Breakfast Is the Most Important Meal (and Daypart) of the Day?

Many of us were brought up hearing this from our parents, grandparents, or a TV commercial: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” While this may or may not be medically accurate, it is absolutely on the money (literally) for fast food restaurants. And it should be for radio too . So perhaps we should update the phrase to be, “Breakfast is the most important meal (and daypart) of the day.”

Some Numbers to Chew On

Fast food breakfast visits have grown nearly 8% over the past five years according to data from the market research NPD Group. More importantly to the bottom line, the spending increase has jumped a whopping (Whopper?) 31%. 

As of this morning (March 2), Wendy’s has joined the morning fast food fight now being won by McDonalds and Dunkin’ Donuts. 

Of course McDonald’s and Burger King have been preparing for this long-awaited launch. McDonald’s has done recent promotions for food and coffee products – including proclaiming today the first official Egg McMuffin day. Meanwhile Burger King has set a goal is to make breakfast account for 15% of their total sales.

And with nearly 11% of consumers saying “convenience” is the most important thing about the food they eat, it’s not surprising that the fast food industry is indeed acting like breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Radio: It’s what’s for Breakfast (Maybe)

The idea of cars lined up at the fast food drive-thru listening to their favorite AM/FM morning show is enough to make radio drool. But so far – while not exactly winding up with Egg McMuffin on our face – radio certainly hasn’t been a beneficiary at this point.

In fact, 6+ Nielsen data shows total morning AQH is drifting lower.

Since 2016, 6-10am AQH is off roughly 8%.

Country’s drops are a bit larger.

Still, where there are ears waiting in drive-thru lines, there are opportunities to make breakfast the most important meal (and daypart) of the day.

Up Down, Up Down

Country’s AQH trends up from January to what is usually a high point in May. So, as we start 2020, Country Radio is in a position where its AQH has traditionally increased monthly for roughly half a year. That means that the first quarter is a great time to launch a strong breakfast promotion or schedule.  And of course it’s a no-brainer to involve your morning show.

Five Ways Radio Can Capitalize on the Fast Food Breakfast Frenzy

Let’s start by looking at five actions the fast food industry is taking that are helping to drive consumption. Then let’s consider the radio application for each one

1 – QSRs are recognizing trends and capitalizing on them

• A big consumer trend driving fast food consumption is the shift towards protein and away from cereal.
  • Additionally, the trend to do more in less time has elevated the importance of “quick and convenient.” This has further enhanced the breakfast opportunity.
  • As a late entry into the competition, most experts expect Wendy’s road to success will be challenging.

Radio take-aways:

• A focus on the audience is the best way to uncover opportunities. Seek out and embrace trends early.
• Honor listeners’ time. Present everything as fully edited as possible. Deliver core content with increased frequency.
• Brands that fill needs first have a decided advantage.

2 – Say No to Status Quo

• There’s been a steady stream of fast food breakfast innovation. Even McDonalds which hadn’t added a new breakfast item in 15 years (the McGriddle), recently added donut sticks and it testing additional offerings.
  • Fast food chains insure that breakfast items are brand-supportive (Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A for example). That is, their additions enhance the brand rather than distract from it.
  • QSR’s liberally use LTO’s – Limited Time Only items. (Whataburger’s Breakfast Burger for example)

Radio take-aways:

• Once a month, evaluate every benchmark and feature on your show for its continued relevance. Similarly, review everything on your show execution for any possible improvements or new additions to replace any drops.
• Next, explore all the ways additional ways that ant new feature can strengthen and support the brand. Add other moving parts as necessary.

3 – Marketing

• QSRs are consistent marketers. They spend roughly $4-billion industry-wide.
  • They use a variety of platforms especially direct mail, online, TV, mobile, outdoor and radio which receives roughly 11%.
  • Campaigns are both strategic and tactical (brand building plus LTOs, BOGOs, etc.).

Radio take-aways:

• Being part of the buying mindset is critical. Be consistently visible with a long-running brand statement and promise.
• Be where listeners are. QSR billboards are so prominent along interstates that – for better or worse – they are part of the landscape.
• There is potential revenue for radio with the synergy of radio consumption via phone and the projected 5.4% increase QSR spending on digital and mobile

4 – Special Promotions Induce Trial

• Trial is important because fast food breakfast customers tend to be more loyal in the morning than at other times of the day. “
  • Annual events generate press and word of mouth and are a reason to add extra brand marketing (think Wawa’s Hoagie Month).
  • Promotions generate additional revenue (like the McDonalds Monopoly game which returned last year; it typically increases revenue by between 1 and 2%).

Radio take-aways:

• The earlier your first listening occasion occurs, the greater your TSL potential is. Like fast food restaurants, leverage mornings to create additional consumption later in the day.
• Radio is built to capture the moment and thus benefit from timeliness and WOM.
• Create promotions that have the ability to expand your consumer base (i.e., are P2+ friendly)

5 – Don’t Confine Your Strengths to A Small Container

• By not limiting breakfast to just mornings, offering “All day breakfast” not only gives breakfast lovers a chance to have their favorite meal anytime of the day. This also promotes the restaurant in general as well as the QSR’s openness to meeting customers’ schedules.
  • Take advantage of up-sell opportunities. Drivers waiting in line for breakfast also see posters offering lunch specials. It’s a pitch to turn one visit into two.
  • If the product is desired at 11:30pm, it’s likely to be just as desired at 12:30 am or 2:30 am. Put your full product line on display 24/7.

Radio take-aways:

• Do what you do best all day, not just in a single daypart. Even if you buy into the belief that breakfast is the most important meal (and daypart) of the day, don’t fall victim to an audience limiting “silo” approach. Create ways to use one hour’s audience to help increase another hour.
• Archive your best entertaining and brand-building audio so that it can be consumed on demand.

Bottom Line

Major fast food companies with enormous financial resources are making considerable investments in mornings. This seems like a great opportunity to forge a mutually beneficial relationship.

Radio is an ideal partner for taking advantage of what’s driving the increase in fast food breakfast consumption: time pressures, convenience, low cost, and potential health benefits. All these make great copy points for talent content as well as sales presentations.

And with country audiences place such strong emphasis on talent in the morning (Roadmap 2019 clearly showed this); a talent’s QSR endorsement would be powerful.

As Wendy’s joins the breakfast fast-food fight, this would be a great week to think about how radio can be a QSR partner.

Indeed, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to argue that breakfast is the most important meal (and daypart) of the day.

Related:

Make Your Station Part of the Conversation

21 Things that Can Help of Hurt Your Time Spent Listening

Tagline Thinking: 5 Ways to Create a Competitive Advantage

Photo by Oluwakorede Enoch Adeyanju on Unsplash

© 2020 Mike O’Malley/O’Malley Media Group, LLC