Research firm dcdx recently released The Magnetic 100: Restaurants report, which took a look at the brands that Gen Z is talking about most. In order to make this list, a restaurant chain’s customers need to be doing more than spending money – they need to be truly engaged with the brand.
“Magnetism can be measured through how much and how often consumers talk about a brand online and this is all organic, so it’s not skewed by big marketing or influencer budgets,” dcdx director of strategy Mara Stolzenbach told Nation’s Restaurant News.
“Analyzing this type of user-generated content allows us to understand what’s resonating with customers and how they think about a brand.”
The report looked at 100 brands and rated them from “weak” to “magnetic” by analyzing their brand momentum, TikTok followers and segment. Metrics were then derived from popularity and consistency.
Here’s the top 10 most magnetic brands, per the report:
- McDonald’s
- Wingstop
- Starbucks
- Chipotle
- Taco Bell
- Crumbl Cookies
- Raising Cane’s
- KFC
- Chick-fil-A
- Subway
Let’s take a closer look at the top five brands and how they made the list.
McDonald’s
Generating 1 billion engagements on its own, McDonald’s claims the top spot on the list as the most magnetic brand, with a score of 89.38. The chain’s popularity goes beyond its food and in fact, much of its engagement has nothing to do with food.
According to Nation’s Restaurant News, memes about drive-thru order mishaps, behind-the-scenes content and viral clarinet performances mimicking air fryers all contributed to it taking the number one spot.
Wingstop
Next on the list, with a score of 87.5, is a chicken-wing chain that has gained popularity among Gen Z through “Mukbang” videos – live-streams that feature a person eating a large amount of food. According to NRN, Mukbang content dominated themes driving conversations for many of the top brands.
Starbucks
After losing popularity last year, Starbucks is back near the top thanks to a return to its roots and limited-time offerings. The coffee chain scored an 87.13 on the magnetism list, with consumers sharing seasonal drink ordering tips and pictures of their personalized cup messages.
That small change of encouraging employees to write personal messages on cups with Sharpies paid off, under the leadership of new Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol.
Chipotle
All press is good press, as Chipotle found out. Criticism over Chipotle’s prices and portion sizes became its biggest content driver over the past year. Customers of the brand started sharing ways to maximize orders and get the best deal, which actually played a key role in the brand attaining a score of 86.84.
Taco Bell
Rounding out the top five on the report’s rankings was the time-tested Mexican chain. Over 40% of Taco Bell’s engagement features storyteller content, with customers sharing life experiences – like gender reveals – with Baja Blasts.
Of the restaurants in the report, the top five brands – along with the number six brand, Crumbl Cookies – drove more than half of the conversation in the restaurant category, with nearly 4 billion engagements, according to an article by Fast Company.
How to Win Over Gen Z Consumers
Restaurants must remain consistent to be magnetic and create a loyal customer base.
“For brands that want to increase their magnetism, restaurants have to overcome a higher threshold of consistent consumer affection,” dcdx CEO Andrew Roth told NRN.
“If consistent love is harder to achieve in the restaurant space, then establishing loyalty demands creating an experience for consumers that sticks with them long after their meal is over.”
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