This Could Be Why Fast Food Apps Are More Popular Than Ever - Tasting Table (2024)

ByJohn Tolley/

It's right there in the name: fast food. And, for a long time, it was hard to imagine it could get any faster. Drive through or walk in, and your food is ready for you in a matter of minutes, according to the Today Show. We are, though, an app happy society. Buildfire reports that 49% of Americans open an app over 11 times per day, and 70% of all digital media is consumed via apps. It was only a matter of time before fast food restaurants — known in the industry as quick-service restaurants– moved into the space and created apps that would make the customer experience even faster.

Fast food apps offer customers a streamlined experience, options to customize an order, and access to digital-only deals and giveaways, says The Takeout. Restaurants, on the other hand, get access to valuable customer data and insights and new avenues of marketing, reports the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.New data compiled by QSR Magazine, an industry trade publication, shows that quick-service restaurant tech is only increasing in popularity, with July 2022 being the biggest month on record for first-time downloads of the top 36 apps.

Downloading deals

This Could Be Why Fast Food Apps Are More Popular Than Ever - Tasting Table (2)

S3studio/Getty Images

Topping the list of most-downloaded apps is McDonald's, with 4.3 million downloads in July. This was followed by Starbucks, Domino's, SONIC, and Chick-Fil-A to round out the top 5.

Why are these apps exploding in popularity? Adam Blacker, the vice president of Insights at Apptopia, the company that compiled the data for QSR, points to the many incentives and promotions being offered by quick-service restaurant chains. Those include McDonald's National Fry Day offer, which Insider explains gave customers using the app a free large order of fries on July 13th. For its part, Starbucks slashed cold drink prices by 50% on Tuesdays in July for those using its proprietary app, states Delish.

What was once seen as supplemental income to a restaurant's traditional in-person business model, digital sales are increasingly becoming a critical income stream for both quick-service and full-service restaurants. An analysis by PYMNTS.com found that 37% of high-earning restaurants — those with more than $1 million in annual revenue — derive 50% or more of their business from digital channels.

And this is not just an American phenomenon.Adweek recently covered the accelerated growth of both the apps for McDonald's and Burger King in the U.K. Of note is McDonald's loyalty program that credits a point per penny spent to customers' accounts, which can be redeemed for menu items or donated to charities, such as the Ronald McDonald House.

Recommended

This Could Be Why Fast Food Apps Are More Popular Than Ever - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

This Could Be Why Fast Food Apps Are More Popular Than Ever - Tasting Table? ›

Fast food apps offer customers a streamlined experience, options to customize an order, and access to digital-only deals and giveaways, says The Takeout. Restaurants, on the other hand, get access to valuable customer data and insights and new avenues of marketing, reports the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Why are fast food apps so popular? ›

Fast food and fast casual restaurants also offer incentives like points, loyalty programs, and coupons to customers who use them. Apps provide another way for restaurants to take orders and reliably track consumer trends and data.

Why is fast food becoming so popular? ›

For generations, fast food has been a quick, low-cost, convenient way for budget-watching Americans to feed their family on busy school nights, after a long day of work or even when no one feels like cooking but you don't want to break the bank.

What is junk food fast food Why is it so popular? ›

Foods with high amounts of fat, sugar, and salt simply taste good. Plus, they're usually cheap and readily available. Manufacturers make junk foods because they're inexpensive to make, have long shelf lives, and tend to be popular sellers.

Why fast food are popular food? ›

Fast food is popular because the food is inexpensive, convenient, and tastes good. Fast food may include refined grains instead of whole grains, contain saturated fat, cholesterol, and added sugar, and it can be high in sodium (aka salt) which is used as a preservative and makes food more flavorful and satisfying.

When did fast food become popular and why? ›

Fast food [took off] in large part because of the highway system that we built in the 1950s and the1960s. America started driving more than ever before and we rearranged our cities based on car travel, for better or worse. And it was a natural business response to the American on-the-go kind of lifestyle.

Why fast food is trending? ›

Fast food continues to grow in popularity due to the accelerating pace of life in urban areas and the need for quicker and cheaper meals. The market is likely to be worth more than $690.80 billion in 2022, developing at a compound annual growth rate of more than 4.20%, according to Zion Market Research.

Why fast food is more tasty? ›

Additives in fast food, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) or sodium, suppress the hormone that tells your body that you're full. And a snack or dessert high in sugar releases dopamine, the hormone and chemical neurotransmitter that sends pleasure signals to your brain.

How popular is fast food? ›

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, about a third of American adults eat fast food on any given day. That's over 84 million people who reported that they had eaten fast food in the past 24 hours.

Why is fast food a good idea? ›

When you're hungry and on the run, fast food can be a convenient option that really hits the spot. It's often quick, tasty, and can offer a more affordable option when you're short on time. But while it's okay to indulge a craving every now and then, there are healthier options out there.

What are 10 unhealthy foods? ›

List of Unhealthy Food that you must avoid
  • White bread. White bread is one of the most commonly consumed food by Indians. ...
  • Ready-to-eat Breakfast Cereals. ...
  • Fried Food. ...
  • Bakery Products. ...
  • Pizzas. ...
  • French Fries and Potato Chips. ...
  • Processed Meat. ...
  • Ice creams and Frozen Yoghurt.

How might junk food affect your body? ›

In the long-term, eating junk food can lead to: type 2 diabetes. heart-related problems (such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol) overweight and obesity.

How does junk food affect your mental health? ›

Junk foods can hamper the signalling of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin (the happy hormones). This can lead to depression and other mental health disorders. Canadian researchers have found that fast food can often result in people feeling more hurried or impatient.

How fast food can affect your body? ›

In the short term, fast food impacts blood sugar and blood pressure, increases inflammation, and may mean an individual does not eat enough necessary nutrients. In the long term, a diet rich in fast food could lead to issues with digestion, immunity, inflammation, heart health, obesity, and more.

Do you think fast food is healthy? ›

Fast food is a popular choice for its taste and convenience, but it tends to be high in calories, sugar, and fat and low in nutrients. Eating fast food frequently may negatively affect multiple areas of your body, possibly increasing your risk of conditions including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

Why do people love food delivery apps? ›

One of the primary reasons people prefer food delivery apps is the unparalleled convenience they offer. With just a few taps on their mobile phones, customers can place orders from the comfort of their homes. No more lengthy meal preparations or trips to the restaurant — your desired food is just a few clicks away.

When did food apps become popular? ›

GrubHub is founded. By the late 2000s, major pizza chains have created their own mobile applications and started doing 20-30% of their business online. With increased smartphone penetration, and the growth of both Uber and the sharing economy, food delivery startups start to receive more attention again.

How do fast food apps make money? ›

The Commission-Based Revenue Model

When you use a restaurant app to place an order, whether it's for delivery or pickup, the app typically charges a percentage of the total order value as a commission. This means that a portion of what you pay for your meal goes to the app itself.

Do fast food apps track you? ›

If granted location access, chains can also track customers' every move, and see how often they dine at a competitor. By default, all fast-food apps request location access via GPS and mobile networks for the best user experience upon installation.

Top Articles
Major differences between distance education and online learning
25 Best Jobs in the US and How Much They Pay in 2024
Ffxiv Act Plugin
Knoxville Tennessee White Pages
Moon Stone Pokemon Heart Gold
Mate Me If You May Sapir Englard Pdf
Wellcare Dual Align 129 (HMO D-SNP) - Hearing Aid Benefits | FreeHearingTest.org
Prosper TX Visitors Guide - Dallas Fort Worth Guide
GAY (and stinky) DOGS [scat] by Entomb
Palace Pizza Joplin
Https Www E Access Att Com Myworklife
Atrium Shift Select
Keniakoop
Elizabethtown Mesothelioma Legal Question
Missing 2023 Showtimes Near Landmark Cinemas Peoria
Gino Jennings Live Stream Today
Munich residents spend the most online for food
Tamilrockers Movies 2023 Download
Katherine Croan Ewald
Diamond Piers Menards
Site : Storagealamogordo.com Easy Call
Is Windbound Multiplayer
Filthy Rich Boys (Rich Boys Of Burberry Prep #1) - C.M. Stunich [PDF] | Online Book Share
Integer Division Matlab
Horn Rank
Mals Crazy Crab
Cognitive Science Cornell
Craigslist Fort Smith Ar Personals
Jazz Total Detox Reviews 2022
The Clapping Song Lyrics by Belle Stars
Poe T4 Aisling
R/Sandiego
Kempsville Recreation Center Pool Schedule
Pfcu Chestnut Street
Max 80 Orl
Beaver Saddle Ark
Log in or sign up to view
A Man Called Otto Showtimes Near Amc Muncie 12
Finland’s Satanic Warmaster’s Werwolf Discusses His Projects
The Minneapolis Journal from Minneapolis, Minnesota
Saybyebugs At Walmart
Gvod 6014
2007 Jaguar XK Low Miles for sale - Palm Desert, CA - craigslist
Candise Yang Acupuncture
Tlc Africa Deaths 2021
Youravon Com Mi Cuenta
Nope 123Movies Full
Kushfly Promo Code
Diario Las Americas Rentas Hialeah
Kidcheck Login
Marion City Wide Garage Sale 2023
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jeremiah Abshire

Last Updated:

Views: 6565

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jeremiah Abshire

Birthday: 1993-09-14

Address: Apt. 425 92748 Jannie Centers, Port Nikitaville, VT 82110

Phone: +8096210939894

Job: Lead Healthcare Manager

Hobby: Watching movies, Watching movies, Knapping, LARPing, Coffee roasting, Lacemaking, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.