What all QSR brands should learn from the Facebook strategies of the Top 10 brands

Every year, QSR Magazine publishes an annual list of Top 50 QSR brands – a round up of top performing quick service restaurants and restaurant franchises in the U.S. The list, based on a combination of factors including net profits and new store openings, had some predictable favorites like Starbucks and McDonald’s, didn’t include some brands we would have assumed would have made the cut like KFC and Chipotle, and had one surprise entry – Panera Bread.

In our latest report we looked at the Facebook strategies of the top 10 brands in the list to see if we could discern any trends across the group.

There was one trend that was so obvious and successful, it was used by every single brand during the time analyzed . We found that while campaigns and events come and go, food is forever. We saw this when McDonald’s #AllDayBreakfast performed better than their #GameDayGold, when Wendy’s new pulled pork options and 4 for $4 offer caught the attention of Fans, when the release of the Boss Wrap and Boss Nachos were the most engaging content for Taco Bell and when every single one of Burger King’s most engaging content featured a picture of mouth watering menu items.

Another route to go down to boost your engagement is the reliable contest or offer. From Panera bread to Starbucks, no Fan is too proud to engage with your brand if there’s a college scholarship on the line, or even just a free coffee.