hit by a second, potentially much bigger wave: Brexit. We checked in with our London-based Managing Director...
Post-Covid-Trends aus Amerika

Drive-Thru Traffic Isn’t Stopping: Tips for Getting Your Share

In the most recent episode of Revenue Stream, Revenue Management Solutions VP of Consulting Services Chris Norton and Director of Behavioral Research Dr. Christina Norton talk about drive-thrus and restaurant loyalty trends. What can restaurants do to stay relevant...
How Much Price Is Too Much Price for QSR Customers?

Restaurant sales, traffic not so merry during holiday season

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RMS Restaurant Perspective: Korea

Be Nimble, Be Quick: What Consumers Want in 2021

Recommended for youCOVID-19, Insights, Revenue StreamEpisode 3: Power Panel - 2021 consumer trends & investor questions restaurant brands don't want to missDecember 2020NewsWhat Does The Restaurant Industry Look Like In 2021 And Beyond?January 2021Impact...
Restaurant Industry Update: UK Edition 2021

Restaurant Consumer Trends in Dining 2021

2021 Forecast: Cloudy with a strong chance of in-home dining Product developers and differential calculus buffs have a term: forcing function. The term refers to a function in an equation or system that forces conscious attention upon something. In calculus, it...
QSRs Should Expect a Mixed Bag of Consumer Behavior for the Holidays

What Does The Restaurant Industry Look Like In 2021 And Beyond?

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What Consumers and Investors Think About 2021: A Power Panel

What Consumers and Investors Think About 2021: A Power Panel

Back in April, a month into COVID restrictions, collectively we imagined that things would return to normal in a few short weeks. Like an overstretched rubber band, we thought we’d snap back. We weren’t quite right. What has stretched? Our creativity, our tech...
Restaurant Update from Asia

Restaurant Update from Asia

In April, RMS reported on the state of restaurants in Asia. Now, seven months later, it’s time for an update. For the sake of this article, we’ll focus on Korea. Unlike the U.S. and Europe, Korea has not had any mandatory shutdowns of restaurants during the pandemic —...
Family dining and the holidays, pandemic edition

Family dining and the holidays, pandemic edition

Back in May, we interviewed diners across the globe and asked them about family dining. We asked heads of two-parent families with two children ages 6-12 to answer the question plaguing the industry at the time, which remains relevant now: What will it take for...
Plant-based meat options: Why it’s a big deal to customers

Plant-based meat options: Why it’s a big deal to customers

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Trading Down, Trading Out and Dining In: Restaurant Customer Behavior in Germany, France and the UK

Diners get increasingly on board with plant-based menu items

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Plant-based menu items impact restaurant choice

Plant-based menu items impact restaurant choice

Recommended for youNewsDiners get increasingly on board with plant-based menu itemsOctober 2020NewsPlant-based meat options: Why it's a big deal to customersNovember 2020NewsDoes adding ‘healthy’ menu items make financial sense?March 2016NewsTampa-based Checkers...
What’s the deal with restaurant discounts?

News from Europe: What does the restaurant industry look like now?

In June, RMS Managing Directors Philipp Laqué, based in London, and Nicolas Bordeaux, of Paris, shared the state of the restaurant industry in Europe and the UK. We checked back in with our European outposts this month, with additional insights from Rosa Blanco-Vegas,...
QSRs Should Expect a Mixed Bag of Consumer Behavior for the Holidays

RMS Survey: How Much Has Our Relationship With Food Changed?

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Restaurant Update from Asia

Dispatch From Asia: What Does Restaurant Dining Look Like Now?

In April, RMS Managing Director Winny Daud shared her insights on Singapore’s response to the pandemic, based on her experience as a restaurant analyst, client partner and Singaporean. We spoke to her again this month to see what’s changed in the restaurant industry...
Restaurant Industry Update: UK Edition 2021

Bridging the Generation Gaps: How We Are All Dining Today

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Field Report: How is Singapore Responding to COVID-19?

Field Report: How is Singapore Responding to COVID-19?

If there’s one thing that’s been consistent across the globe during the pandemic, it’s how differently each country is handling restaurant restrictions. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, there’s no handbook — government, corporate or otherwise — to help...
Trading Down, Trading Out and Dining In: Restaurant Customer Behavior in Germany, France and the UK

Restaurants in ‘Survival Mode’ Trim Down Their Menu Offerings

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[INFOGRAPHIC] What Every QSR Operator Should Know About Their Customers in 2023

It’s a disaster. But will disaster insurance cover it?

Circumstances well outside operators’ control are forcing closures, loss of revenue and, in some cases, permanent shut downs. We can all agree that this is a “disaster,” but most business insurance policies only cover catastrophes of the physical kind, and will...
Industry Notes: How restaurants can survive

Industry Notes: How restaurants can survive

These days are truly like none other. When Waffle House, notorious for its record of staying open during natural disasters, closes nearly one-fifth of its restaurants, you know it’s not good. But that’s precisely what’s happened amid the coronavirus pandemic. So what...
A time for ingenuity and relationships

A time for ingenuity and relationships

Plato was right when he wrote, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” particularly now. Robin Blanchette, CEO of Norton Creative, agrees. “What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow,” she says. “The key is not giving up.” Norton Creative is a boutique creative...
Practice What You Preach: Tech Trends to Integrate in 2020

Practice What You Preach: Tech Trends to Integrate in 2020

2020 starts a new decade. Some say a new beginning. And, according to Hudson Riehle from the National Restaurant Association, 2020 could bring forth a “new business model” for restaurants. We are excited about 2020 not because new things will start, but because,...
QSRs Should Expect a Mixed Bag of Consumer Behavior for the Holidays

The Psychology of restaurant menus: Part 2- Engineering

In Part 1 of our look at the psychology of restaurant menus, we examined how consumers react to design and what operators can do to ensure maximum impact for their offer. In this second part of the series, we’re looking at menu engineering. Revenue Management...
Should you be taking price? How restaurants can deal with inflation

How to handle menu price hikes as labor costs soar

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QSRs Should Expect a Mixed Bag of Consumer Behavior for the Holidays

1, 15, 20, 65, 70, 25, 2 and another 1.

No, this isn’t the algorithm for our newest pricing study. And these aren’t the winning lottery numbers. Instead, these numbers represent an instructive snapshot of the restaurant industry, courtesy of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Marketing and...
How Much Price Is Too Much Price for QSR Customers?

To tech or not to tech

Revenue Management Solutions Managing Director, Philipp Laqué, provides an overview of tech “revolutions” that brands should consider. It is a fact, consumers are more comfortable than ever before with the idea of technology playing a leading role in their...
Engineering Seasonal Menus: Maximizing Margins for Thanksgiving

Engineering Seasonal Menus: Maximizing Margins for Thanksgiving

Seasonal menu changes are always a popular move, and give diners the chance to try something new or rediscover a forgotten favorite. Holidays also offer an opportunity to showcase innovative ideas and seasonal ingredients. For seasonal menu changes, it is important to...
Engineering Seasonal Menus: Maximizing Margins for Thanksgiving

Why fast casuals should ditch plastic straws

Non-biodegradable plastic: It’s everywhere and it’s a big problem. From plastic straws to other dining disposables, the restaurant industry is abuzz these days with what to do with these less-than-environmentally friendly necessities. That holds doubly...
Engineering Seasonal Menus: Maximizing Margins for Thanksgiving

3 Tips to Win the Latest Restaurant Trend

It seems like there’s a new food trend popping up every week. The challenge is this: true concept innovators not only have to take an inspired idea and turn it into an irresistible offering, they must introduce it the right way and at the right time. With new ideas...
Engineering Seasonal Menus: Maximizing Margins for Thanksgiving

6 Key Ways Self-Serve Kiosks Can Boost Your Sales

Enhancing the customer experience through customization and convenience is more important than ever. While kiosk systems have existed since the early 1990s, their presence in the restaurant industry has increased in recent years as large brands such as Panera,...
Engineering Seasonal Menus: Maximizing Margins for Thanksgiving

5 Ways to Ensure a Profitable Restaurant Remodel

Sprucing up your space can result in a same-store sales boost So, you’ve decided to remodel a restaurant location. Beyond questions about design, budget and contractors, you are undoubtedly thinking about some customer-related questions: Will your longtime...
Engineering Seasonal Menus: Maximizing Margins for Thanksgiving

How to Address Same-Store Sales Declines

Since March, our inboxes have been flooded with news of same-store declines, restaurant closures, and discussions of a recession. However, this news begs the question, are customers spending less? Or are they just spending elsewhere and our data simply doesn’t capture...
Engineering Seasonal Menus: Maximizing Margins for Thanksgiving

Does adding ‘healthy’ menu items make financial sense?

Before changing your offerings, understand what your customers want We’ve seen a lot of news in recent months from restaurant chains announcing plans to incorporate “healthier” ingredients such as cage-free eggs or hormone-free chicken, or to emphasize healthful menu...

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