QSR magazine, a leading restaurant industry trade publication, and SeeLevel HX, a business intelligence provider, have partnered to continue bringing the QSR Drive-Thru Performance Study to the quick-service restaurant industry. First conducted in 1998, the study measures how leading quick-service restaurant brands are performing in the all-important drive-thru business, which accounts for approximately 60 percent of sales in quick serves.
This year’s study will see a comprehensive overhaul that includes changes designed to make the study more relevant in today’s business climate. “We spoke with numerous brands about their 2016 focus and believe the new results the study will produce will help restaurant operators take better stock of their own operations as well as those of their competitors,” says Jeffrey Wright, vice president of strategic development for SeeLevel HX.
Among the changes is the inclusion of the coffee segment, as well as adding research focus on mobile, caloric content, pricing, and drive-thru design. In addition, shops will reflect restaurant sales volumes, so most brands will see the majority of shops scheduled in the prime lunch hours of 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The restaurant brands studied for 2016 have also undergone a shake-up. The study will include ten top national brands in Arby’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Chick-fil-A, Dunkin’ Donuts, KFC, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s. This will mark the first appearance in the study for both Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks.
In addition to the larger national brands, four emerging drive-thru brands will be included in the study: Panera Bread, Pollo Tropical, PDQ, and Taco Cabana.
QSR magazine will publish top-line results of the study in its October 2016 issue. Results published include average service time, order accuracy, speaker clarity, and menuboard appearance.
“It’s really an impressive array of data,” says Greg Sanders, group publisher of Food News Media, which publishes QSR magazine. “We believe access to this information can help restaurant chains continue the kind of improvement in drive-thru operations the study has always fostered. And the changes to the study this year will make for our best story yet.”
Food News Media, the parent company of QSR and FSR magazines, offers a full suite of media products to help operators and marketers connect with the entire $600 billion–plus U.S. restaurant industry. For more than two decades, the Chapel Hill, North Carolina–based publishing company has built a reputation for thought leadership and reporting on trends in dining for the American consumer.
SeeLevel HX is the newly branded human experience organization combining the expertise and execution of three leading business intelligence companies—Mystery Researchers, Beyond Hello, and Insula Research. With a combined corporate experience of more than 40 years in developing, executing, and delivering custom business intelligence programs, our updated and refreshed identity isn't just about being new, it is a reflection of our evolution, a reflection of the experience revolution, and ultimately an entirely different level of approach to the measurement and delivery of human experiences.
