Customers at a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) go through a journey. They arrive at the location, wait in line, place their order, pay, eat and leave. While this can be a quick route, you shouldn’t treat it as a mere transaction. The restaurant is more than a place to eat food. It’s the opportunity to have an experience.

Understand Consumer Needs

You need a true understanding of what people are looking for when they come to a QSR. Parents with young children often have a hard time putting together a home cooked meal for the family. Going to a restaurant takes that duty off of their to-do list and gives them a chance to relax and spend time with their kids.

A children’s play area can enhance this quality time. The kids have fun jumping into ball pits, climbing rope ladders and going down slides. They also get to have social time with other children. Parents can unwind after their meal. The entire family ends up having a positive experience at the QSR.

You can also cater to people who prefer to eat without the distractions of children. The play area concentrates families with young children in a particular area of the restaurant. Put a quiet section in place that’s separated from these diners. The consumers get to choose the type of experience they have. This also appeals to parents who have a babysitter for the night, as they can go to the kid-free section to take a breather.

Learn the Steps of Your Customer’s Journey

Knowing the steps of your customer’s journey is an essential part of meeting and exceeding their expectations at each stage. You also need to understand the consumer mindset, from the first time they learn about your QSR to them walking out of the restaurant after a meal.

Document the entire process so you can look for ways to enhance the experience. If you’re not sure how customers go from awareness to purchase, ask. Surveys, polls and other research provides data points that show common paths, as well as the touch points along the way.

The QSR market is a competitive arena and there are plenty of businesses that are happy to take your customer share. When you map out the customer journey and add features that improve their experience, such as children’s play areas, you maximize your opportunities to build a healthy relationship with the customers.

Sources:

https://www.qsrmagazine.com/george-green/tip-fine-dining

https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/clean-playgrounds-make-happy-parents-healthy-kids

https://marketingland.com/customer-journeys-blind-spots-burgers-lessons-fast-food-marketing-185425