Sylvia Cherem’s Post

Integrity, people! What I say, do, and think must always be aligned. We can only please the consumer if we succeed in that rule. We took the kids to McDonald's. ( I'm not a fan. I prefer Burger King, but I digress.) We ordered the food, and I was hit with a wave of doubt when I saw the total—62 Euros. What? Stopping at an authentic restaurant would have cost the same and healthier. I got kind of upset and went to do some digging. Fast food prices have increased more than 40% in the last five years. I understand that prices went up globally due to several factors, but fast food is supposed to be affordable. The promise of a fast food restaurant is fast and cheap. Sure, go ahead and add convenience. I don't mind. But what is fast food if it's not fast and cheap? My research found that McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski thinks the problem is messaging. I want to correct him. The problem of the fast food industry is positioning, not messaging. #brand #branding #brandstrategy #fastfood #mcdonalds

The $5 value meal was the fast food trend of the summer, and some of the biggest chains are now extending their deals into the fall as they try to draw customers amid disappointing store traffic. The cost of eating at restaurants (including fast food) has increased 4% in the past year and is up more than 25% since August 2020, according to new government inflation data. More diners who can't stomach the ever-rising prices are simply staying home, and that’s created a tough business environment for America’s chain restaurants, which depend on the patronage of lower-income customers. Facing the same consumer trends — and to compete with McDonald's’s — brands including The Wendy's Company, Burger King and Jack in the Box are running $5 deals of their own. The competition is good news for consumers who are fed up with paying what feels like restaurant prices for fast food sandwiches, but what do you actually get for your cash? Pete Grieve take a hungry look at these popular value meal deals 🍟 🍔 https://bit.ly/3XtWhgV

Breakfast wars heat up with Wendy’s offering a new value option - Wendy's woos breakfast fans with $3 meal deal -  Wendy's introduced a $3 breakfast meal deal this week that includes a breakfast sandwich on an English muffin and a side order of seasoned potatoes. Other chains are also making moves to court inflation-strapped consumers, including McDonald's which recently announced a limited-time $5 meal deal. Full Story: CNBC (5/20) - https://lnkd.in/eC-Yqxux #wendys #wendysbreakfast #wendysvalue

Have QSR menu price increases hit a tipping point? The newest data offered by Bloomberg indicates just that. Due to different market pressures such as inflation or wage increases (California), the gap in price between fast food and fast casual menus has become small enough that consumers are making a shift towards healthier options like sweetgreen, CAVA, or Chipotle Mexican Grill. Over the last four years, the number of Fast Casual Restaurants has grown twice as fast as their QSR counterparts. In 2024 alone, CAVA's stock price went up 96%, and all eyes are going to be on their earnings report next week. In an attempt to bring back some of these clients brands are starting to offer more price-conscious menu like McDonald's new $5 meal option, or Roll Em Up® Taquitos new initiative to provide meals you can purchase with a $10 bill. This is not necessarily a grand revelation, pricing has been at the forefront of mind of franchisors, franchisees, and consumers for quite some time. While the easiest fix would be to lower prices, that is simply not possible in today's economy. If anything we're only going to see prices rise further. QSR brands are going to have to get creative with how they work to bring back some of those customers who have left for a Fast Casual experience or have chosen to go back to the grocery store. Would love to hear some feedback on what you've seen brands doing to combat the consumer v. menu board battle going on today! #franchise #menuprices #inflation #fastcasual #QSR https://lnkd.in/eQdySz82

Great write up on consumers eating out and worth the quick read! If you are not tracking (in real time) your consumers future purchase intent and what is driving it then we need to talk.

INTERESTING FACTS I BET YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT WHY THE VALUE MEAL IS MAKING A COMEBACK With fast-food prices rising, chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s are reintroducing value meals to attract budget-conscious customers. A recent survey reveals that 80% of Americans now view fast food as a luxury and dine out less, prompting these brands to emphasize affordability. Initial results suggest this strategy is effective, with McDonald’s seeing increased traffic and extended value meal promotions. #valuemeals #fastfoodtrends #consumerbehavior https://buff.ly/4736sgG

Breakfast wars heat up with Wendy’s offering a new value option - Wendy's woos breakfast fans with $3 meal deal -  Wendy's introduced a $3 breakfast meal deal this week that includes a breakfast sandwich on an English muffin and a side order of seasoned potatoes. Other chains are also making moves to court inflation-strapped consumers, including McDonald's which recently announced a limited-time $5 meal deal. Full Story: CNBC (5/20) - https://lnkd.in/eC-Yqxux #wendys #wendysbreakfast #wendysvalue

The summer of food #deals has a magic number with the $5 value meal, the fast-food industry's latest push to bring consumers back. Restaurant chains, including McDonald's, Burger King and Starbucks, are promoting affordability with new promotions as consumers trade down to eat at home. Learn more in my latest story for Axios. Are these new deals making you crave fast food? Share your thoughts below. 🍔

$5 meals are the new dollar menus Fast-food chains such as McDonald's, Burger King, and Starbucks are banking on the $5 price point to attract consumers who are increasingly eating at home due to rising prices, according to Axios. McDonald's has discontinued its dollar menu, but it now has a value meal offering a choice of a McDouble or McChicken, along with a small fry, small drink, and four-piece McNugget for $5. The company aims to regain customers after raising prices that have outpaced wage increases in recent years. One expert observed that budget-conscious consumers now view sit-down restaurants as a better value option. #McDonalds #valuemeal #inflation #greedflation #restaurants #fastfood #MealDeal

What do you mean fasting doesn't mean eating fast food? Buckle up if you can. McDonald's $5 meal deal has opened up a Pandora's lunch box for fast food wars as Wendy's launches its own new value meal. At $3, the rival is hoping customers follow its slogan, "Choose wisely. Choose Wendy's". Wendy's breakfast combo meal which combines a portion of seasoned potatoes with two breakfast muffins sounds like it'll stick to your ribs, and it has to as fast food goes aggressive. The new lower-price offering comes as customers are increasingly frustrated by rising fast-food prices. The result has been disappointing quarterly earnings at McDonaldland and Wendy's as customers, especially lower-income diners, scale back or look for other options. Where's the beef? When Ronald threw down the Big Mac hammer earlier this month, it was the opening salvo into a brewing fast food war as chains get the message (hold the mayo) about soaring prices. In other words, there's nothing Orange Dreamsicle frosty about inflation and overpriced meal deals. On the other side of the Baconator, not all fast food chains have experienced a customer pullback. The likes of Chipotle continue to enjoy strong sales and taco bowl earnings bonanza despite raising prices. That may also be why McDonald's is also experimenting with new food items, most notably, the Grandma McFlurry in order to add more variety. Will it cross the road too? Yum Brands which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell owner Yum Brands has also seen an earnings hiccup. So the purveyor of fried chicken, pies and chimichangas is likely to follow with its own new value offerings to lure customers back https://lnkd.in/gwnbYr52 #wendys #mcdonalds #fastfood #restaurant #inflation #consumers