Background
As of 2018, over 80 percent of Americans consume fast at least one time per week, but in the past few years, Americans have moved towards buying food products labeled as containing natural or clean ingredients. As a result, many fast food customers have demanded fresher ingredients and lower-calorie options from their favorite chains. With this increase in demand for foods perceived as healthier to consume, a new group of healthy food chains have appeared all around the nation. Fast food chains that have ignored changing customer sentiments have suffered, while those that have listened have been able to retain their customer bases.
What makes fast food so popular?
Fast food is as popular as it is for a few primary reasons.
Firstly, America has an incredibly fast-paced culture where little value is placed on taking one’s time to do so something as trivial as eating. Thus, fast food is a particularly attractive option to many Americans looking to move through their lives a little faster. Even when this comes at the expense of eating healthy, the desire for speedy meals often outweighs this expense.
Secondly, American culture is also one of convenience. Whenever someone feels hungry, they want to be able to get some food right then, and for some, those cravings come later at night when fewer sit-down restaurants are open. Furthermore, drive-thru venues are popular being customers can order, pay, and collect their food from the convenience of their own vehicles. Being able to spend less time parking, getting out of the car, going into the restaurant, etc. are all benefits relating back to American culture also being fast-paced.
Thirdly, many eat fast food because it takes good. Generally, this is because products use refined grains and have high levels of saturated fast, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol which contribute to making a meal feel tastier and more satisfying.
Changing Sentiments
There are absolutely qualities that make traditional fast food valuable to customers today, and only some of these qualities are consistently replicated by emerging healthy fast food restaurants.
However, a 2015 survey by Deloitte showed more than 80 percent of its respondents believed that menus at most fast food venues did not offer sufficient healthy options for customers. As such, as newer healthier chains are discovering ways to lower prices to compete more effectively with traditional fast food chains, many consumers are making the switch. This is something that these companies are still working on, but should they successfully lower their prices to match fast food venues dollar for dollar, these venues may be in trouble.
McDonald’s Responds to Customer Requests
Though McDonald’s has maintained its status as one of the largest fast food chains worldwide for quite some time, it still engages in considerable market research to ensure its customers remain happy. Generally, this research is guided by four questions:
- which products are performing well and which are underperforming?
- what prices are realistic for customers to consistently afford?
- what mediums are consumers currently reading and watching through that offer advertisements?
- which restaurant locations have the highest volume of customers?
In conducting this market research more recently, McDonald’s realize that a significant portion of its customers were unhappy with the lack of healthy food options offered on its menu. In response, the company added several healthier items like apple slices and more salads to the menu and even came out with an advertising campaign to reassure customers that all of the chain’s patties and chicken products contain real meat.
Takeaway
Like the emerging healthy fast food chains, McDonald’s is still figuring out new ways to respond to changing consumer preferences. However, the company has appeased many through these minor changes to its menu and this advertising campaign, securing some of its customers who considered swapping out the traditional chain for a newer, healthier option. Perhaps other fast food chains should take note and consider the power of customer feedback in developing an effective marketing strategy.
Post Inspiration: https://www.businessinsider.com/future-of-fast-food-healthy-affordable-2017-11#:~:text=Legacy%20fast-food%20chains%20are,more%20salads%20to%20its%20menu.