Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Placer Spotlight: How the Pandemic Affected McDonald’s Consumer Behavior

By 
Shira Petrack
April 25, 2022
Placer Spotlight: How the Pandemic Affected McDonald’s Consumer Behavior
SHARE
Explore our free tools to get timely insights into key industries
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
Key Takeaways

McDonald’s foot traffic is now on par with pre-pandemic visit levels, but that doesn’t mean that consumer habits have returned to where they were in 2019. We dove into the latest data to find out how McDonald’s consumer behavior has changed since the pandemic. 

McDonald’s 2021 Recovery 

McDonald’s started out 2021 with a larger Yo2Y visit gap than the nationwide category average and remained behind the wider QSR sector throughout the first half of the year. But in July, as the wider dining recovery accelerated, the visit gap to McDonald’s also narrowed significantly. Visit numbers to McDonald’s stayed essentially equivalent to 2019 levels until the end of the year; in December ‘21, McDonald’s Yo2Y visit gap narrowed to only -0.6%. During that time, McDonald’s also remained the dominant QSR player in the United States, enjoying a 46% to 49% monthly visit share of overall burger brands nationwide foot traffic. 

Rough Start, Strong Finish for Q1 2022

The Omicron wave that set the nationwide dining recovery back also impacted McDonald’s foot traffic. Visits in January and early February were significantly below 2019 levels, and the COVID surge pushed McDonald’s foot traffic back behind the wider fast food sector. But foot traffic to the QSR leader picked up again mid-February, with visits the week of February 28th up 3.8% compared to the equivalent week in 2019. And even though McDonald’s Yo3Y visit gap lingered in February and March, the foot traffic deficit still narrowed by half – and recent data indicates that the fast food leader is on its way to another recovery. Visits for the first full week of April were 5.5% higher than the equivalent week in 2019. 

The narrowing of the visit gap in February and March indicates that McDonald’s foot traffic is likely more sensitive to COVID surges than it is to inflation, since visits moved in a positive direction throughout Q1 despite the rising prices. Of course, it is important to note that this data only reflects offline foot traffic and does not take into account delivery or online takeaway orders. 

Many McDonald’s patrons likely prefer to get delivery or to pick up their food and eat elsewhere during Coronavirus outbreaks, and the low visit numbers in early 2021 reflect that. Still, the fact that since 2021, nationwide McDonald’s visit numbers have quickly shot back up every time there is a COVID lull points to the enduring demand for on-premise meal ordering, pick-up, and/or consumption – despite the availability of digital channels.

Changes to McDonald’s Consumer Habits 

The many shifts in consumer behavior seen in 2020 were actually in the making for some time prior to the pandemic. But other changes are directly related to wider transformations to daily life brought about by the events of the past two years. The shift in dining hours appears to belong in the latter category. 

The chart below, which presents McDonald’s share of visits by hour in March between 2017 and 2022, shows that evening foot traffic was somewhat on the rise and morning visits slightly declined between March 2017 and March 2020. Still – especially with regards to the declining proportion of morning visits between 6 and 11 AM – the year-to-year change in foot traffic prior to the pandemic was relatively minute. 

But visits plummeted in March 2021 relative to the period between March 2017 and 2020, and they were still low in March 2022. March 2022 also saw a decrease of lunchtime visits (between the hours of 12 and 2 PM) and an increase in later afternoon and evening visits, relative to both pre-pandemic and also March 2021. 

The lasting change in visiting hours to McDonald’s is likely due to the dramatic transformation in working patterns since the onset of the pandemic. With so many people still working from home full-or part-time, the demand for breakfast or lunch on-the-go has fallen. 

In a survey we conducted in March 2022, 45% of respondents stated that the change in dining visiting hours since the pandemic has impacted their product selection. Some dining brands that previously relied heavily on breakfast foot traffic – such as Dunkin’ – have already adjusted its menu to include more offerings that could attract consumers later in the day. 

So while McDonald’s has invested heavily in its breakfast selection in the past, now may be time to diversify its snack and late afternoon menu. 

Continued Drop in Returning Monthly Visitors

The decrease in morning McDonald’s visits may be primarily driven by new pandemic-induced lifestyle shifts, but the drop in returning monthly visitors seems to continue pre-pandemic trends. The share of returning monthly visitors in March has been dropping steadily since 2017, going from 36.5% in March 2017 to 35.2% in March 2018 to 34.6% in March 2019. After reaching the record low of 28.5% in March 2020, the share of returning visitors climbed back up to 31.0% in March 2021 and then to 33.3% in March 2022, but still remained slightly below 2019 levels. 

The consistent decrease in returning visitors may reflect the interest in health and wellness that was on the rise already prior to the pandemic (although the pandemic undoubtedly amplified demand). Perhaps consumers who used to incorporate McDonald’s into their regular meal rotation now view Big Macs as more of a treat. 

McDonald’s has been aware of the increasing focus on health for over two decades. Following the short-lived salad shakers in 2000 and introduction of its premium salad line in 2003, McDonald’s stepped up its offering of healthier options across the menu in 2013. But recent attempts at winning over health-conscious consumers, such as adding the McPlant to its line of burgers, has seen mixed results. And due to the drop in traffic over COVID, many of these healthier items disappeared from the menu altogether. 

Now, almost two years after the menu contraction, McDonald’s seems ready to gradually add salads back into its product rotation, which could ultimately boost the share of returning visitors.

For more data-driven retail insights, visit our blog

Learn how downtown regions across US cities are measuring up with our free tools.
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.

Related Topics

Explore our free tools to get timely insights into key industries
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
SHARE
Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week
Subscribe to the newsletter
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Recent Publications

Get 3 brand & industry breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter
Five Below and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet: A Pre-Holiday Snapshot
Kroger: Getting into The Seasonal Swing 
Avison Young Launches Office Busyness Index Powered by Placer.ai to Provide Unmatched Insights on Office Utilization Across Major U.S. Markets
Off-Price Ahead of the 2024 Holiday Season
A Beautiful Season Ahead: Ulta and Sally Beauty Supply
Sportswear Ahead of the 2024 Holiday Season 
Placer 100 Index: October 2024 Recap 
Placer.ai Office Index: October 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: October 2024 Recap 
Halloween’s 2024 Retail & Dining Impact – Party City Carries the Season
Checking in With Department Stores: Nordstrom and Macy’s
Superstores and Wholesale Clubs Ahead of the Holidays
Home Depot and Lowe’s Heading Into the Holidays
Starbucks and Dutch Bros: Short Visits Lead the Way
Planet Fitness: Raising the Bar(bell)
Checking in With Full-Service Restaurants: First Watch, Chili’s, and Outback Steakhouse
RBI and Yum!: QSR Resilience in 2024
Boot Barn and DSW: Stepping Up Their Game
Target’s October Circle Week: A Data-Driven Snapshot
Chipotle, Shake Shack & Wingstop: Dining Success in Q3 2024
Playa Bowls and Tropical Smoothie Cafe: Berry Big Business
Cheesecake Factory & BJ’s Restaurants: Full-Service Success
Checking in on McDonald's and Wendy's 
Sprouts Farmers Market: A Specialty Grocer With a Traditional Twist
CAVA: The Craze Continues
Placer.ai Reaches $100M Annual Recurring Revenue
Catching Up With Carter's 
A Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse Showdown
Placer.ai Mall Index: September 2024 Recap – Labor Day Peaks and Holiday Season Predictions
Albertsons Q3 Check-In
Looking Ahead to the 2024 Holiday Season
Trader Joe's: Continuing to Thrive in 2024
Bowlero and AMF: A Ten-Pin Knockout
Recreational Retail: Store Performance in 2024
Placer.ai White Paper Recap – September 2024
A QSR and Fast-Casual Face-Off
Sam’s Club’s In-Store Retail Media Network Opportunity
The Rising Stars: Six Metro Areas Welcoming Young Professionals
Costco in 2024: A Deep Dive
Sherwin-Williams in 2024: Brighter Than a New Lick of Paint
Life Time and Orangetheory: Premium Fitness Flourishing
C-Stores: More Than A Pit Stop
Darden: Dining Dominance Undeterred 
Placer 100 Index for Retail and Dining: August 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Office Index: August 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: August 2024 Recap – Back-To-School In Full Swing
Auto Parts Retailers: The Traffic Continues
Pumpkin Spice Works its Magic Once Again
School Season Sparks Retail Growth
Placer.ai White Paper Recap – July & August 2024
Big Lots’ Big Rightsizing Move in Four Data Points
Fun Away From The Sun: Checking in With Eatertainment
Domestic Migration and Population Growth: Strong Currents Off The Carolina Coast
The Civic Impact of Summer Events
Retail Trends in College Towns: A Back-to-School Snapshot
Five Below and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet: Consumers Still on the Hunt for Discounts
Macy’s & Bloomingdale’s: Into 2024 and Beyond
Limited Time Only: The Trend Continues
Beauty in 2024: Many Ways to Win
Dollar General & Dollar Tree: Powering Ahead in Q2 2024
The Home Depot and Lowe's Foot Traffic Remodel in Q2 2024
Superstore Update: Summer Savings Spree
Placer.ai Mall Index: July 2024 Recap – From Fourth of July to Back-to-School
Placer.ai Office Index: July 2024 Recap
Summer Movie Madness: Blockbuster Films Boost Foot Traffic
Driving Success: Toyota in 2024
Denny’s and IHOP: An All-Day Breakfast Matchup
Warby Parker: Seeing Clearly Now
Planet Fitness at the 2024 Halfway Point
Serving Summer 2024: RBI and Yum! Brands Q2 Foot Traffic
Starbucks, Dutch Bros., Dunkin’: Finding Summer Success
Fast Food and Fast Casual Favorites, Plus CosMc’s Takeoff
Chipotle and Sweetgreen: Fast-Casual in Q2 2024
First Watch, Texas Roadhouse, and Applebee’s: An FSR Roundup
Albertsons Companies: H1 2024 Recap
Teaming Up For Success: Sports Stadium Sponsorships
Limited Time Offers: Price Wars Boost Visits
Placer 100 Index for Retail & Dining: June 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: June 2024 Recap
Placer.ai Office Index: June 2024 Recap
Inside Out 2: The New Blockbuster Bringing Crowds Back to Theaters
Petco and PetSmart: A Head to Head
Frozen Delights: Exploring Ice Cream Chains Across America
Placer.ai White Paper Recap – June 2024
Barnes & Noble: Writing a New Story
Small Format Stores - Sprouting, Blooming, and Expanding
Retail and Dining on Father’s Day
Thrift Store Visit Scores
Charting Value Grocery’s Visit Growth
Placer 100 Index for Retail & Dining: Introduction and May 2024 Recap
Digging Into Darden: Q2 2024 Update
2024 Retail and Dining Trends Update
TRU and avid: Midscale Hotels on the Rise 
Diving Into Kroger: A Strong Start to 2024
Placer.ai Mall Index: May 2024 Recap – Mall Visits on the Rebound
Placer.ai Office Index: May 2024 Recap
2024 Memorial Day Recap
Las Vegas: A Tourism and Migration Deep Dive
Eatertainment Chains: Full on Food, Fun, and Foot Traffic
The Promise of Luxury Apparel