Completion for customer loyalty among fast-casual restaurants in the UK is fierce, but Prêt à Manger continues to deliver. The healthy quick serve restaurant (QSR) provider of freshly prepared and natural foods has toped a UK customer experience poll that also featured Nandos, Frankie and Benny’s, Bella Italia, Dominos, and Pizza Express. According to brand loyalty and customer satisfaction scores, Prêt à Manger led the way as the UK’s healthiest and fastest QSR.
This was the result of a new Market Force Intelligence report conducted by Market Force Information, a prominent international customer intelligence agency that helps major retailers across nearly every industry implement business solutions that encompass customer loyalty and operational excellence. The Composite Loyalty Index found that Prêt à Manger led the way after over 4,500 participants were asked to rate their last QSR customer experience based on numerous factors including quality of service and food, overall value, and their willingness to recommend friends.
The victory, however, was not a clean sweep for the natural food restaurant. Customers gave Prêt à Manger high marks for service speed, food quality, and range of healthy choices. But Frankie and Benny’s led on atmosphere, Bella Italia topped friendly service, and all six establishments were almost tied in their capacity to deliver a positive customer experience and earn customer recommendations. This assortment of frontrunners demonstrates why securing true customer loyalty is so crucial and difficult within the QSR industry.
In order for fast-causal restaurants to differentiate themselves in this highly competitive arena, the study suggested that digital customer engagement strategies might hold the key. And most QSRs have already invested in some form of digital platform or mobile app to improve customer engagement. However, the Composite Loyalty Index showed that awareness of these guest-facing technologies was remarkably low. Even though Domino’s ranked first in this category, barley half of its customers reported any knowledge of the mobile service.
‘Restaurant brands have the opportunity to steal “share of stomach” by creating exceptional experiences,” said Cheryl Flink, Market Force Chief Strategy Officer. ‘Our research highlights the extreme competition among restaurant brands and the importance of excelling on the key drivers of satisfaction. In addition, restaurants have the opportunity to be “stickier” with consumers by creating convenient, hassle-free experiences via mobile apps. Many brands have created apps, but consumers aren’t aware they exist.’
Given the quickly evolving and increasingly devoted relationship consumers now have with mobile technology, the report suggests that customer engagement technologies hold substantial opportunities for growth going forward. Provided, of course, they can effectively promote the awareness of, and increase the engagement with, these digital channels.