According to QSR magazine, the top 10 quick-service restaurants (QSRs) of 2021, were McDonald’s, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Dunkin’, Burger King, Subway, Domino’s, and Chipotle. Although sales initially declined during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, QSRs adapted and increased delivery, drive-through, take-out and curbside pick-up options to fulfill consumer expectations. The National Restaurant Association reported that total sales of QSRs were up by $30 billion in 2021, when compared to 2019. Many of the contactless ordering, delivery, curbside, and other programs implemented during the pandemic are still being used, however, QSRs are continuing to face challenges, such as shortages in labor, concerns over supply chains, and a range of other issues, including consumer expectations related to sustainability and production practices for meat and poultry.

Sustainability is a key issue for the entire food industry. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry report, 30% of adults said they would prefer to eat at a restaurant that offers food grown in an environmentally friendly way or raised organically, and consumers want more sustainable food-and-beverage packaging. While easy targets are single-use silverware, cups, and containers frequently used in QSRs, questions are being asked and concerns are being raised about the ingredients and products being sold, which means that companies are looking at developing programs to make their menus more transparent and provide consumers information about the ingredients. Of course, meat and poultry are also often included in the list of concerns related to sustainability and production practices.

Global Investor Engagement on Meat Sourcing reports that six leading fast-food companies, including Chipotle Mexican Grill, Domino’s Pizza, McDonald’s, Restaurant Brands International, Wendy’s and Yum! Brands have set or committed to set, science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability challenges. Additionally, some QSRs have added vegetarian and plant-based items to their menus to provide customers more choices. For example, Taco Bell made a commitment to make its packaging compostable and recyclable by 2025, and to add vegetarian menu items, while McDonald’s initiated actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and continue to advance sustainable beef production practices.

Many QSRs have developed corporate specific programs to address product sourcing that include items like traceability, sustainability, or practices in animal handling and welfare. Some, including but not limited to, Arby’s, Burger King, Culver’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s, have joined the US Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) whose mission is to “advance, support, and communicate continuous improvement of sustainability across the US beef value chain. The USRSB involves multiple sectors throughout the food chain from cattle producers, packers/processors, retail/foodservice, allied industry, and civil society, who have committed to continuously explore options for improving the sustainability of beef. Along with multi-member initiatives, such as USRSB, QSRs are also working with groups such as Progressive Beef, IMI Global, A Greener World and many other third-party verification companies to implement audit programs to ensure transparency in their production practices.

Burger King and other QSRs created in-house programs to address product sourcing issues such as traceability, sustainability, or practices in animal handling. (Source: Burger King International)

 

Additionally, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service provides fee-based, Process Verified Program (PVP) service. PVPs allow producers and processors to verify and market products based on production and/or handling practices or quantifiable characteristics, such as age. PVPs are supported by a documented management system that is verified with a desk audit and an on-site audit of the operation by a qualified Agricultural Marketing Service auditor. Some of the commonly used PVPs for poultry are: No Antibiotics Ever, 100% Vegetarian Diet, USA Source Verified, Responsible Use of Antibiotics, Raised Cage Free, and Naturally Tender.

During the pandemic some QSRs limited menu options, partly due to inventory and supply disruptions and partly due to staffing limitations. The meat supply disruptions also opened the door for changes in product specifications, such as allowing the use of frozen and imported trim for ground beef. Today, some QSRs have maintained a more limited menu and are continuing to allow more flexibility in meat sources, while others have added plant-based protein options to minimize the impact of future supply chain issues.

Reducing food waste and increasing efficiency are two additional concerns facing QSRs, and both can impact meat and poultry producers and processors. To meet these challenges, some QSRs have added pre-cooked items to their menu. For example, using pre-cooked, ready-to-eat bacon on burgers, salads, and sandwiches helps reduce labor and time needed to prepare the bacon, and it also has a longer shelf-life, thereby reducing food waste. Arby’s rolled out its Wagyu Steakhouse Burger during the summer of 2022, which included a sous vide beef patty that could be quickly re-heated and served without needing a grill or person flipping patties. These are just two examples of how QSRs are working with their meat suppliers to help meet consumer expectations for creative products while reducing waste and increasing efficiency.

QSRs provide a great opportunity for meat and poultry processors to develop innovative products and to ensure that the fast-food industry continues to thrive. This foodservice channel plays such an important role in the meat and poultry industry because of the primary products featured at each unit that are so loved by consumers. The universal appeal of QSRs not only in the United States but across the globe continues to ensure that developing and marketing meat and poultry products remains an important growth component of this industry for the foreseeable future.