The State of On-Premise Service in Quick-Service Restaurants

Picture this: You step up to the counter at your favorite quick-service restaurant. You’re greeted with a smile, your order’s taken without a hitch, and five minutes later, your food is hot, fresh, and exactly how you asked for it. The whole experience feels… smooth.

Now imagine the same scenario, minus the eye contact, minus the friendly farewell, and minus the confidence your order will be right.

The difference? It’s subtle—but it’s everything.

That’s the heart of our 2025 On-Premise Study, where we evaluated in-person counter service experiences at 10 leading QSR brands. With 75 mystery shops per brand, covering lunch, snack, and dinner dayparts, we captured what’s working, what’s falling flat, and where brands can create more meaningful moments at the counter.

Let’s dig into the data.

One Small “Hello” Can Make or Break the Experience

From the moment a guest walks in, the clock starts ticking, and we’re not just talking about speed.

When staff greeted customers upon entry, overall satisfaction and perceived friendliness took a serious leap. Mystery shoppers described those interactions as warm, welcoming, and memorable. But when that greeting was skipped? Even efficient visits felt “cold” and “transactional”.

Here’s why that matters:

Accuracy Still Reigns. But Communication Is the Real Secret Weapon.

Order accuracy isn’t just a checklist item, it’s a trust builder.

Across the study, accuracy averaged 95%, and when an order was correct, overall satisfaction was 14 percentage points higher than when it wasn’t.

But here’s what often gets missed: it’s not just what customers get, but how they’re told to expect it.

The lesson? Clear communication amplifies execution.

Curious about where restaurant experiences are going next? Dive into the insights in our latest Emerging Experience Study.

Speed Wins, but Communication Keeps It on Track

Fast service is still the expectation, and for good reason. On average, guests received their orders in just over 5 minutes. But when a visit felt slow, the actual wait time doubled.

What made the difference? Communication.

When employees kept guests informed or engaged during the wait, satisfaction stayed high. But when speed slipped and no one addressed it? Overall satisfaction dropped sharply.

See which brands kept guests satisfied even when wait times crept up. It’s all in the 2025 On-Premise Study.

We have broken down the best ways to achieve greater accuracy and speed for your QSR operations. Explore the top strategies to Improving Restaurant Efficiency. 

The Real Experience Driver? Human Connection.

Sure, a hot meal and short wait matter. But what sets a great visit apart is how the guest felt during the experience.

Our biggest takeaway: Friendly, communicative staff consistently drove higher satisfaction, even when speed or accuracy wasn’t perfect. Mechanical or rushed interactions, on the other hand, left lasting negative impressions.

One more stat to consider:

Learn more on how to improve guest experience using data from the field. 

Measuring the Moments That Matter

In a world where technology innovations often steal the spotlight, the in-person counter-ordering experience remains a powerful differentiator, but only when executed well. In this study, we looked at how specific areas like service and friendliness, accuracy and quality, speed of service, and overall experience directly shaped guest satisfaction.

From first greetings to final remarks, clarity to courtesy, and pace to personalization, each interaction shapes the perception of your brand.

See how leading QSRs are performing, and how your brand stacks up.