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Morning Consult tacking data shows that QSR brands had been on the right trajectory in terms of convincing consumers of their value, but that dynamic has come under strain in recent months.
Tracking QSR Value and Favorability
Trend lines represent the average net favorability and value ratings for the 15 largest QSR brands by total sales. Consumers were surveyed on the individual brands and then that data was aggregated.
WHAT THE DATA SHOWS
Inflation took a toll on the perceived value of QSR brands: Net value (the share of consumers who say a brand has good value minus the share who say poor value) fell from 46.6 in January 2022 to a series low of 41.3 in June 2024.
Efforts to right the ship were successful in 2025, but that’s starting to fade: As the industry leaned into value menus and bundled meal deals, the average net value for the top 15 QSR brands climbed all the way back to 47.1 by August 2025, essentially pre-inflation territory. It has since drifted back to about 45, and the preliminary August 2026 reading of 43.1 marks the largest single-month drop in eight years of tracking.
Value concerns never dented broader affinity toward QSRs: Average favorability for the QSR brands never fell more than 3 points from its pre-2022 norm, and sits roughly 2 points above where it stood before the pandemic.
OUR READ
The 2025 rebound shows value perceptions can be repaired quickly when the industry competes on price, but the 2026 drift suggests economic conditions make this a fragile line to hold. The positive news is that resilient favorability indicates these brands aren’t being punished reputationally, and consumers attribute rising prices to the broader inflationary environment. As the below section on consumer spending details, low-income shoppers are tightening budgets even as the overall spending picture appears healthy.
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