A Look Inside the Fast-Food App War
By Sara Shaw • October 5, 2018
Research from App Annie showed 60 percent growth in the number of apps downloaded globally. However, Quettra reported that within 90 days of download, the average app loses 95 percent of its active user base. So rewards and incentives are critical, something restaurants can do better than most.
A study looked at 5 fast food chains where app downloads skyrocketed after announcing free food for new app users. But was this just a free food grab? At least for McDonald’s it wasn’t. The app has been slowly, but surely increasing daily active users in the U.S., hitting new all-time highs almost daily. While we won’t know whether these promotions inspire real long-term loyalty and retention for some time, restaurants aren’t going to run out of ways to incentivize menu items anytime soon.