Commentary

Festivals have become a real-world stress test for how well venues can handle hungry, fast-moving crowds.

Creator-led content drove 10,000 loyalty sign-ups for one Australian QSR brand.

A meaningful shift comes into what people are drinking.

Smaller kitchens, automation, and delivery reshape QSR operations in India.

Rapid QSR growth in Southeast Asia exposes compliance gaps and operational risks.

Value is now being redefined beyond just low prices.

Automation and centralised prep cut costs, boost consistency and speed up training.

Food delivery platforms are currently in an era of consolidation.

The first three orders are crucial to gaining a customer’s loyalty.

Most loyalty programmes count actions. The best ones shape them.

Independent owners face hidden gaps and costly surprises.

Data helps operators scale human connection, personalise service, and run smarter venues.

As the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry expands exponentially and new competitors enter the market, customer experience expectations continue to transform. Customer loyalty is critical to business success, and with the right tools, data and strategies, QSRs now have the opportunity to transform a quick visit into a lasting relationship. It’s time to take a data-led, predictive approach to personalised customer experiences.

Running a restaurant is hard.

I wrote recently on the subject of the relative importance of the F&B offer, the service standards and the environment in the dining out sector. This was in response to some current thinking that suggests when dining out consumers no longer have the food and beverage offer as a priority and are instead seeking ‘experiences’. I have said I don’t think that is the case, but that’s another article. So how does this thinking translate into what is ostensibly the transactional world of QSR? 

The 2016 film, The Founder depicted the story of the McDonald's franchise, when struggling Prince Castle salesman Ray Kroc, who is played by Michael Keaton, travels to San Bernardino in California to meet Dick and Mac McDonald at their eponymous restaurant.   In one memorable scene, Kroc discovers that a McDonald's franchisee has taken it upon himself to add fried chicken to the menu, clashing with the standardised offerings he sought to enforce. This moment highlights the challenges of maintaining uniformity across a restaurant network, something critical for the success of any restaurant brand—the brand promise must be the same in every outlet.   As many know, in the story of McDonald’s, Kroc’s vision extended beyond merely selling burgers and fries—he aspired to deliver the same high-quality experience at every McDonald’s location across the United States. This uniformity is essential for restaurant chain dominance and is the foundation for success—franchise or not.   It’s critical to set customer expectations through your brand promise and to ensure they are met throughout the restaurant chain. These principles can be embedded into your operations in various ways.   Clear expectations that are consistently communicated ensure franchisees and restaurant managers have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities and the standards they must uphold. This can be achieved through regular communication, such as town hall meetings, newsletters, and updates to the franchise operations manual.   A ‘playbook’ is a document that outlines an organisation’s strategies, processes, and practices. It serves as a dynamic roadmap for business operations, ensuring consistency and efficiency while aligning with the brand’s goals and values. The playbook encompasses vision statements, core values, roles, responsibilities, and – most crucially – operational processes. It provides a detailed guide to daily operations and routine activities critical to the business.