Diners Are Choosing Sides and Retreating to Their Favorite Chains

Diners are choosing sides.

New research from InMarket, a marketing firm that publishes regular reports on restaurant customer habits, shows that as spending slows, consumers are becoming increasingly loyal to their favorite brands.

The fast-casual sector — restaurants like Chipotle, Panera, and Shake Shack, which offer customizable meals in a comfortable dining atmosphere with limited table service — has seen a drop-off in foot traffic, as more customers turn to fast food for better deals.

Shake Shack, far and away, had the most loyal fans in the second quarter, InMarket found. This rating was based on the chain’s “fidelity index” of 327, a score determined by the ratio of guest visits to a location compared to the number of the chain’s locations nationwide. A score of 100 is considered “on par” based on the number of visits and locations per chain, with a score greater than 100 indicating the chain is “excelling at attracting customers.”

Raising Cane’s came second in the fast-casual sector with a fidelity score of 158.

InMarket attributed Shake Shack’s runaway Q2 success to its limited-time menu offerings during tax season and its first loyalty offering on its app in June. The chain offered $1 off soda and task-based offers to customers, in which they could earn discounts by visiting more often. For example, ordering two burgers on separate visits within 30 days granted $10 off the next visit.

But the drive for finding the best value is also sending customers toward the fast-food segment. Also called quick-service restaurants, these establishments sacrifice some ambiance and customization options in favor of prioritizing speed and convenience, usually for on-the-go customers.

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Asit Sharma, an analyst for the Motley Fool, told Business Insider that in times of economic uncertainty, diners downgrade the types of restaurants they patronize most often.

“Even affluent spenders in the economy feel the pinch when prices are rising, and so we see a fun drop-down effect where those who only eat at, like, the best establishments will drop down to some chains,” Sharma said. “We see those who might eat at higher-end chains drop down into the fast casual segment and so on.”

InMarket found Chick-fil-A had the highest fidelity score in the quick-service segment, with a score of 267, after the chain topped the ACSI Customer Satisfaction Index for Quick-Service Restaurants for the 11th year in a row. McDonald’s followed with a score of 164.

However, the firm found McDonald’s diners tend to stick closely to the brand. According to InMarket, between 39% and 44% of diners at Chick-fil-A, Sonic, and Wendy’s also visited a McDonald’s during the second quarter. Conversely, a maximum of 16% of McDonald’s visitors visited a Chick-fil-A, Sonic, or Wendy’s during the same timeframe.