News

Customer satisfaction drives higher return QSR visits than food, price

August 22, 2013

Customer Experience Management solutions provider Empathica's latest Quick-Service Restaurant Benchmark Study ranked the top U.S. burger-focused chains based on satisfaction scores from 10,000 consumers. In-N-Out Burger, with 66 percent "delighted," came out on top, followed by Five Guys, 57 percent, and Whataburger, 49 percent.

American burger brand guests were asked to rate a number of factors, and Empathica's "percent delighted" score was calculated by averaging ratings of overall satisfaction, likelihood of revisiting, value for money paid and likelihood of recommending.

Findings show that the top three burger brands by sales — McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's — are ranked at or near the bottom of guest satisfaction in almost all categories including food, staff, menu and atmosphere. Burger King had the lowest customer satisfaction scores, with 29 percent.

Conversely, smaller regional or specialty burger chains, In-N-Out, Whataburger and Five Guys, are consistently ranked high for both product and service quality.

"Our findings reveal that the top drivers of burger chain visits include speed, price and menu followed by portion, staff and promotion," said Dr. Gary Edwards, chief customer officer, Empathica. "However, these are not the same drivers of customer satisfaction. The ultimate goal for location managers is to keep their guests coming back. To achieve this goal, QSRs must provide a continually exceptional experience."

Why Americans select a burger QSR

Benchmark results show factors important to Americans when selecting a burger QSR for dine-in, take-out and drive-thru experiences. Food taste was the top factor in each dining experience category, while menu variety was least important when making a burger chain choice.

Respondents continually cite "felt valued" and "attentive staff" as important factors when making their burger chain selection. Guests rely on previous experiences when selecting a burger QSR, whether they select a dine-in, take-out or drive-thru option.

The findings also reveal marked differences in customer satisfaction for several QSR burger brands between lunch and dinner dayparts. While In-N-Out Burger and Five Guys held strong at the top two rankings for both meals, Krystal dropped from ranking seventh during lunch to 15th at dinner. Jack in the Box had an opposite switch, moving from 13th at lunch to sixth during dinner.

"Interestingly, several brands are really failing to deliver what customers expect across occasions. It is critical that brands deliver a high quality, consistent experience regardless of whether the guest comes into a location in Dallas for lunch or a late night snack in Des Moines," Edwards added. "We know that customer loyalty is the sum of all their experiences with the brand, so consistency really is king — customers have to know what they are getting, regardless of location or occasion."

The burger category results are similar to overall QSR findings, showing that system size and sales don't necessarily equate with higher customer satisfaction.

The full burger rankings are:

1. In-N-Out Burger – 66 percent;
2. Five Guys – 57 percent;
3. Whataburger – 49 percent;
4. Culver's – 48 percent;
5. Steak 'n Shake – 46 percent;
6. Krystal – 43 percent;
7. Sonic Drive-In – 43 percent;
8. Dairy Queen – 40 percent;
9. Jack in the Box – 36 percent;
10. White Castle – 36 percent;
11. Carl's Jr. – 35 percent;
12. Hardee's – 34 percent;
13. Wendy's – 34 percent;
14. McDonald's – 32 percent;
15. Checkers – 30 percent; and
16. Burger King – 29 percent.

Gaps in service equate to opportunities

Edwards adds that the gaps in service are opportunities for QSR chains, regardless of category. Most of the 100,000 QSRs in the U.S. make craveable food and fast, but they can differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace through service.

"According to our Benchmark results, service is the area that needs improvement across the board — it is also a key area that can drive customer loyalty and satisfaction," he said.

Another recent Empathica survey, for example, found that return visits are much higher when guests are most satisfied. The likelihood of a return visit increases from 20 percent to 81 percent when customers report a higher satisfaction rate.

Additionally, when guests are "strongly satisfied," they are four times more likely to recommend the restaurant to friends, family or colleagues. Important service aspects include having an attentive and friendly staff, providing a comfortable environment and making customers feel valued throughout their experience.

"There are several reasons why guests may not be willing to recommend QSRs to family and friends," Edwards said. "Greeting a customer when they enter the restaurant, suggesting menu recommendations and making that guest feel like a valued customer should be a priority alongside providing a great tasting, quickly served meal."

Read more about trends and statistics.