White Paper | Evolution of the QSR

By STRATACACHE Team

Dec 1, 2021

Consumer behavior evolved faster than anyone could have expected in 2020 and 2021. Previously, brands could get away without investing in digital. Now, digital is a matter of survival.

Adaptations in Restaurant Digital During a Time of Incredible Volatility

Between 2020 and 2022, quick service and fast casual restaurants were hit with the same drastic fluctuations affecting all establishments in the food service industry. Interior closures, labor shortages, occupancy restrictions, supply chain, and changes in government mandates caused major brands to not only think on their feet, but to deploy new technology and processes very quickly.

Quick service restaurants adapted more quickly than competitors, and they were rewarded with not only a quick recovery but significant gains in market share within the restaurant industry. Now, in late 2021, quick service’s approach to digital is setting a new standard for omnichannel customer experience.

In this white paper, we look at a variety of digital solutions that developed during this transformational period, including:

  • Digital Menu Boards
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Labor and Staffing Solutions
  • Automation
  • AI-Driven Suggestive Selling
  • Employee-Facing Tools
  • Drive Thru

Industries that Can Put Quick Service Experience into Action

Over the last two years, restaurants have faced competition from outside their industry. Convenience retail and grocery have increasingly opened up fresh, convenient take-out options that compete with quick service restaurants. Each business type has certain advantages that will ensure their fresh food service always has some patronage. However, consumer behavior over the last two years points toward digital as a cornerstone of any successful strategy in this category.

Both convenience retail and grocery brands can apply many of the technologies in this white paper to similarly impact labor, customer experience, and profitability. Read the white paper to learn more about how the most successful quick service restaurants leverage digital.

Read about more about our solutions for quick service restaurants.

Read about more about our solutions for convenience retail.

Download White Paper