How QSR brands can create emotional connection as prices rise

Restaurant industry prices have increased on average by 60 percent since 2014, which means higher costs and often less happy customers, with three in four now considering fast food a “luxury” purchase.

At the same time, appetites are shifting with weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, reshaping eating habits, reducing snacking and impulse meals, and decreasing overall dining frequency. All in all, fast food is no longer the affordable, everyday choice—and its cultural relevance is fading.

As analysts warn top brand could continue shedding guest counts, the category that once set the pace is suddenly struggling to keep up.

Restaurants must now act to protect their cultural relevance and secure customer loyalty with something beyond the pull of low prices. As Olivia Ross, the director of growth & innovation at El Pollo Loco, puts it: “Value isn’t about dollars and discounts. It’s about how you feel. Can you save me time? Can I get exclusive access to something I can’t get anywhere else that makes me feel special? Feel seen?”

To win loyalty today, value alone isn’t enough. Customers want brands that understand them, and with digital now representing over 75 percent of QSR transactions at major chains, and 63 percent of Gen Z regularly using food delivery apps, experiences must flex across apps, drive-thru, delivery and dine-in.

And if a brand falls short? Customers have never been less forgiving. Compared to older generations, Gen Z and millennials are twice as likely to switch brands after a poor experience.

So, how can today’s QSR brands set themselves up for enduring relevance?

Loyalty should be something customers experience, not just track. Points and discounts are table stakes; utility, access, and ease are the new rewards.

Chick-fil-A loyalty members can skip the line and order straight to their table—a simple app innovation that elevates the dine-in experience and has been a hit on Reddit with socially anxious orderers.

Ask how your loyalty program can deliver value beyond discounts.

Brands don’t just live in stores or online; they live in culture. In a world where food trends move at the speed of TikTok, craveability is no longer just about flavor; it’s about cultural relevance.

Brands like Wendy’s are winning by inserting themselves into moments that matter: remixing nostalgic favorites, co-creating with buzz-worthy creators, and surprising fans where culture lives, from Fortnite to TikTok to in-store raves in India.

Some QSRs mistakenly strip away the stuff that makes them memorable, neutralizing personality in the name of modernization. But familiarity can be a strategic asset. In fact, 71 percent of U.S. customers feel fast food brings back fond memories of their childhood. Brands don’t need to erase their past to stay relevant—just rediscover what made them iconic.

Take Burger King, for example, which is tapping into nostalgia through refreshed logos, retro packaging, and reimagined spaces that honor its roots while engaging a new generation who think the 90s aesthetic is “cash.”

The customer journey is fragmented. Third-party delivery, drive-thrus, kiosks, dine-in or on-the-go – each is a touchpoint, and brands that win treat each one as an expression of identity.

Shake Shack does this quietly but intentionally: with tiny forks for take-out cheesy fries and branded chips replacing fries on airplanes to keep the crunch.

QSRs are continuing to invest heavily in tech—from automation to predictive ordering—but technology alone doesn’t differentiate. Experience does. The best innovation disappears into the background, making the journey smooth and intuitive.

Subway Fresh 2.0 is more than a standard remodel. Brand leaders rethought every detail, using smart tech and intentional design to make the experience feel better, streamlining the order process for both customers and staff.

QSR brands need to go beyond personalized offers to foster moments of real connection with customers. Whether it’s remembering a regular’s order, showing up with a thoughtful gesture, or designing service rituals that feel human, the strongest brands think beyond transactions to build relationships. 

Starbucks is returning to the power of personal touch, moving away from “overly transactional” pick-up-only locations and returning the brand to its original coffeehouse intimacy, bringing back handwritten notes and amping up the personalization of app suggestions based on order history or a customer’s usual coffee time. When every interaction feels considered and personal, loyalty becomes emotional –and far more durable.

But it’s also an exciting one. There are new channels to reach customers, new opportunities to improve their experience, and new ways to develop a truly personalized relationship. Brand and experience can be the assets that enable companies to keep up with culture, innovate intentionally, deploy technology with a human touch, and serve up what customers truly crave.

This article originally appeared in QSR Magazine.