Food is probably the only thing that everyone loves. It is, after all, the basic source of our nourishment needs. And we eat it in order to maintain life and growth. However, not many people have the luxury to cook food at home due to their tough work life. So, as a result, they head to restaurants to get the nutrition and nourishment they need. There are also a lot of people who like to eat at restaurants for the sake of fulfilling their cravings Self service restaurants.
In fact, statistics show that “more than 45% of diners eat more than one time a week at restaurants.”
But the ones who barely get spare time to rest due to work prefer to get food on the go rather than dine in. That is where self service restaurants come in, as these restaurants provide quick service like no other. People who are in a hurry can get their food on the go with a quick serve restaurant. This way, they can avoid spending a chunk of their time waiting for the food to be prepared. And that is why we will look at quick-service restaurants in this blog. More so, we will also discuss the difference between full service and limited service restaurants.
Quick Service Restaurant Industry
Restaurants are a massive business industry that generates a lot of revenue. Restaurants all over the world help improve their country’s economy. The restaurant industry in the USA is no different, as it also plays a part in keeping the state’s economy stable.
According to data,”the restaurant industry’s sales forecast for 2023 has reached well over $997 billion. This is more than 4% of the country’s gross domestic product.”
So, it is safe to say that restaurants are just as important for the economy as they are for our hunger needs. And there is no doubt that the quick service restaurant industry contributes to those sales figures. More so, self service restaurants are growing more in popularity than fast food chains and lavish dining bistros.
What Is A Quick Service Restaurant?
A quick service restaurant is just like any other dining restaurant apart from the fact that it provides food service in an instant. Also dubbed as QSR, these self service restaurants don’t have table service. Instead, they have self service kiosk devices and kiosk tablets that take in orders. It is fair to say that with a kiosk machine, customers can place an order with ease. More so, they get the convenience of the highest order. Other than that, the restaurant’s kiosk provides a much better and more personalized customer experience. With these kiosk machines, customers can place an order of their choice in the fastest way possible without having the need to interact with a customer. Kiosks also makes the payment process much easier, as customers can pay using their credit cards or phone wallet.
This way, it cuts down the process of a waiter coming to your table, taking the order, and then having the cooks prepare it. Instead, the customer can place the order themselves through the kiosk display and then get their food right away. Also, the menus of these self service restaurants are quite small compared to normal restaurants. That is because the whole idea of a quick service resturant is to provide food that is already prepared so that it can be served to the customer immediately. A QSR focuses on a quick food service more than anything else. So that’s, after all, the quick service restaurant definition. The thing that QSR define is fast service with less hassle.
Learn more about how self service kiosks are changing customer behavior from another blog.
What Are the Key Features of Limited-Service Restaurants?
If you are thinking, “What is a limited service restaurant?” then it is the same as a QSR quick service restaurant. The QSR meaning in business sector is getting bigger and bigger by the minute. That is why we get to see many QSR examples being opened every other day. However, it all comes down to the QSR food service that has made them become so successful. And if we were to talk about some of the key features that these quick-serve restaurants offer, then there are four main features that make self service restaurants stand out. In other words, it can be said that these four characteristics are what give quick-service restaurant definition. If you want to spot a quick service server yourself, then look out for these four listed features below:
- Quick service: The whole quick service restaurant meaning is to provide fast service. These self service restaurants emphasize the speed of service rather than the quality of food or the ingredients in it.
- Easy Order Placement: Self service restaurants have kiosk devices that enable the customer to place the order themselves. This way, customers can order food of their choice with ease. By having kiosk devices, restaurants can avoid the risk of waiters writing down wrong orders. That is because these restaurant kiosks send accurate and correct order information to the counter.
- Limited table service: Most self service restaurants provide little to no table service. However, there are a few QSRs that do provide table service, but only a limited one. And that is if there are not many customers dining in. So even those restaurants won’t provide table service. Almost all of these restaurants use counter service as opposed to full service. So the difference between what is limited service restaurant and a QSR is really that thin.
- Food on the go: Many of the self service restaurants offer options such as takeout as well as drive-through that allow customers to get food on the go. This is a great and convenient way to get food if you are in a hurry and on the go.
- Few items on the menu: Another feature that is special to self service restaurants is that they have a limited menu. Rather than adding everything all in, these restaurants prefer to provide food that they have expertise in. This way, they are able to provide a much faster food service than a restaurant with more items.
Examples of Quick-Service Restaurants
When it comes to quick service restaurant examples, we will have to look at names that dominate the quick casual restaurants list. Each and every one of the quick service restaurant example on the list does justice to the quick service meaning. So, according to the segment, which of the following is an example of a quick-casual restaurant? In order to find that out, let’s take a look at the limited-service restaurant example:
- KFC: It is the go-to place to get a delicious fried chicken while getting the fastest food service possible.
- Burger King: Just like the name suggests, this fast food chain reigns in the world of burger joints. And it does that by falling under the umbrella of fast service restaurants.
- McDonald’s: McDonald’s, more famously known as Mickey D’s around some parts of the US, is the main burger place to get the best cheeseburger. They also give you your favorite burger in an instant. So the answer is yes to the question, “Is McDonald’s a quick service restaurant?”
- Subway: It is the home of the sub sandwich, and you can expect immediate food service as you walk in.
- Pizza Hut and Domino’s Pizza: Both of these self service restaurants are known for their quick serve pizza. Hence, they have earned the quick service servers meaning in its truest form.
- Wendy’s: A place to get great food at fast service.
- Taco Bell: Nothing beats going to Taco Bell to get some good ol’ tacos in a matter of minutes.
- Jack in the Box: This restaurant is one of the most popular restaurants in the USA, and they are famous for providing fast food service.
- Chick-fil-A: There is no better place to get a chicken fillet burger than Chick-fil-A. And they give you a quick food service as well.
So, all of these self service restaurants fall under the bracket of a quick service restaurant system. And you can expect instant food service in any one of these restaurants as soon as you walk in through the door.
How Do QSRs Differ from Casual Restaurants?
The one question that is still not answered is what is the difference between a full service restaurant and a quick service restaurant. That is because the similarities between the two restaurants are more as compared to the differences. So, in order to find out the answer to the question above, we will need to break down the differences in format between the two step by step. That way, you can differentiate the two a bit better.
1. Speed and Quality
The first difference between QSR vs fast casual restaurants is that the latter makes fresh food when a customer places an order. At the same time, self service restaurants prepare food well ahead of time. They do that regardless of whether someone has placed an order or not. The QSR does that so that they can make sure that the food will be served on an instant basis. While it does give QSR an advantage in speed and quick service over fast food restaurants, they do, however, compromise on quality at times. The speed of service in restaurant matters to customers, but so does the food’s quality. In some cases, the quality of the food is the most important thing. But if a customer prefers fast service, then QSR is the one that they should head to.
2. Order Placement
There is one thing that helps differentiate fast casual vs quick service restaurants, and it is the order-placing process. Almost every one of the QSRs has a kiosk device placed on their premises that allows for a faster order-placing process. On the other hand, not every fast food restaurant has a kiosk device, as that sector has not fully made the shift to modern tech advancements. The kiosk machines take in orders at a much faster rate. That is because they allow the customer to place the order themselves without the need of having a staff to do it for them. This reduces the order placing time and makes it much easier for customers to place an order. More so, QSR does not have to face human errors in orders. They can provide food service for the exact items that the customer ordered.
3. Dine-In or Takeout?
When it comes to breaking down the differences between fast food vs quick service restaurants, there are very few. Both restaurant types have so many similarities. For instance, both restaurant types offer dine-in and take out services to customers. However, the customers of fast food restaurants spend more time eating their food inside the premises as opposed to QSR. That is because the QSR restaurants meaning is to provide food service in an instant. So, the people going to QSR are more likely to be in a hurry and prefer eating on the go. On the other hand, fast food restaurants have more people dining in.
And that is why they spend more money on interior design to make the atmosphere much nicer for their diner. That is the best fast casual restaurant definition we can give you. And it is the difference between fast food and restaurant that provide quick service. More so, QSR managers are against the idea of customers spending too much time inside their restaurant. That is because if the place is busy and full, then it ruins the quick service definition. So, the staff of QSR are reluctant to have customers dine in their place for extended periods of time.
4. Drive-Through
Another thing that QSR excels at and, in a way, takes the cake is a drive-through option. That is because just about every other QSR has a drive-through option that allows customers to get their food in an instant. That is because QSR has food made well ahead of time. So that as soon as the customer places an order, the food is ready, and they can serve it immediately. On the other hand, most fast food restaurants do not have drive-through options. That is because the food in fast food restaurants is made fresh after the order is placed.
The food takes much more time to be prepared. So that is why the food cannot be delivered instantly in the drive-through section. The food is served at a slower rate at fast food joints. And even the fast food restaurants that have drive-through options tend to see a long queue of cars waiting for the food to be made. However, the benefit they get from getting customers in the drive-through is that they get to keep tables free for customers inside. So it is safe to say that the fast food restaurant definition is not that fast after all.
5. Quick Service Vs Fast Casual Restaurants
So, all in all, in this battle of fast casual vs QSR, it depends on personal liking and preferences on which restaurant type reigns supreme. The limited service restaurant vs full service also helps differentiate the two. The service in restaurant between the two is quite similar. However, the difference in service between full service vs limited service restaurant cannot be more different. And if we were to give you a full service restaurant definition, then these restaurants give a more enhanced table service, with staff taking orders and recommending food items. The full-service restaurant definition is completely different from QSR restaurant meaning. The differences in both make it easy to choose between full service restaurant vs limited service restaurant. The names of full-service restaurant example will make you realize how much different they are from restaurant QSR. As for the full service restaurant example, they are as follows:
- Olive Garden
- Applebee’s
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Chili’s
- IHOP
- Texas Roadhouse
- Denny’s
- Outback Steakhouse
What You Need to Open a QSR
Starting your very own QSR business is quite an interesting proposition. That is why we will give you a quick service guide on how you can open your own self service restaurant that is fast food considered customer service. The task of opening a QSR in and of itself is not as huge as it is to know what is a QSR. There are very minor details that define what’s a quick service restaurant. And missing out on those details can change the meaning of what is a QSR restaurant. So, it is important to pay attention to even the smallest of details. Also, for your convenience, we have managed to create a short list of all the things you need. You will need to get those things in order to start your own QSR.
- First of all, you must be clear on your business model and have a plan that is written well. This way, you can help your future customers understand what does QSR mean.
- Get a kiosk device for customer convenience and order placement.
- Have your restaurant situated in a high-footfall location.
- Get premium-quality kitchen utensils and equipment such as knives, ovens, fryers, freezers, cutting boards, etc.
- A legal food-service license along with business licenses from your government.
- Pro chefs and a highly skilled team of staff.
- Design your menu in a beautiful manner.
- Fancy plates and glasses for customer serving.
Get A Kiosk For Your QSR
If you want to grow your band and take your QSR to the next level, then a kiosk is a must for that. That is because the kiosk completes the meaning of whats QSR stands for. It provides customer convenience and a more personalized experience that cannot be obtained without it. More so, it gives customers the freedom to order food of their choice with convenience and ease. This way, the customers can interact better with your QSR and have a nice experience as well. And that is what will make them return to get more food in the future. Other than that, a kiosk will also add a modern and smart touch to your QSR. It will lessen the need to hire more staff and will reduce the order placing times as well. So, it is safe to say that a kiosk makes a QSR stand out from others.
QSR Kiosk Software With Linkitsoft
The software of a kiosk is just as important as having a kiosk itself. The software is what locks down the kiosk device and makes it function for a dedicated purpose only. The QSR owners can assign dedicated apps and browsers to the kiosk machine with the software. More so, the software will prevent threats and malware from the outside. Other than that, it will also restrict customers from accessing the device settings. And therefore, they cannot also change it. So, kiosk software needs to be robust, and you can get one for your own kiosk from Linkitsoft. Linkitsoft is, after all, the leading name in the kiosk industry. And they provide the best software solutions to clients all over the world. They have a team of highly skilled and talented developers. So, if you want to get custom kiosk software made from Linkitsoft, they can do it with ease.
Final Thoughts:
We will now bring this blog to a close, and thank you for reading it right to the end. Other than that, we also hope you enjoyed reading this blog and can understand what is quick service restaurant by reading it. That is because we tried our best to define what are quick service restaurants and what does full service restaurant mean. However, if you already have a QSR or are looking to open one, then you will probably need to get a kiosk for it. So, for that, Linkitsoft can provide you with software solutions to make your kiosk device run in the best possible way. You can simply contact our team members by dropping us a message in the floating message bubble below. Our team will get in touch with you very soon. They will guide you through the whole process of getting software for your kiosk device.
