McDonald’s defies QSR downward trend
The popularity of fast-food has been dropping, according to the latest findings from Australian mark…The popularity of fast-food has been dropping, according to the latest findings from Australian market research organisation, Roy Morgan Research. Only 56 per cent of Australians aged over 14 visited a ‘quick service restaurant’ in an average four-week period in 2012, compared to 60 per cent in 2008.
The drop in fast-food restaurant visitation overall, however, didn’t affect McDonald’s, with 31 per cent of Australians visiting McDonald’s in 2012, the same as in 2008. The fast-food chain maintained its lead as the most-visited ‘quick service restaurant’ in 2012.
Other fast-food outlets have not fared so well. In particular, KFC visits dropped from 24 per cent in 2008 to 20 per cent in 2012.
Domino’s Pizza appears to have regained what they had lost, with 2012 visitation levels coming back up to 2008 visitation levels (10 per cent), after a drop in 2010 to 8 per cent.
Subway remained steady at 17 per cent; Hungry Jacks dropped from 14 per cent in 2008 to 13 per cent in 2012; and Red Rooster remained steady at 9 per cent visitation.
“Despite a declining fast food market over the last five years, McDonald’s has beaten the trend and maintained a solid market presence,” said Norman Morris, Industry Communications Director, Roy Morgan Research.
“Of course, different Quick Service Restaurants attract very different kinds of customer, and a pen portrait of a Subway customer would show a very different picture than that of a McDonald’s customer,” Mr Morris added.
