Consumer confidence has become a key factor in QSR traffic, with RMS finding a 14-point drop since 2023 impacting guest visits. Despite stable economic factors, QSR traffic is declining, emphasizing the importance of consumer confidence in predicting future behavior and traffic trends.

QSR operators must prioritize pricing strategies to protect guest traffic and margins, as consumer perception largely depends on pricing. Despite actual QSR price increases stabilizing, 75% of respondents believe prices are higher, showing a disconnect between perception and reality in the industry.

RMS highlights key macroeconomic indicators impacting QSR traffic over the past 15 years, from gas prices and unemployment in 2009-2011 to COVID-19 restrictions and inflation in 2020-2022. Rising inflation has caused uncertainty, leading to an average traffic drop of -1.0% on top of significant declines during the pandemic years.

Read more at GlobeNewswire: Consumer Confidence Is Now the Leading Indicator of