The typical fast-food customer has long been young men. But they’ve been hit hard by the recession and have unemployment rates well above the national average. So are they still a viable marketing target for fast feeders?
In a word, yes, but more on that later. The restaurant industry has also been hit hard by the recession, and many fast feeders, such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and more recently, Burger King, have been targeting a broader audience in their national advertising, especially TV creative, in an effort to appeal to as many different people as possible and boost sales.
“With the economy as it is, marketers are trying to cast a wider net than they have in the past,” said Eric Giandelone, director-food service research at Mintel.