The Secret Sauce to QSR Loyalty? Smart Retargeting Strategies That Deliver

In the world of quick-service restaurants (QSRs), loyalty isn’t just about repeat business—it’s about building relationships that drive lifetime value. And in 2025, the most successful QSR brands are using mobile retargeting to make that happen.

QSRs Show Resilience in a Challenging Q1

Q1 2025 wasn’t an easy ride for quick-service and fast-casual restaurants. Foot traffic took a hit early in the year, due in part to harsh winter weather and continued competition across dining categories—from full-service restaurants to grocery store prepared meals.

According to Placer.ai, QSR visits dropped by 1.6% YoY in Q1 2025, with February particularly affected by a polar vortex and a tough comparison to leap-year February 2024. But there were signs of resilience: by March, QSR visits had essentially stabilized (-0.3% YoY), with several chains bouncing back thanks to innovative marketing and loyalty-building tactics.

Raising Cane’s led the pack with a 12.3% YoY increase in visits, buoyed by its viral social presence and expanding footprint. Taco Bell also saw a 3.7% lift, fueled by its Luxe Cravings Boxes and limited-time Crunchwrap Slider campaign. Meanwhile, McDonald’s narrowed its visit gap after launching a new value menu.

Fast-casual chains held steady overall, with flat YoY visits in Q1, but major players like Chipotle (+4.6%), Panda Express (+3.8%), and Jersey Mike’s (+3.1%) saw meaningful growth thanks to timely menu innovations.

Screen-Shot-2025-04-30-at-10.43.13-AM

Source: Placer.ai

The takeaway? Despite macro challenges, QSRs that focused on value, innovation, and personalized engagement outperformed. And behind many of those wins was a not-so-secret weapon: mobile retargeting.

Why Mobile Retargeting Is the Loyalty Engine for QSR Apps

In today’s mobile-first food economy, customers aren’t loyal by default—they’re loyal by design. That means QSRs have to be proactive in staying top of mind, especially when users have multiple food apps competing for their attention.

Mobile retargeting offers a powerful way to:

  • Drive repeat orders through smart reminders and incentives
  • Re-engage lapsed users with personalized offers
  • Deepen loyalty program value through real-time communication

It’s not just about pushing promotions—it’s about building ongoing relationships with users who may otherwise churn after a single visit.

5 Smart QSR Mobile Retargeting Strategies That Deliver in 2025

Here are five retargeting strategies that leading QSR brands are using to drive app engagement, grow loyalty, and boost revenue in 2025:

1. Push Notifications Based on Behavior

Push notifications remain one of the most effective tools in the QSR marketer’s playbook—especially when they’re personalized and timely.

Examples:

  • Abandoned order reminder: “Your Crunchwrap is waiting! Finish your order now and get 10% off.”
  • Weather-triggered offer: “Snow day? Warm up with $2 off hot soup today only.”
  • Daypart personalization: “Start your day with our $3 breakfast deal—ends at 10:30 AM!”

The key is relevance. Don’t send blanket offers—use behavioral signals like past orders, favorites, and time of day to make each message count.

2. Personalized Loyalty Nudges

Loyalty programs work best when customers see tangible, immediate progress toward rewards. That’s where retargeting comes in.

Tactics to try:

  • Progress updates: “You’re just 1 order away from a free iced coffee!”
  • Reward streaks: “Congrats on 3 visits in a row—keep the streak going and earn double points tomorrow.”
  • Birthday rewards: “Celebrate with us! Enjoy a free dessert on your birthday week.”

When users feel like they’re earning value just by engaging, they’re more likely to build habits—and keep coming back.

3. In-App Messaging at High-Intent Moments

In-app messaging allows brands to reach users who are already engaged but haven’t yet taken action. For example, if a user is browsing your menu but doesn’t check out, an in-app message can push them over the edge.

Use cases:

  • Highlight limited-time offers during browsing sessions
  • Offer upsells during checkout (“Add a side for $1?”)
  • Notify users of soon-to-expire rewards

When timed right, in-app messaging can feel helpful—not disruptive.

4. SMS Retargeting for Dormant Users

SMS retargeting is a great way to reach users who haven’t opened your app in a while. With open rates north of 90%, text messages are ideal for high-impact, time-sensitive nudges.

Examples:

  • “We miss you! Come back this week for 20% off your favorite meal.”
  • “Haven’t seen you in a bit—here’s a free drink to say hi again.”
  • “Order now and skip the lunch rush. Click to open the app.”

Make sure your messaging includes a clear CTA and a link that deep-links directly to the app.

5. Cross-Screen CTV Retargeting (The Secret Weapon)

CTV (Connected TV) retargeting is the newest frontier for QSR loyalty marketing—and one of the most exciting. With more than 70% of users second-screening while watching TV, CTV offers a prime opportunity to re-engage users in a relaxed, high-attention environment.

Best practices for CTV retargeting:

  • Serve ads based on past app behavior: Feature the user’s last viewed items or favorite meals.
  • Sync promotions with mobile: Show a dynamic QR code on screen that opens the app directly to a promo or pre-filled cart.
  • Tell a story: Use 15–30 second CTV ads to reinforce your brand identity, loyalty program, or limited-time deal.

Example: A user who browsed your app but didn’t order sees a 15-second CTV ad during their Hulu stream: “Still craving tacos? Your Luxe Cravings Box is just a tap away. Scan now for 15% off.” That ad includes a QR code that brings them straight back to your app—right to checkout.

With CTV retargeting, you’re not just reminding them to order. You’re embedding your brand into their entertainment experience.

Takeaways

As Q1 2025 showed, QSR brands can thrive—even in challenging conditions—when they lean into value, innovation, and loyalty. But loyalty doesn’t happen by chance.

The smartest QSRs are using data-driven retargeting to build real, repeat relationships. Whether it’s a perfectly timed push notification, a reward-based SMS nudge, or a CTV ad that catches users at just the right moment, mobile retargeting is how brands go from top of feed to top of mind.

Ready to Boost Retention and Revenue?

At YouAppi, we specialize in QSR mobile retargeting strategies that turn downloads into dollars.

From mobile ads to CTV, we help QSR brands build high-performance campaigns that drive engagement, loyalty, and lifetime value.

👉 Let’s talk about how to grow your QSR app’s performance in 2025. Contact YouAppi today.