I remember when Coors Beer was a legend before national distribution and the loyalty levels and desire to `score’ some when available — For some, the In-N-Out move will draw the same response. - Texas seems the next move - http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/in-n-out-burger-dallas-texas/19491184/
O’Charlies continues the new normal advertising - price points - O’Charley’s Launches New Ultimate Choices Menu - grabbing three points with below 10.00 to identify with - http://www.restaurantnews.com/ocharleys-launches-new-ultimate-choices-menu/
Here’s some older news - California County Bans Toys With Fast-Food Meals - here comes the government again - http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/santa-clara-county-bans-toys-with-fattening-meals/19456492
Thanks for your visit - make sure to look around for much more about restaurants and research about restaurants.
Well, you certainly know where I stand on listening to customers - but - this is a classic article that takes on KFC for not addressing its own perceptions head on: quoting from the post:
Me, if I were forging brand strategy, I’d defiantly promote my dietary incorrectness. I’d flip the bird at the food police and wave my greasy napkin as a battle flag. Sure beats lying — not only on moral grounds, but on the basis of pure common sense. What could possibly make KFC think that anyone buys their sad little charades? They either have no respect for the crap-eating public or no idea how to search Twitter. Here just the top few of thousands in the same vein:
http://adage.com/article?article_id=144143 – So, how about TRUTH as a brand positioning?
Here’s another KFC post - about its new slogan - the fifth in five years - and one they will stick with they say - Battered KFC Gives Itself Another Spin - http://adage.com/article?article_id=144035
Here’s some big news - Denny’s Inks Deal with AARP - and, with the 20% discount between 4-10 PM - it’s like a dayparting price. Who will be next to go after the over 50 market? http://www.restaurantnews.com/dennys-inks-deal-with-aarp/
A successful chain that hasn’t introduced a new sandwich in TWO decades? — Yepper, Chick-fil-A Heats up Menu with New Spicy Chicken Sandwich - http://www.restaurantnews.com/chick-fil-a-heats-up-menu-with-new-spicy-chicken-sandwich/
The headline on this story is - Have It Whose Way? - At Burger King, management and franchisees are locked in battle over the company’s direction - Seems everything from late night hours to 1.00 double cheeseburgers and more is prompting the public battle. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704869304575109240807702512.html
Thanks for visiting today. Much more on this site - take a look around.
A very serious article about the sales and marketing concerns with the Arby’s brand - including low brand loyalty even by users; and price-product positionings out of wack. http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/05/17/2010-05-17_arbys_performance_amongst_the_worst_in_modern_restaurant_history_analyst.html
Here’s Burger King’s latest venture into the areas beyond Fast Food - http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/04/21/burger-king-testing-brunch-menu-in-select-markets - an area rapidly becoming important in the new normal.
More news - Why Captain D’s Was Thrown Overboard To Save Del Taco - http://blogs.bnet.com/business-news/?p=2077 - the bottom line on this was - healthier food, stronger brand, stronger finances, and fresher marketing - read for the details. (I did some research for one of these brands in the past and one of the brands in the above links.)
Can a two word slogan turn around sales - http://www.slashfood.com/2010/05/25/so-good-is-kfcs-groundbreaking-new-message/ - KFC hopes so. So Good?
In other news - NRA: Menu trends continue to highlight comfort food - http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=18373 - Bread Bowls, Oatmeal, Meatballs - you get the idea. More too.
The smartness of McDonald’s marketing and positionings are amazing - McDonald’s seeks to boost its beverage business - http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/05/18/mcdonalds-seeks-to-boost-its-beverage-business/
A great place to start if you are new with this blog is right here - http://restauranttradearearesearch.com/important-posts-in-2008/
A $10 Pizza Hut promotion that launched late last year in Dallas and went nationwide last month has helped the country’s largest pizza seller regain some of the sales it lost to lower-priced chains - Family eats for 10.00 is a winner in the new normal - http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-PizzaHut_26bus.ART.State.Edition1.3cf3be9.html
Consumer Insights Survey: Restaurant Brand Loyalty Remains High Despite Declining Visits - And, from the article - “Edwards explained that in order for brands to grow their customer base today, they must provide a trigger that prompts a consumer to try something that’s out of their comfort zone. ….The Consumer Verdict: Coupons Are the Answer…Of twelve options, the most frequent reason (36%) for considering switching to trial a new restaurant was a coupon or discount. A separate question validated this finding, with more than half of consumers indicating that a coupon or discount offer did recently prompt them to a visit a restaurant they might not have otherwise tried.” - http://restaurantnews.com/consumer-insights-survey-restaurant-brand-loyalty-remains-high-despite-declining-visits/ - Other notable statistics include:
Free WiFi: Is it right for your QSR? - Interesting story - http://www.qsrweb.com/article.php?id=17531&na=1
As I’ve mentioned in the last few posts - the customer frequency of your customer base is the number one attribute of concern to your fast food restaurant. And, if you want your customer base to `listen’ to your promotions - perhaps it is time to treat them like a `listener’ to your channel/brand. One that they can be `loyal’ to (as I mentioned in the last post) - one they are connected with - involved with.
Indeed, it might be time in this new era of the Great Recession - to use one of the old standards of giveaways that radio used for decades to `maintain’ and grow listenership - and that is — give away LOCAL MONEY. Literally at the store level. To `listeners’ (customers) who followed the `promotion’ for entry.
So, for `drink-only, drive-thru’ customers - that meant using `their’ Drink Only `clubcard’ (which had a discount for drinks two and three) twice more for a chance at entry in the `monthly customer loyalty drawing’. Other folks would be turning in their `nite-owl’ cards with a similar idea to forming a (sub) brand loyalty - or a breakfast club.
Likewise, operators need to reach out to other - mainstream frequency programs - and use them in the same manner; (such as combo club, sandwich club, dessert club, or all milkshake purchases today get entry, etc.) - all for a chance to enter the LOCAL `money giveaway’. Indeed, the chance to `win’ 100 or 200 bucks - EVERY month - will stay in the customers mind.
Winners will be `announced’ on the outside reader board (giving customers a reason to read it at other times too) and inside too. The drawing will be LIVE in the store - creating an event. The winner will be posted on a winners board for all to see. JOE SMITH - 200 DOLLAR WINNER - COMBO CLUB CUSTOMER.
In the meantime, the `entries’ (the club cards with E-Mail addresses or phone numbers/addresses) will provide you with a usable custom marketing base for your selected marketing efforts. For your new loyal `audience’.
