With ever-growing competition, quick service restaurants (QSRs) have realized that to deliver the best customer service they need to implement technology that drives customer convenience and grows staff productivity. A new, large-scale consumer study conducted by Market Force Information revealed America’s favorite QSR chains in five popular food categories: burgers, sandwiches, Mexican, pizza and chicken. The study found In-N-Out is America’s favorite burger chain, Wawa ranked first for sandwiches, Chipotle for Mexican food, Pizza Ranch for pizza and Chick-fil-A for chicken. What many of these restaurants have in common is their sharp focus on greater customer service.

While their product has as much to do with their success, the positive experience they deliver helps keep their customers happy and loyal. To achieve this, QSRs are relying on technology that helps provide convenience to both the front- and back-of-the-house. Today we share some examples of how top-ranked quick service restaurants are partnering with different technologies to improve business results.

With up to 70% of quick service sales coming through drive-thru windows, it’s important to prioritize an enhanced experience for customers. For example, at Chick-fil-A the drive thru can get very busy during peak hours so to minimize wait times and increase productivity, many locations have equipped their employees with mobile POS tablets at the drive-thru. This way, employees can go up to a customer’s window to take their order which is then relayed to the kitchen for preparation, and finally process payments prior to customers reaching the window. This convenience that technology helps deliver coupled with friendly service are key in attaining and maintaining top positions in the market.

In recent years, QSR brands are seeing increased competition from convenience stores and, for the first time in the history of Market Force’s study, a convenience store ranked first as America’s favorite spot to grab a sandwich. As a convenience store, Wawa serves up just that—convenience. And for their highly popular sandwiches or hoagies, this chain uses self-service kiosks to process thousands of orders every day.

Kiosks have served well for Wawa because they provide customers with a higher level of customization. This means customers can count on greater order accuracy, which in turn leads to higher satisfaction rates. For most, it doesn't just end with customization, kiosks also help maximize productivity and increase sales. In fact, Wawa was among the first convenience stores to implement this technology. As adopters of kiosk technology, QSRs demonstrate their dedication to improving the customer experience through new tech implementation.

To move and stay at the top, an exceptional customer experience is a must. It can be the key differentiator in an incredibly competitive environment.

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