Article

Achieving freshness in QSR

The appearance is vital to 'fresh' branding, and provides an opportunity to tell your customer about your commitment.

June 20, 2014

By Mindy Armstrong,

Director, Food IQ

Let’s be honest. If asked whether “fresh” food is preferred over “not-fresh” food, the answer would resoundingly be “fresh, please.” But still, we find ourselves talking about the desire for fresh food as if it were a new concept. It’s not, of course, but we are being met by an engaged consumer that is sharing their desire for fresher orders, regardless of segment. According to the NPD group, 58 percent of the market cares less about price and deals and more about the quality and freshness of their meal.

So, can quick-serve restaurants compete as they begin to be increasingly faced with the challenge of delivering fresh, quality food while keeping the price low and the speed fast? The answer is yes. But, the shift may have nothing to do with food to start.

Many consumers visit a QSR for the value promise — convenient meal at a lower price point. However value continues to go beyond the dollar as consumers seek more for their money. “Customers’ definition of value is fresh ingredients, quality food, and good-tasting food at reasonable prices. But fresh ingredients is No. 1,” said Bonnie Riggs, restaurant analyst at The NPD Group.

So, how do we continue to move that direction in the QSR-segment? Perhaps it starts with a story and is followed by a few important components. Appearance, Bite, Taste.  

The story has to be believable. This can include transparency in sourcing, details on origin, or an announcement regarding the reason that led to a change. For instance, Wisconsin-based Culver’s recently boasted to customers that the pumpkin in its seasonal Pumpkin Spice Shake last fall was from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Did this make the pumpkin taste sweeter? Perhaps not, but there is a reason that more than half of the top 10 trends in the NRA’s “What’s Hot” culinary forecast revolve around the origins of food. McDonald’s, in its ongoing quest to improve the overall health of their meals, will add the choice of a side salad, fruit, or vegetables as a replacement for fries in value meals in 20 markets by 2020. 

The appearance is vital to the fresh story. Green, crisp lettuce, bright red juicy tomato, perfectly toasted bread that bounces slightly to the touch are all opportunities to tell your customer that freshness is a commitment that you will keep. Offering a Made-to-Order option through customization also delivers an opportunity to see your order come to life. In fact, to meet the need for customized orders, several quick-serve restaurant chains have started testing ordering kiosks that allow for burger customization. White Castle, for example, started testing this concept at the end of 2013 by adding two touchscreen ordering kiosks at a renovated restaurant in its hometown of Columbus, Ohio. It is the only restaurant in the family-owned, 406-unit chain to feature the kiosks, which are part of a pilot project. The large screens allow customers to order their burgers exactly as they like them in the privacy of the kiosk area. 

The first bite and the sweet taste that follows will close the loop. The crunch of the fresh vegetables, the smell of the just-toasted bread, the heat of the fries, the just-wrapped entree and the someone-just-made-this-for-me handoff will complete the story.

Unfortunately, the vision will not matter at all if it isn’t delivered at the unit level the first time and every time after. Poor execution can wreck the best of intentions.       

However, we’re in a marketplace of opportunities and they continue to present themselves as shifts in perception occur. From fast food, to grab & go to health, we’re in an era of quick change that is focused on better. A relook at grab & go solutions, for example, are helping to pave the way toward better options in the refrigerated kiosk. Chains like Starbucks, Pret A Manger and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf are helping with this cause.

A relook at what health means to consumers is also offering possibility where health is no longer a calorie-count or restricted by diet. In fact, the word "diet" has responsibly been replaced by moderation and important demographic groups are on-board. In fact, the next generation to rise up after Millennials, Gen Z, is eager to consume meals made with fresh ingredients, which they are equating with health.

Delivering fresh, quality food while keeping the price low and the speed fast is a real consumer desire and the demand will only strengthen and build. Who knows — with an overall renewed focus on fresh, perhaps it won’t be long before Fast Food is better known as Fast Fresh Food. 

Mindy Armstrong is the Director of Insights & Innovation at Food IQ. Her background in branding, food marketing and menu innovation in the restaurant industry gives her clients a unique advantage in the development of insight-driven menu concepts. 

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