Survey: Fast-food customers want digital services

Restaurant and convenience store retailers offering fast-food products should focus on the quality of their e-commerce sites and apps.

According to the new “Restaurant and Convenience Store Digital Impact Report” from digital consultancy Mobiquity, when it comes to continuing to order from a particular restaurant or convenience store, 82% of respondents agree that having an easy-to-use website is important. Another 76% agree that an easy-to-use mobile app is crucial.

A majority of respondents reported an increase in mobile and online ordering as well as the utilization of curbside services in the past year. This is especially true among respondents from digitally native generations. For example, 63% of respondents aged 25-40 will frequent a restaurant or convenience store that has digital offerings more often than ones that do not. Additionally, 44% of respondents in this age group have changed where they order food from because their usual place had subpar digital offerings. 

In addition, younger respondents are nearly three times as likely to use mobile apps than those 56 and older. Over 70% of respondents aged 18-55 stated they are likely to increase how often they order from a store if its mobile app is easy to use.

Other interesting findings include:
•    Fifty-two percent of respondents aged 25-40 changed where they order food from because another store had a better loyalty or rewards program.

•    Seventy-one percent of all respondents were satisfied with delivery mobile apps, such as DoorDash, GrubHub, and UberEats. Seventy percent were satisfied with restaurants’ apps and 61% were satisfied with coffee shops’ apps, but only 53% were satisfied with convenience stores’ mobile offerings.

•    Income has an impact on order frequency. Those in the lowest income bracket ($50,000 or less annual income) are most likely to use an app to order food and be frequent users, making about 56 visits a year. This compares to respondents earning over $100,000 per year, who make about 36 visits in the same timeframe.

Mobiquity surveyed nearly 1,300 consumers across the U.S. who are 18 years of age or older.