3 Key Findings To Help QSRs Deliver a Better App Experience

Service Management Group (SMG) has published new research that highlights how QSR brands can drive app adoption. With digital usage on the rise across the restaurant industry, SMG conducted this study to understand what consumers want from branded QSR apps. Using its BrandGeek market intelligence tool to source behavioral data linked to consumer feedback in real time, SMG collected feedback from more than 16,000 consumers on QSR app usage.

Three key themes emerged from the research. 1) Consumers crave rewards 83% of respondents indicated they have at least one QSR app. The top reason they cited for downloading the app was to earn loyalty rewards.

Further, when respondents were asked what they liked most about their favorite app, the top response was the loyalty rewards program. While ease of use and speed in placing orders help drive app adoption, consumers expect to be rewarded for their brand loyalty. 2) Accuracy is the biggest barrier While 91 percent of respondents indicated that ordering using an app is about the same or a better experience than ordering in person, one in four reported they had experienced an issue with order accuracy when using a restaurant app.

Though digital orders tend to include more customizations and create more complexity for staff, accuracy is simply one area where brands cannot afford to miss the mark. 3) App adoption requires a sound strategy Among the 40% of respondents who had deleted an app in the previous 30 days, 49% reported that they didn’t use the app enough, and 33% cited difficulty placing orders or technical issues with the app. Further, 40% of respondents who had difficulty placing an order indicated they were not very likely or not at all likely to place an app order in the next 12 months.

With more restaurant apps available than ever before, brands must provide a seamless user experience and continually give consumers a reason to use their app. “As digital usage continues to increase across the restaurant industry, brands need to strive to deliver a digital experience that’s on par with or better than the in-person ordering experience,” said SMG SVP of Research Paul Tiedt. “While ease of use and convenience are essential, what helps the top-performing branded apps stand apart is order accuracy and loyalty rewards.”