The goal of the paper is to offer recommendations to the executive and management teams of global quick-service restaurant chains on what marketing strategies they should use to maintain existing consumers and capture future customers.
The paper firstly illustrated the influence of consumer healthy eating habits on global quick-service restaurant chains through various academic resources in the literature review. Subsequently, the author has conducted a multiple case study approach with two companies that are either currently or used to be operating business globally to raise the validity and reliability of the research. The final results generated suggested that the changing consumer diet behavior affects the companies significantly through self-consciousness resulted from government policies and mass media influence. Furthermore, the innovative marketing strategies for global fast food restaurant chains will be focusing on introducing and customizing healthy meals on menus, maintaining customer and employee relationships simultaneously, participating in sustainability and CSR programs as well as promoting through digital marketing.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Reasons for innovative marketing in fast food industry
1.2 Definition of the problem and purpose of the paper
1.3 Terminologies
1.4 Structure and approach of the paper
2 Literature review
2.1 Factors affecting consumer diet behavior
2.2 Common marketing strategies of global fast food restaurant chains
2.3 Influence of changing consumer diet behavior on global fast food chains
2.4 Intermediate result
3 Empirical Findings
3.1 Methodology
3.1.1 Research approach
3.1.2 Research design and strategy
3.1.3 Data collection
3.1.4 Research Hypothesis
3.2 Description of the industry and companies
3.3 Case study of McDonald’s Corporation
3.3.1 Public criticism on McDonald’s
3.3.2 Marketing Strategies of McDonald’s
3.4 Case study of Just Falafel
3.4.1 Public recognition on Just Falafel
3.4.2 Marketing strategies of Just Falafel
3.4.3 Reasons for the failure of Just Falafel
3.5 Confirmation of hypotheses
4 Discussion, recommendations, implementation
4.1 Results from literature review
4.2 Findings from empirical approach
4.3 Compare and contrast the results
4.4 Answers to the research questions
4.5 Recommendations of new marketing strategies
5 Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines how shifting consumer dietary preferences towards healthier options impact global fast food chains and evaluates the effectiveness of innovative marketing strategies in response to these demands. The core objective is to provide actionable recommendations for restaurant executives to retain existing customer bases and attract new segments in a competitive, health-conscious market.
- Impact of health consciousness on global fast food industry trends
- Transformation of marketing strategies from product-centric to customer-centric models
- Comparative analysis of McDonald’s global success versus Just Falafel’s market failure
- Role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and digital marketing in modern fast food strategies
- Significance of consistent brand identity and customer relationship management
Excerpt from the Book
3.3 Case study of McDonald’s Corporation
Originated in the United States in 1940s, McDonald’s Corporation has become the largest global burger fast food restaurant chains associated with its franchises and subsidiaries worldwide (Loukakou & Membe, 2012). It is currently operating in 119 countries with over 38,000 restaurants and serving approximately 69 million customers daily (McDonald’s Corporation, 2020). In 2019, with an estimation of brand value of 130.37 billion U.S. dollars, McDonald’s is ranked as the most valuable global fast food brand (Lock, 2020).
From a family owned barbeque restaurant to a successful global fast food giant after 80 years, McDonald’s has demonstrated its major success factor to be outstanding in the competitive fast food market, which is to “think globally, act locally”, also known as the glocalization strategy. The glocalization marketing strategy is the combination of globalization and localization, where the products and services provided by the company not only fit into the global environment, but also are tailored to local consumers’ tastes (Crawford, Humphries & Geddy, 2015). For example, McDonald’s has introduced rice burgers and soup choices in its second largest market, the People’s Republic of China. In order to enter the Indian market, it has also changed the beef burgers into choices with chicken meat or vegetables due to the religious belief of the majority of population (McDonald’s Corporation, 2020).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the fast food industry's development, the rising health concerns affecting consumer behavior, and the paper's purpose and methodology.
2 Literature review: Analyzes the factors driving shifts in dietary habits, such as mass media and government policies, and examines common marketing strategies used by fast food giants.
3 Empirical Findings: Details the research methodology and presents case studies on McDonald’s success and Just Falafel’s failure, validating hypotheses through comparative analysis.
4 Discussion, recommendations, implementation: Synthesizes findings from literature and case studies to propose new marketing strategies and improvements for global fast food chains.
5 Conclusion: Summarizes the research findings, confirming that the shift in consumer demand presents a strategic opportunity for adaptation rather than an insurmountable threat.
Keywords
Fast food, Consumer behavior, Marketing strategy, Health consciousness, Glocalization, Corporate Social Responsibility, McDonald’s, Just Falafel, Digital marketing, Customer satisfaction, Nutritional quality, Brand identity, Sustainability, Market expansion, Healthy diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on analyzing the impact of changing consumer dietary habits towards healthy eating on the global fast food industry and evaluates how companies can adapt their marketing strategies accordingly.
What are the central themes discussed in the study?
Key themes include the evolution of fast food marketing, the influence of health awareness on consumer demand, the effectiveness of CSR initiatives, and the importance of brand consistency.
What is the ultimate goal of the research?
The goal is to provide recommendations for management teams in global quick service restaurant chains on how to survive and thrive by aligning their marketing strategies with the growing demand for healthy options.
Which research methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a deductive approach and a multiple case study method, analyzing McDonald’s and Just Falafel as contrasting examples to increase research validity.
What key topics are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the literature review on dietary trends, an analysis of McDonald's glocalization and CSR success, and an examination of why Just Falafel struggled with brand identity and customer service.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The research is best characterized by terms such as consumer diet behavior, fast food marketing, glocalization, health-conscious trends, and competitive marketing strategies.
Why did the author choose McDonald’s and Just Falafel as case studies?
These were chosen because they represent two contradictory outcomes in the global fast food market: one as a highly successful, established leader and the other as a failed attempt at international expansion despite a healthy food focus.
What significant conclusion does the author reach regarding the impact of the "healthy trend"?
The author concludes that the shift in consumer demand towards healthy diets is not necessarily a negative for the industry but acts as an opportunity for companies to innovate and improve their market position through smarter, customer-centric strategies.
- Citation du texte
- Li-en Lin (Auteur), 2020, Fast Food Marketing. Analyzing the changing consumer diet behavior towards healthy eating habits, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1010366
