Restaurant Trends March 2021

RMS remains committed to providing our industry with insights that will guide us into and through “new,” “next” and better.

The Evolution of QSR Pricing

Last month, RMS set out to understand how menu prices are evolving in 2021, particularly QSR delivery vs. dine-in pricing. We analyzed publicly available menu data from over 50,000 restaurants across all states.

Between January and February 2021:

Delivery prices decreased by 3.0%
Dine-in prices increased by 1.5%

Surprisingly, while delivery prices declined overall, prices increased for breakfast meals and bundles (ex: 2 for 1 or combo meals that include a drink). The map below provides an overview of the average cost of a breakfast meal ordered through delivery in February 2021 broken down by state.

Dine-in price increases are mainly driven by increases in meals and individual entrees (ex: burger or sandwich). The map below provides an overview of the average cost of a dine-in meal in February 2021 broken down by state.

Interested in information on QSR pricing practices and how to best strategize for your brand? Contact us today to get started.

Consultant’s Corner

A Look at 2021 Minimum Wage Increases

Minimum wage increases are projected to affect nearly 428,000 foodservice operators in the US. In this deep dive, RMS provides a state-by-state breakdown of the changes planned for 2021 and how many food service businesses will be affected.

Who’s Really Winning the Chicken Sandwich Wars?

The fight for the hottest chicken sandwich is on! QSR magazine’s Danny Klein takes a look into the most talked about QSR trend, the chicken sandwich, and features insights from RMS’ latest consumer survey. Take a look to find out who’s in the lead.