It might come as no surprise that people are choosing fast casual and quick service restaurants (QSR) over sit down restaurants more and more. There are many factors that play a part in this, such as convenience and cost. People want to be able to eat on the go or at least have a quick bite without waiting too long and they don’t want to spend a lot of money. In today’s economy, everything is extremely costly, so if they can save on eating out, many will choose the most cost effective option. If you are trying to decide which business is better for you, we will cover how these two business models are similar and what sets them apart.
Fast Casual Dining
Fast casual dining focuses more on quality ingredients. They might focus more on organic, farm to table or food from a specific region, and will often draw customers based on their unique niche.
The initial investment, as well as the ongoing prices to run a fast casual restaurant are going to be greater than QSR’s due to the fact that their dining space is usually a bit larger, and their ingredients are more expensive. Fast casual Restaurants appeal to many people because they feel that they are getting quality food at a more affordable price. Prices at Fast Casual Restaurants are more accommodating for most people’s budget because labor costs are lower.
Usually, people can order for themselves at the front, just like at a fast food restaurant, so they don’t have to pay additional staff to wait tables. Many establishments also have their drinks readily accessible to the customers so they can get up and get a refill if they need to.
Quick Service
Quick service restaurants are exactly what they sound like. Their primary focus is being quick and efficient. When customers go to a fast food restaurant, they expect to get their food quickly. Where fast casual restaurants might take 5-10 minutes to get the food out, QSR’s aim to get food out almost immediately.
Ingredients are not as high quality as fast casual, however, recently many have chosen to add healthier options to their menu to appeal to the customers that are trying to make healthier choices, even when dining out.
Fast food restaurants usually have a limited menu to help with efficiency in the kitchen as well as limited seating inside the restaurant as they focus more on drive-thrus and getting the customers in and out.
Whether you own a quick service or fast casual restaurant, you are in good company. Both of these restaurant models are great options to serve large numbers of guests a day while serving up some of their favorite meals and comfort foods. If executed properly, both concepts can be successful. Back-office software systems can help you make the most of your restaurant’s time and resources, enabling you to widen the profit margin no matter which path you choose!
