What New Year’s Eve & Day sales can teach QSRs about consumer behavior

“The Munchies”: A QSR Advantage

“The Munchies”—a term that captures the emotional satisfaction derived from eating—is the intense craving for indulgent, typically unhealthy foods like fast food or greasy snacks after a night out. In fact, 37% of Domino’s overall sales occur after midnight.

New Year’s Eve and Day Sales Insights from the European Market

Examining the sales data from different European regions reveals distinct consumer behaviors, some regions saw record-breaking sales on New Year’s Eve, while others on the first day of the year.

Northern Europe: Celebrations and next-day hearty meals as incentives

• The Dutch QSR chains recorded thousands of orders on New Year’s Day (NYD), setting a record-breaking daily order count. Sales peaked at 5:30 PM (CET), reflecting the Dutch preference for ordering in early for dinner on the first day of the year. The Dutch respond strongly to event-driven campaigns, with national holidays like King’s Day being the day for sales records.

• Up in the Nordics, for example, New Year’s Day sales lagged behind typical December Fridays but spiked at 11:00 AM (EET). This surge was likely driven by the next-day need for a hearty meal to recover from the festivities, as many sought comfort food for both satisfaction and rejuvenation.

• Northern Europeans have their go-to QSR brands for special occasions and holidays, highlighting the importance of brand familiarity and trust.

[Figure 1. Indicative representation of New Year’s Day Sales in Northern European chains]

Southern Europe: Orders powered by cultural events

• In Southern Europe, New Year’s Day and Epiphany (January 6th) are among the top-performing days, surpassing other festive days like Black Friday and Halloween.

• In comparison, New Year’s Eve sees steady demand but does not rival New Year’s Day due to the late-night nature of celebrations and a focus on home-cooked or festive meals before midnight.

• Southern European countries, with their strong cultural emphasis on family gatherings and religious celebrations, experience unique QSR trends compared to Northern and Central Europe.

[Figure 2. Indicative representation of New Year’s Day Sales in Southern European chains]

(North)Western Europe: Late-night and big party orders

• When it comes to this part of Europe, New Year’s sales mirrored typical weekend spikes, with a surge on New Year’s Eve (NYE) driven by party-related orders. Evening orders dominated, with an interesting late-night peak between 12:00 AM (GMT) all the way to 4:00 AM (GMT).

• All-time highs on NYD in Ireland and the UK suggested increased demand for ordering a late-night snack.

• (North)Western European consumers prioritize convenience and bundles, especially on holidays.

[Figure 3. Indicative representation of New Year’s Eve Sales in (North)Western European chains]

Central Europe: Increasing trend in late-night orders

• Orders peaked between 5:00-7:00 PM (CET), with a notable 40% increase in mobile app usage compared to regular days. Another peak in orders was recorded 0:30-2:00 AM (CET). The late-night ordering window extended until 8:00 AM (CET), particularly in university cities. Resembling the order pattern in (North)Western regions.

• Multi-restaurant orders (combining different cuisines in one delivery) increased by 52%, suggesting strong interest in large, diverse orders, with consumers aged 18-34 driving 70% of total orders, indicating a massive shift away from traditional home cooking in Central Europe compared to last years.

The Cost of Not Operating During Holidays & Peak Hours

Some chains chose to close their QSR locations during the holidays. While this decision might align with cultural or operational preferences, it leads to missed opportunities to capture the heightened consumer demand.

These peak periods are when systems are most prone to outages due to the increased traffic and operational strain. A critical factor that could be contributing to remaining closed for the busiest days of the year is system outages. These downtimes can have a severe impact, resulting in lost orders, frustrated customers, and revenue dips when the stakes are highest.

Having a reliable and robust system is essential. With a stable infrastructure in place, QSR chains can confidently embrace the high-demand days. At S4D, we ensured 100% uptime for all our partners during these critical periods, enabling them to achieve record-breaking sales.

Food for thought

With such diverse consumer habits across European markets, how can QSR chains that eye multinational expansion strategize? Is it about creating tailored experiences for each market, or finding a universal appeal that resonates across borders?

At S4D we specialize in offering tailored digital solutions that drive localized success while ensuring operational efficiency across locations.