Emerging QSR Experiences Study 2026.
Download the 4th edition of the Emerging Experience study, uncovering insights into the future of restaurants. This year’s report examines how mobile ordering performs against traditional benchmarks across key metrics like speed, order accuracy, friendliness, and satisfaction. Discover where digital convenience is delivering, where fulfillment gaps remain, and why reliability and human interaction still shape the guest experience.
Research Methodology: How we collected the data
Leveraging our network for mystery shoppers, we performed 449 visits across 9 major QSR and fast-casual brands. The goal? To provide directional data that helps multi-location restaurants understand how mobile order-ahead is reshaping the guest experience, from ordering flow and pickup execution to speed, accuracy, and satisfaction.
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Benchmark Performances
To make comparisons even more meaningful, we combined mobile order-ahead pickup experiences—whether through the drive-thru or in-store—into a single, unified view. We also layered in updated industry benchmarks, including the 2025 Drive-Thru Study and 2026 On-Premises Study, giving you a clearer picture of how mobile ordering performs against traditional experiences.
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No. of Mystery Shops
For each participating brand, we conducted approximately 50 mystery shops to evaluate the mobile order-ahead experience.
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Technology Evaluated
The study focused on mobile order-ahead experiences for both drive-thru and in-store pickup.
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Timing
This study was conducted across morning, lunch, and dinner dayparts, with Dunkin’ shopped in the morning and all other brands split between lunch and dinner.
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Brand Mix
In our 2026 annual report, we evaluated 9 major QSR and fast-casual brands to uncover fresh insights into the mobile order-ahead experience across a diverse mix of restaurant formats.
Inside the report: What’s delivering, where gaps remain, & what operators should prioritize.
This study provides valuable data to help guide investment decisions and improve the mobile order-ahead experience, from ordering flow and pickup readiness to speed, accuracy, and satisfaction.
Order readiness drives satisfaction
Mobile ordering is designed to reduce wait times and improve convenience and drove a 92% satisfaction average, but that promise is not consistently being met. In this study, nearly 1 in 5 orders were not ready on time, and that delay had a major impact on satisfaction.
Download the full report for deeper insights on order readiness, pickup satisfaction, and the operational gaps shaping the mobile ordering experience.
Mobile ordering supports order accuracy
Mobile ordering gives customers more control over the ordering process, allowing them to customize items, take their time deciding, and confirm their order before submission.
In this study, order accuracy reached 92%—on par with the 2026 On-Premises benchmark and ahead of the 2025 Drive-Thru benchmark.
Download the full report to learn more about order accuracy, food quality, and the human interactions that shape the pickup experience.
Human interaction still shapes the experience
Despite the rise of digital ordering, human interaction continues to play a critical role in shaping the customer experience.
80% of shoppers rated service as friendly when they interacted with an employee, outperforming both the 2025 Drive-Thru and 2026 On-Premises benchmarks.
Download the full report to explore how human interaction influences friendliness, pickup satisfaction, and service recovery.
