Today we discussed fast food marketing strategies and explained how is fast food marketed, 7 strategies of marketing, why marketing is important in fast food industry, the new trends, best campaigns, strategy of McDonald’s, Taco Bell and KFC, obesity issue and more.
Fast food marketing strategies of 2022
Given the abundance of fast food outlets in the market, marketing fast food can be difficult. Check out the fast-food marketing methods listed below if you want to set your restaurant apart from the competition. I cover everything from unique promotions to mobile ordering and one-page menus. That is why we decided to discuss the trending fast food marketing strategies of 2022
Table of Contents
What are some marketing strategies for food?
Fast food restaurants need a marketing strategy. How can you spread the word and attract additional clients without fast food marketing strategies? There is a lot of competition in the food market. Especially if there are franchise eateries nearby. Franchised fast food restaurants could end up being a tough competitor.
You can still compete, so don’t worry! Even though your meal is referred to as “quick food,” you must demonstrate to your customers that you use produce from nearby growers or that the meat is from reputable butchers. With your food’s quality, try to draw customers. Burgers don’t have to be unhealthy. You don’t have to have oily fries! Make an effort to find some healthy options and include them to your menu. Request opinions from your customers.
What are the 4 main marketing strategies?
The following food marketing strategies may not all work for your company, but they are all worth looking into. We advise you to first take a seat and consider your objectives. Once you are certain of your goals, combine your personal style with the appropriate strategies to achieve them.
Paid advertisements
Use the paid fast food marketing strategies provided by social media sites to connect with an increasing number of people.
Work with food bloggers
Work along with bloggers and influencers who can promote your restaurant well. Collaboration with these individuals, who are quite active on social media, can considerably improve the number of diners at your restaurant.
Businesses that are engaged on social media attract customers. Post frequently on the meals you serve your customers as well as promotions and sales. This is one of the most important fast food marketing strategies.
Respond to your customers
Respond to every question and complaint raised by your clients on social media.
How is fast food marketed?
The fast-food sector is growing. Almost every day, new fast-food restaurants pop up all over the world. There are numerous distinct chain fast-food restaurants in big cities. However, a fast-food restaurant need not be a franchise. Some folks want to start their own fast-food establishment with mouthwatering burgers and chicken wings.
You should research some fast food marketing strategies if you decide to start your own firm. It is crucial that your restaurant receive the appropriate recognition. Start off with a food truck. There might be a festival in your town that requires food vendors.
Make sure to advertise your company there. More and more people are using food trucks. Try a food truck first if you are still on the fence about starting a brick and mortar restaurant. Opening a restaurant has high startup costs, so you might want to start with something smaller. If everything goes according to plan, you can begin considering growing your company.
You could also research franchise possibilities. But keep in mind that it costs a lot of money to operate a fast-food chain restaurant. Both benefits and drawbacks can come with owning a franchise. Although you must pay a monthly charge, the organization offers you a lot of assistance and handles practically all of your marketing.
How do I advertise my fast food business?
Every burger-place need good fast food marketing strategies. You must determine your marketing budget as well. What budget do you have for advertisements, activities, banners, and other business-promoting items? Every business owner wants to reduce unnecessary costs when it comes to money. This is why you need to prepare ahead of time. Although some expenses are unavoidable, you may prepare your budget for advertising and make an effort to keep to it.
Advertising your company could become very pricey. Paid advertisements, banners, and radio ads all add up. But without all those marketing strategies, your company risks failing. Your devoted consumers may always be there, but if you want to boost your sales, you must draw in other customers. There are various fast-food marketing techniques, some of which are free or quite inexpensive.
What are the 7 strategies of marketing?
There are 7 basic fast food marketing strategies you can apply to your business.
- Offer combos and meal packs. Customers love meal deals more in fast food restaurants than anywhere else. Your sales will quickly increase if you serve a traditional burger and fries combo along with soda and/or dessert. To encourage customers to select meal packages, combinations, and family menus over individual menu items, give them a premium pricing. They will receive greater value for their money, and you will sell more products.
- Offer a children’s menu. Making an unique kids’ menu with smaller servings, healthier choices, and food in the shapes of animals or well-known cartoon characters is one of the simplest kid-friendly fast food marketing strategies you can apply. Kids will be eager to visit your restaurant as a result, and parents will be relieved to learn that they can spend less on a healthier lunch option for their children.
- Let clients use a QR code to order and browse the menu. Fast food and quick service are essentially the same thing. After all, quick food is what it is called for a reason. Switching from regular menus to QR code menus is one of the simplest fast food marketing strategies you may undertake to serve more consumers more quickly. There are many advantages to contactless ordering for dine-in, including faster table turnover for you and the ability for guests to place orders and pay for them without having to stand in line or speak to a cashier.
- Develop a branded app that allows users to place online food orders. The ideal alternative if you’re thinking about including delivery and pickup options is a mobile app that customers can download to place orders on their phones and has your logo and branding on it. This will set your restaurant apart from competitors who don’t provide mobile ordering. It’s also a better option than putting your restaurant on third-party delivery apps and shelling out their steep fees.
- Keep your menu to a single page. Chain restaurants’ menus were 20 percent smaller in 2020 than they were in 2019, and this trend toward smaller menus is here to stay. Consider concentrating on popular meals that you know you make well and that clients appreciate when developing your fast-food marketing strategy. By doing this, you may lessen interruptions in the kitchen and streamline the ordering procedure for your hungry clients. There is a good reason for the present trend of menu reductions in restaurants. In the current restaurant scenario, smaller menus do better than those with endless pages of menu items. Even well-known franchises like Chili’s and Ruby Tuesday have reduced their menus by 40% and 30%, respectively. Less is more these days, and eateries with small menus are doing well.
- Practice cross-selling and upselling. Upselling and cross-selling, which are the lifeblood of this kind of business, must be included in every fast food marketing strategies for fast food establishments. Allowing consumers to add extras, toppings, sides, drinks, and desserts will encourage them to place larger orders. They’ll feel more like they’re receiving exactly what they want if you give them more options. For instance, if a customer adds a burger to their cart, recommend a side of fries to go with it and a cool drink to go with it.
- Think about using eco-friendly packaging instead. Because some fast-food restaurants have a bad image for not caring about the environment, junk food marketing methods can frequently be challenging. Switching to eco-friendly packaging for takeout and delivery orders is one approach to reduce that. You can also experiment with recycling, limiting food waste, and lowering carbon emissions associated with delivery.
How can food business attract customers?
Regular content posting will help you attract customers. This may be posts about menu changes or improvements at your restaurant, or it could be a simple video of the kitchen in action.
Additionally, several restaurants run social media competitions where they want viewers to tag their friends. After that, the social media manager chooses a lucky winner and gives them a lunch coupon for their preferred restaurant.
Why marketing is important in fast food industry?
Customers’ memories of a brand are kept current via advertising. But it also raises new clients’ awareness. In order to constantly satisfy customers and strengthen commitment to the company’s vision and goal, every business must make constant adjustments to its operations and marketing plans. According to situational effects, internal and external trends, and influences on consumer behavior, the modifications must be adjusted throughout time. A corporation may cease operations as a result of internal and external organizational pressures if it lacks a sound marketing plan. Players in the fast food industry nowadays must modify their marketing techniques in order to stay competitive in the face of changing economic conditions across the globe.
What are the new trends in fast food?
At a CAGR of 6.05 percent during the forecast period, it is predicted that the worldwide fast food market would increase from USD 972.74 billion in 2021 to USD 1,467.04 billion by 2028.
Vegan and vegetarian options
More vegan and vegetarian alternatives are showing up on menus, and not just in fine dining establishments and veg-focused eateries, as you examine the most recent trends in the fast food business. Plant-based cuisine is making its way into the fast food industry, from Burger King to Nando’s.
Deliveroo reported a sharp rise in vegan food demand from customers over the past year which was followed by a doubling of the number of vegan eateries listed on the app. As more individuals come to see vegetarianism and veganism as viable lifestyle choices that are accessible and compatible with their way of life, this rising trend appears destined to continue in 2022.
Prioritize energy saving via smart appliances
Smart appliances are growing better than ever, and more restaurant owners are trying to prioritize energy saving at work as consumers do at home. In 2022, many fast-food businesses will have already installed or will have already begun to install smart appliances. This is one of the best fast food marketing strategies. These appliances were created with the express purpose of cooking more quickly and efficiently while using less energy. Prioritizing energy saving via smart appliances is great for developnig fast food marketing strategies.
Utilize AI in the kitchen
In 2022, the fast food business is expected to experience some rather new and interesting changes, such as a rise in the usage of artificial intelligence in the kitchen, throughout the ordering process, and on the restaurant floor. Watch this space; you might be shocked by how this year’s fast food franchise business can actually benefit from the abstract idea of AI.
Offer at-home meal kits
More fast food chains than ever before recognize the importance of diversifying their sources of revenue. Why? Because the companies most positioned to succeed were those able to provide their consumers a variety of options when COVID-19 forced restaurants across the nation to close their doors. At-home meal kits are one such choice; they combine ordering in from a restaurant with eating at home by preparing meals using restaurant-quality components. This hybrid sector is anticipated to flourish even after 2022.
Offer healthy alternatives
Many people have become more health aware as a result of the pandemic, but we still enjoy a cheeky takeaway. As a result, there are now significantly more healthy options available on menus, especially in fast food restaurants. 2022 is likely to see not only the continuation of this trend, but also an increase in its importance. People seek convenience in a hectic environment, but what about now? They now desire healthier convenience. Healthy alternatives are great for developnig fast food marketing strategies.
Sustainable packaging
In 2022, more and more individuals will realize that making better business decisions for the environment would benefit both you and your customers. As a result, over the course of the upcoming year, you can anticipate seeing more sustainable packaging being used. This includes the continuous replacement of plastic straws and the use of recyclable, plant-based, and biodegradable materials.
Why resonance marketing is key for food industry?
Both the online and offline advertising markets are heavily saturated, and it’s increasingly difficult for advertisers to stand out in such an environment. For advertisers, creating ads that make consumers sit up and take notice requires focusing on a concept called resonance. Ads that resonate are ads that engage an audience, build brand visibility, and prompt consumers to take action.
Around a third of online advertising operations, according to Nielson, are ineffective. They don’t boost sales, raise brand or product visibility, or achieve any other objectives. One explanation for this, according to Randall Beard, president of Nielson Expanded Verticals, is that advertisers don’t know how to use digital advertising to generate positive resonance.
You experience positive resonance when you and your audience connect on a specific level. Your fast food marketing strategies should come with a message resonates with them on a genuine level because it confirms what they already hold to be true. Resonance isn’t about emphasizing a product’s cost or its qualities; frequently, the most successful resonance advertising doesn’t even significantly emphasize the product.
“The power of digital ad formats cannot be underestimated, as they offer many advantages for achieving effective reach.”
-Randall Beard
Simply said, resonance is the process of enticing your audience with marketing messages that align with their interests and values. Why is this such a big deal? Because consumers feel understood when your advertising connects with them. They are more inclined to conduct business with you since they believe your organization and theirs share some fundamental principles.
How do fast food restaurants attract customers?
Social media is a key component of many fast food marketing plans. You do receive such sponsored advertisements, of course, but you may also use social media platforms for unpaid advertising. How? These days, practically everyone owns a smartphone. Social media is used by people to advertise their enterprises. Social networking must be used by your fast food restaurant. You can share images and inform your audience of forthcoming sales and events. Customers who have eaten at your business may also take images of the food online and mention it in their posts. Not to be overlooked are hashtags.
How do you attract new customers?
The passion on social media is undoubtedly not abating. Because of this, having a strong social media presence is crucial to every fast food marketing strategies, and you must have accounts on Facebook and Instagram. You must be able to see your restaurant. You may update your social network accounts using a variety of apps. Trust us, fresh content is essential! Regular posting is important. We are aware that managing a fast-food restaurant is stressful, and maintaining your company’s social media platforms may seem a little burdensome. You can always use a specialized business to monitor your social media profiles.
You need a website for your fast-food establishment. Preferably with an internet method for placing food orders. People typically use Yelp or Google to choose a restaurant that can deliver the food they want when they are hungry. They frequently seek out restaurant websites to see if there are any food images, lunch specials, or discounts available. Your website should be simple to use. There are tools available to help you build your own company website. You may simply choose a template and tweak it without knowing how to code.
Keep the webpage for your restaurant updated. When it comes to internet presence, the majority of fast-food marketing techniques are extremely particular. Your website ought to be educational. It is crucial to have information about the menu, lunch specials, discounts, and locations. You can always add images of various foods, but be sure to only use those of great quality. This juicy burger will look amazing in pictures!
What makes a good food advertisement?
When designing an original food commercial, have the following in mind:
- Create visually impressive content
- Use high-quality photographs
- Keep ad copy short and to the point
- Use video to engage your audience
- Use a narrative or fond memories to evoke an emotional response from the audience.
- Personify the food for a comical touch.
- Be inventive with your visual designs.
- Keep up with the most recent trends.
How do you introduce food to customers?
Advertising can make a lot of people want things they don’t need and costs money so the firms have to charge more for their products. If the adverts don’t work then the money is wasted and the opportunity cost of employing people in advertising is that they could be sacked.
Advertising gives people information and makes them aware of the product, subsidies newspapers and magazines so they cost less, and hopefully draws in more customers. Because McDonalds is such a well-known brand, more individuals are drawn to it than they would be to a lesser-known restaurant.
Therefore, when introducing a new menu, you should:
- Keep important items in similar spots on the menu
- Create a best-selling area if you want to draw attention to popular dishes
It goes without saying that the waitress should be the first person to promote a new menu. The server will inform the customer of the menu update and any additions to the menu.
Fast food marketing strategies examples
Despite the increased consumer preference for fast food meals, many firms still struggle to use the most effective fast food marketing strategies. Additionally, because the market is still evolving at an unpredictable rate, brand marketers need to come up with plans to keep their company afloat.
Best fast food marketing campaigns
Fast food restaurants have become a popular option for people who are constantly on the go because the bulk of society leads a fast-paced lifestyle and because their food also looks and tastes nice. But this multi-billion dollar sector also owes its success to the various marketing techniques used to uphold its position as the forefront of contemporary society.
Burger King
Burger King connects its chicken fries to some of the most fundamental human characteristics in this Twitter advertisement. Although ridiculous, this appeal adds the proper amount of comedic tension to the commercial.
You asked. We answered. #ChickenFriesAreBack pic.twitter.com/dYdwCSEw4P
— Burger King (@BurgerKing) August 8, 2014
Additionally, using a unique visual design is exciting and eye-catching. Any millennial scrolling down will be forced to pause and stare, recalling chicken fries from bygone eras thanks to the design.
Along with getting the Burger King ecosystem 380 tweets a minute, this effort earned features in Time and HuffPost. This is effective millennial marketing.
Taco Bell
The lexicon of today includes emojis. These cute tiny images that help us communicate over text are all over the internet today. Even though emoji are always changing, users frequently lament that their preferred visuals aren’t represented by emoji.
In 2015, Taco Bell made the decision to turn this notion on its head and started pushing for the addition of a taco emoji to the vocabulary. In addition to starting a petition to press the Unicode Consortium, the organization that created the emoji, for their cause, Taco Bell also produced a renowned advertising campaign.
The outcome? There is a taco emoji now. This food advertisement campaign combined two elements—humor and passion—to produce one of the most enduring creative marketing initiatives of the last ten years.
What is the marketing strategy of McDonald’s?
If you are a franchise restaurant owner, we think that most, if not all, of your fast food advertising is done internally. Fast food chains have highly well-considered marketing plans. They spend a lot on advertising and even have their own food-related apps. You can use the McDonald’s app to browse the menu, business hours, and nearby locations as well as to receive exclusive discounts. The features of other fast food restaurant applications are comparable. Additionally, some applications are linked to delivery services, allowing you to access a certain meal delivery app by simply tapping on your screen.
How do McDonalds attract customers?
Let’s discuss fast food marketing strategies of McDonald’s. The budget of McDonalds is far larger than that of a smaller private business. Both informational and persuasive advertisements are used by McDonald’s; the former promote healthy eating, while the latter, particularly in TV commercials, attempt to convince viewers to purchase the advertised goods. The song “I’m lovin’ it” by Justin Timberlake serves as the McDonalds theme music. Due of the popularity of both the song and Justin, who is a star and young heartthrob, this will draw a lot of customers.
Advertising can make a lot of people want things they don’t need and costs money so the firms have to charge more for their products. If the adverts don’t work then the money is wasted and the opportunity cost of employing people in advertising is that they could be sacked. Advertising gives people information and makes them aware of the product, subsidies newspapers and magazines so they cost less, and hopefully draws in more customers. Because McDonalds is such a well-known brand, more individuals are drawn to it than they would be to a lesser-known restaurant.
What is the strategy of KFC?
KFC has largely employed the push-and-pull marketing method to entice customers to buy its food. It is well-known for its catchphrase, “finger licking good.” They employ it to make an impression on their clients and educate them about the goods they are selling. Customers are enticed to buy a piece of KFC chicken by images of people chowing down on chicken in their advertising.
The best approach to make sure that their customers are continuously informed of how delicious their “finger licking” chicken is is through advertising. KFC has used entertainment, coupons, premiums, and exhibits among other fast food marketing strategies to increase sales. The business has developed a number of incentives to get customers to purchase its numerous chicken products.
For example, it provides clients with complimentary meals if they have purchased a particular number of their items. The consumer receives a coupon, which they can use to redeem their free lunch. Additionally, they distribute complimentary meal coupons through print media, which the consumer must cut out before visiting one of their locations to pick up their meals.
What is the marketing strategy of Jollibee?
Now let’s look at the fast food marketing strategies of Jollibee Foods Corporation. Their mission is to be the top supplier of high-quality services and goods to consumers. Jollibee Foods Corporation’s fast food marketing strategies and business operations are focused on the following since it is the best and the market leader:
- Offering clients value-added goods and services
- Putting special emphasis on improving the customer experience
The marketing plan of Jollibee Foods Corporation is based on its mission. The goal of Jollibee Foods Corporation is to become the consumers’ favorite brand. This objective is crucial to Jollibee Foods Corporation’s fast food marketing strategies since it directs all operations and marketing efforts in the following directions:
- Consumer centrism
- Employing research to comprehend and understand consumers
For Jollibee Foods Corporation’s fast food marketing strategies to be directed and have significance, it is essential to understand and know the brand equity. By efficiently forming Jollibee Foods Corporation’s marketing plan with the support of brand equity expertise, Jollibee Foods Corporation will be able to expand its business.
Fast food marketing and obesity
Children and youth-targeted food advertising has been connected to an increase in childhood obesity. Advertising from other sectors frequently objectifies women and girls, which fuels eating disorders, sadness, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction.
- The rise in childhood obesity has been attributed to advertising by the food sector that targets children and young people.
- Girls and women are frequently objectified in other industries’ advertising, which increases depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction.
- Many teenagers, especially teenage girls, struggle with body image and engage in unhealthy weight-controlling activities.
- Obesity has been reported to co-occur with unhealthy weight control habits, such as fasting, skipping meals, eating little to no food, vomiting, and using laxatives, diuretics, or diet pills.
- Children and teens who are overweight in the eyes of their peers and teachers may be marginalized due to weight bias, increasing their vulnerability to teasing and bullying.
- Weight-related stigma has been found to co-occur with depression, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts, and body dissatisfaction and weight-related worries affect people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.
- As children watch more television, their risk of obesity rises.
- One important risk factor for obesity in children is their exposure to TV advertisements for unhealthy food items, such as high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks, fast food, and sweetened beverages.
- According to study, young children who watch more TV each day for an additional hour consume more calories overall (48.7 kcal/day), sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, and red and processed meat. Only 150 more calories per day are needed to cause weight growth.
- According to additional studies, children who watch more than three hours of television each day have a 50% higher risk of being obese than kids who watch less than two hours.
- Children’s product preferences, requests, and diet are influenced by food and beverage advertising.
- The food and beverage industries have made a commitment to self-regulate their marketing to children, but this hasn’t led to any appreciable improvements in the marketing of healthier food (such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, and beans) to kids. The harmful food categories that contribute to the obesity pandemic are represented by nearly three out of every four foods advertised to youngsters.
Half of all television commercials on children’s programs are for food. Unhealthy food products nearly entirely dominate these advertisements. Public service messages and advertisements for healthy eating are rarely shown to children.
Conclusion
In order to constantly satisfy customers and strengthen commitment to the company’s vision and goal, every business must make constant adjustments to its operations and fast food marketing strategies. According to situational effects, internal and external trends, and influences on consumer behavior, the modifications must be adjusted throughout time. A corporation may cease operations as a result of internal and external organizational pressures if it lacks good fast food marketing strategies. Players in the fast food industry nowadays must modify their marketing techniques in order to stay competitive in the face of changing economic conditions across the globe.
Ages | No. of ads per day | Hrs of ads per year | No. of ads per year | Exposure to PSAs |
2-7 | 12 | 29:31 | 4,427 | 1 every 2-3 days |
8-12 | 21 | 50:48 | 7,609 | 1 every 2-3 days |
13-17 | 17 | 40:50 | 6,098 | <1 every week |
In summary we’ve discussed the following headlines:
- What are some marketing strategies for food? There is a lot of competition in the food market. Burgers don’t have to be unhealthy. You don’t have to have oily fries! Make an effort to find some healthy options and include them to your menu.
- What are the 4 main marketing strategies? Fast food marketing strategies we detailed above may not all work for your company, but they are all worth looking into.
- How is fast food marketed? You should research some fast food marketing strategies if you decide to start your own firm, read details above.
- How do I advertise my fast food business? You must determine your marketing budget and plan accordingly.
- What are the 7 strategies of marketing? We explained 7 key fast food marketing strategies above.
- How can food business attract customers? Several restaurants run social media competitions where they want viewers to tag their friends.
- Why marketing is important in fast food industry? Customers’ memories of a brand are kept current via advertising.
- What are the new trends in fast food? We have listed 6 trends for creating the best fast food marketing strategies.
- Why resonance marketing is key for food industry? Both the online and offline advertising markets are heavily saturated, and it’s increasingly difficult for advertisers to stand out in such an environment.
- How do fast food restaurants attract customers? Social media is a key component of many fast food marketing plans. More details are explained above.
- How do you attract new customers? You need a website for your fast-food establishment. Preferably with an internet method for placing food orders.
- What makes a good food advertisement? Create visually impressive content and use high-quality photographs. More fast food marketing strategies are given above.
- How do you introduce food to customers? Advertising gives people information and makes them aware of the product, subsidies newspapers and magazines so they cost less, and hopefully draws in more customers.
- Fast food marketing strategies examples Despite the increased consumer preference for fast food meals, many firms still struggle to use the most effective fast food marketing strategies.
- Best fast food marketing campaigns. We have explained 2 important fast food marketing strategies above.
- What is the marketing strategy of McDonald’s? Both informational and persuasive advertisements are used by McDonald’s; the former promote healthy eating, while the latter, particularly in TV commercials, attempt to convince viewers to purchase the advertised goods.
- How do McDonalds attract customers? Because McDonalds is such a well-known brand, more individuals are drawn to it than they would be to a lesser-known restaurant.
- What is the strategy of KFC? KFC has largely employed the push-and-pull marketing method to entice customers to buy its food. It is well-known for its catchphrase, “finger licking good.”
- What is the marketing strategy of Jollibee? Jollibee Foods Corporation’s mission is to be the top supplier of high-quality services and goods to consumers.
- Fast food marketing and obesity. Children and youth-targeted food advertising has been connected to an increase in childhood obesity.
We conclude our fast food marketing strategies of 2022 article here, we also recommend you to check our article discussing neuromarketing, the most controversial marketing strategy. For further information on this subject there’s an insightful article called “Importance of diversified marketing strategies for fast food restaurant” we recommend you to take a look at: