Baskin Robbins leads the fast food industry rankings for the first time in 2019, gaining six spots after ranking No. 7 in 2018, according to the 2019 Brand Intimacy Report.

The remaining positions - rank #2 through rank #9 in the industry are taken by Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Subway, McDonald's, KFC, Tim Horton's, Pizza Hut, Burger King and Shake Shack.

The fast food industry ranks #13 out of 15 industries studied in the report, its first move upwards after ranking #14 in both 2018 and 2017.

Brands in the industry show a wide variation in performance among different demographics. Millennials display stronger relationships with Costa Coffee, while users between the ages of 35-64 report more intimacy with KFC. Looking at gender and income, Starbucks ranks #1 with female users, while Baskin Robbins takes the top spot with both male and high-income users.

Brand Intimacy is defined as the emotional science that measures the bonds, we form with the brands we use and love. Top Intimate Brands outperform top brands in the S&P and Fortune 500 indices for revenue and profit. Consumers are also more willing to pay price premiums for Intimate Brands and less willing to live without them, according to the 2019 Brand Intimacy Report.

MBLM leverages the yearly study to help client brands create, sustain and measure ultimate brand relationships.

William Shintani, managing partner of MBLM, said: “Fast food brands have improved their relationships with consumers, despite the growing trends towards healthier food options in the UAE. Consumers report that their emotional bonds with brands are deeply rooted in moments of pampering and gratification.”

“There continues to be an opportunity for brands in this industry to better leverage emotions when building consumer relationships: to revisit not only their portfolio of offerings, but to also look towards brand-led initiatives strategically targeted to create stronger bonds,” he added.

Other notable findings for the fast food industry include:
• Starbucks ranks highest in the fast food industry for sharing, the first stage of intimacy, when the person and the brand engage and there is attraction through reciprocity and assurance;
• 11.2 per cent of users in the study report that they can’t live without Baskin Robbins;
• 52.1 per cent of users have an immediate emotional connection with McDonald’s, 33 per cent higher than the industry average;
• 18.3 per cent of users report that they are willing to pay 20 per cent more for Burger King’s products;
• Starbucks ranks highest in the industry for daily frequency;
• Pizza Hut drops to rank 8, down five places from being rank 3 in 2018. – TradeArabia News Service