Case Study: Fast-Casual Restaurant Chain achieves actionable menu insights to win customer loyalty with Service Management Group (SMG)

Fast-Casual Restaurant Chain - Customer Case Study

Fast-Casual Restaurant Chain, a pizza operator with more than 160 locations, faced intense competition and weak customer loyalty and wanted to know how to become a favorite among pizza eaters. They engaged Service Management Group (SMG) to run a targeted online panel study to benchmark performance, measure share of wallet, and uncover the specific improvements that would drive preference.

SMG surveyed recent customers within a five‑mile radius across 440 zip codes and found significant leakage: for every two pizzas bought from the Fast-Casual Restaurant Chain, an average of 1.7 pizzas were purchased from competitors; 57% of customers were highly likely to recommend the chain but 47% also reported high likelihood to recommend other brands. Open‑ended feedback showed nearly a third cited food quality/freshness as the prime improvement area (22% asked for new recipes; price 18%; speed and expanded menu 14% each). SMG’s results gave the chain a clear, measurable roadmap—prioritizing recipe and freshness enhancements—to capture competitor spend and boost loyalty.