Operations

4 ways to freshen up your QSR

QSR operators can freshen their brand by moving away from muted design trends toward vibrant, brand-aligned colors, upgrading flooring with luxury vinyl and utilizing tech-driven solutions like heated shelving and intuitive pickup areas to ensure a seamless, high-quality experience for off-premise diners.

Photo: Adobe Stock (AI generated)

January 23, 2026 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

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In an industry where "fast" is the baseline, staying relevant requires a frequent infusion of flavor — both on the plate and in the atmosphere.

To keep your QSR from fading into the background of a crowded strip mall, you have to look beyond the menu and consider the entire guest journey. Whether it's integrating frictionless "order-ahead" tech that actually works or swapping out tired, fluorescent lighting for a modern, Instagram-worthy glow, a few strategic pivots can transform a routine pit stop into a destination.

Freshening up isn't just about a coat of paint; it's about refining the intersection of speed, comfort and culinary surprise to ensure your brand feels as crisp as your fries.

Here are four ways to freshen up your QSR without breaking the bank.

1. Bring back vibrancy in the dining room

To bring vibrancy back to a QSR dining room, operators should focus on moving away from the common wood and gray elevated design trend and lean into brand reinforcement through color. This can be achieved relatively inexpensively by incorporating interesting graphic components, such as art or stylized wall coverings, which help create a more inviting atmosphere for guests. The goal is to revitalize the space so that customers who choose to dine in — often to take a break from their cars or the daily hustle — feel they are in a welcoming environment where they are happy to spend time.

"I think from a design perspective, so many brands have looked to elevate their look, and we kind of ended up with a lot of like wood and gray. So finding ways to reinforce your branding, whether it's through interesting graphic components, which can be done rather inexpensively, ... whether it's art or a wall covering, but finding ways to bring color back in and use that as a tool for brand reinforcement... is a really effective way to kind of make your spaces more inviting.," Amanda Williams, director and project leader, retail food & beverage studio for Nelson, an architecture, interior design, graphic design and brand strategy firm, said in a phone interview

With more real estate going toward the kitchen and pickup areas, there are design tricks operators can use to make a smaller, refreshed dining area feel spacious and comfortable.

"Select furniture with simple lines and open backs, small tables that can be pushed together for a group rather than long conference like tables, high ceilings and as many windows as possible," Christy Wendler, a project manager and interior designer with Tessere, a design firm, said in an email interview. "Durable materials replicating wood, rare marble and stones are indistinguishable to the untrained eye and available in a growing number of products such as quartz, porcelain tile and luxury vinyl."

2. Freshen up the flooring

In the high-traffic world of QSRs, your flooring is often the first thing customers notice — even if they don't realize they're looking at it.

Grubby grout lines or worn-out linoleum can make even a spotless kitchen feel "off." You don't necessarily need a full demolition to make an impact; consider professional deep-cleaning and regrouting to strip away years of embedded grease, or look into luxury vinyl tiling. LVT can be installed quickly over existing surfaces, offering the high-end look of wood or stone with the industrial durability needed to withstand dropped soda and heavy foot traffic.

By freshening up the foundation of your space, you instantly brighten the room and signal to your guests that cleanliness and quality are your top priorities.

"Luxury vinyl tile continues to dominate flooring and colors are trending to warmer neutrals with bold accents," said Wendler.

3. Optimize carry-out, mobile app experience

Operators should focus on creating a seamless and efficient experience for the growing number of carry-out and mobile app customers. This involves designing a dedicated pickup area that feels intuitive, allowing guests to quickly locate their orders and perform a quality check before leaving.

Improving this journey can be as simple as adding clear signage and heated shelving to ensure food remains fresh and warm, or as advanced as implementing QR-code-activated lockers that guide customers to the exact location of their meal. By prioritizing these "grab-and-go" touchpoints, brands can significantly boost both customer satisfaction and employee efficiency without requiring a total store remodel.

"I think a lot of brands have spent money investing in how to improve that experience over time," Williams said, "and I think taking some time to think about my pickup customer. My customer, who is getting out of their car, they're popping in, they're grabbing to go — how do we make it so that it feels seamless? It feels like I know exactly where to find my food, I know there's a place for me to quality check my food.

4. Incorporate technology for freshness, efficiency

Incorporate technology into your QSR strategy to guarantee food freshness and streamline the pickup process for the modern consumer. Operators can implement sophisticated holding systems, such as heated shelving or QR-code-activated lockers, which allow customers to know exactly where their food is and ensure it remains high-quality even if they are delayed by traffic.

These technological updates can range from simple additions like heated shelves to integrated digital systems that guide the guest through a seamless, "hot and ready" experience. By investing in these efficiency-focused tools, restaurants can improve both the carry-out and mobile dining journey, signaling to customers that their time and the quality of their meal are top priorities.

"We work with brands who have created systems where they're keeping your food hot, and you scan a QR code and you know exactly which hot hole you're grabbing your food out of, so that you're having a hot and ready experience where I know that my food is there, I know it is fresh, it stayed warm, even if I got held up in traffic," Williams said. "Looking at how you can improve that carry-out experience and that mobile dining experience is a big thing. And it can be as simple as a couple of like heated shelves."

About Mandy Wolf Detwiler

Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.

An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.

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