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Simpli.fi's Loyalty Insights on National Cheeseburger Day

As the nation gears up to celebrate National Cheeseburger Day on September 18, Simpli.fi, a prominent real-world media platform, has unveiled its latest report titled "Whose Cheeseburger Is It?". This report marks the beginning of its new series, Loyalty in the Real World, aimed at delivering insights into customer loyalty within the fast-food sector.

Exploring Foot Traffic Patterns

Over an eight-week period, Simpli.fi analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of visitors to the top-20 burger-focused QSR chains across 20 metropolitan markets. The study focused on foot traffic volume and established clear loyalty patterns among consumers. Utilizing billions of daily mobile signals, Simpli.fi pioneered a methodology that combines anonymized movement patterns with digital intent signals, such as search queries. This innovative approach provided clarity on customer loyalty, identifying those customers who are dedicated to a single brand versus those who frequent multiple locations.

Key Findings from the Report

The findings are remarkable: 61% of burger QSR visitors demonstrate loyalty to a single brand, while a substantial 39% are potential loyalists, suggesting that the fast-food burger market holds a potential of 17 million daily purchases for enthusiastic franchise operators ready to modernize their marketing strategies.

Shake Shack emerged as a standout, boasting an astonishing 99% loyalty rate—indicating almost all of its customers prefer it over competitors. In second place were Wendy's, Smashburger, Sonic, and Steak 'n Shake, each leveraging unique offerings that make it tough for customers to switch. Signature menu items such as Wendy's Frosty play a vital role in solidifying these customer loyalties.

Conversely, McDonald's remains a formidable competitor but only captures a 60% loyalty rate, showcasing significant overlap in visitors with other prominent chains, positioning it as a key player in capturing cross-shopping loyalty.

Chains like A&W and Dairy Queen also showed higher rates of 'samplers'—customers who pledged loyalty to multiple brands—in part due to their broader offerings beyond just burgers.

Notably, Whataburger is significantly expanding its market reach, exemplifying a strategy that has led to a high rate of samplers—reported at 52%—as they enter new territories.

Strategies for Growing Loyalty

Despite varying degrees of customer loyalty, the report outlines several actionable strategies for brands to enhance their loyal customer base. Key recommendations include:

1. Defending Loyalists: Brands should utilize first-party loyalty data to develop targeted campaigns for current customers while excluding them from acquisition efforts.

2. Expanding Daypart Opportunities: Leveraging foot-traffic data, brands can identify untapped meal occasions to seamlessly serve consumers based on their movements.

3. Competitive Rivalry Focus: Utilizing geofencing tactics around competitor locations can help brands attract customers who are considering switching.

4. Local Campaign Scaling: With centralized campaign management, local franchisees can deploy tailored advertising with ease.

5. Tracking Effectiveness: Implementing systems to measure real-time foot traffic can refine budget allocation for optimized marketing efforts.

This inaugural report sheds light on trends across major markets including Denver, Dallas, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles. As the first entry in its series, it promises to explore various industries' loyalties, serving as a compass for brands navigating the complexities of customer retention.

For those interested, the report is available for download on Simpli.fi's website.

About Simpli.fi

Simpli.fi is a cutting-edge real-world media platform dedicated to meeting the needs of today's fast-paced advertising landscape. Through innovative technologies that integrate digital behaviors with real-world movements, Simpli.fi helps thousands of agencies and brands deliver effective campaigns that drive customer actions and yield measurable results. Backed by industry powerhouses like Blackstone and GTCR, Simpli.fi continues to push boundaries for smarter, more connected marketing.

To learn more about Simpli.fi and its offerings, visit their website or follow them on LinkedIn.