Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Yum! Brands's Recipe For Success

by 
Jocelyn Bauer
 on 
February 4, 2020
Yum! Brands's Recipe For Success

Towards the end of 2019, Yum! Brands announced a few strategic hires in order to improve its cross-brand strategy and enhance the overall customer experience through new technological advancements.  So, As Yum! gears up for a fresh start in 2020, we dove into some of its top brands’ performances to see how well the company is positioned for a successful new year. 

Taco Bell Trends Up 

It’s no surprise that Taco Bell’s foot traffic has been on a steady incline over the last two years, as it’s routinely named one of America’s favorite Mexican restaurants.  Taco Bell continues to test boundaries and add non-traditional items to its menu, including the newest addition of Buffalo Chicken Nacho Fries to keep its loyal customers happy. 

When we look at the period from January 2017 through December 2019 we see significant year-over-year growth.  From 2017 to 2018, and 2018 to 2019 the brand grew nearly 6.1% and 3.4% respectively.  

If we analyze the months more closely, especially during the summer, we see significant traffic increases.  June 2018 to June 2019 saw a 15.6% growth in overall visits. July also benefited during the summer peak and saw a 9% increase year-over-year. 

Taco Bell laid out 7 'commitments’ for 2019, back in January which included offering a vegetarian-friendly menu, using more sustainable products and higher quality ingredients. Taco Bell’s continued success is likely due to its commitment to its customers and being bold enough to make changes.  Its willingness to learn and try new and inventive initiatives will propel the brand in 2020. 

Keeping up with KFC 

Despite continuous competition in the chicken sector, KFC has maintained strong year-over-year growth. KFC’s overall visits grew 3.5% from 2017 to 2018 and grew an impressive 8.5% from 2018 to 2019.  If we analyze the period from January 2017 to December 2019 we see an obvious upward traffic trend for the brand and when we compare August 2018 to August 2019, we see baseline visits increase by a significant 8.2%  

On August 27th, 2019  KFC launched “Meatless Fried Chicken” catering to the vegetarian and vegan markets, which speaks to the brands’ ability to adapt to an ever-changing marketing industry. 

The Georgia-based location sold out of the plant-based chicken sandwich within five hours and raised its baseline visits to a staggering 509% compared to 2018, where the visits were still an impressive 143.7%.  With such success, it’s likely that we’ll see a 2020 nationwide rollout for the meatless fried chicken. 

Willingness to push boundaries and try new things is all the more important as more and more brands are finding ways to stand out amongst growing competition.  

Pizza Hut Closing Stores, But Optimizing 

Last year, Pizza Hut announced plans to close hundreds of its dine-in locations by the end of 2020 to focus on its delivery business. But, it may not be all bad news.  As we took a closer look at one of the Michigan locations that recently closed, we see significant cannibalization between it and another nearby Pizza Hut location. Meaning, many of the locations were likely acting as a direct competitor - taking business away from one another.  

Eliminating the lower performing Pizza Hut, in this case, was actually a form of strategic optimization.  Closing locations has resulted in a dip in foot traffic in the second half of 2019, but it could also be laying a better foundation for ongoing growth and success.  Although a majority of the top pizza chains are closing brick and mortar locations to shift focus to delivery services, it isn’t necessarily a negative.  Just as e-commerce impacted in-store visits, the improvement of delivery capabilities will prove to be a very valuable channel for these brands moving forward. 

Despite its closures, Pizza Hut is still committed to creating and developing a more focused strategy for the physical world, while also catering to the online, digital age.  

Acquiring a Habit 

Yum! Brands just upped its burger game with the announcement to acquire Habit Restaurants Inc, a burger chain with a cult-like following. Habit Burger Grill will be in good company, as Yum! Brands already has an impressive portfolio of QSR spots, including Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut.  The addition of Habit Burger Grill strengthens its overall portfolio and opens an opportunity into a new market, as it’s the first fast-casual restaurant under the Yum! umbrella. 

With new leadership comes new, inventive strategies. So, how will Yum! Brands’s portfolio perform in 2020?  Check back with the Placer.ai blog to find out! 

Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter

Great! Prepare your inbox for data-driven insights...
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Checking in With Nike and Lululemon
Black Friday 2023 Retail Recap
Starbucks’ 2023 Holiday Menu & Red Cup Day Performance
Turkey Wednesday 2023
Who Attended the 2023 Pickleball Championship? 
Three Surprising Holiday Shopping Trends
What’s in Store for Ulta Beauty This Holiday Season?
Best Buy and Department Stores: A Holiday Deep Dive
Discount & Dollar Stores: Strength Toward The End of the Year
The State of Off-Price Retail: Discounts Seal The Deal
Placer Mall Index Recap: October 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: October 2023 Recap
Retail Corridors Ahead of the 2023 Holiday Season
California, Here Gap Comes
Checking in With Home Improvement
Getting Into the Glasses Game: Warby Parker Takes Over
Fitness Positioned for a Strong 2023 Finish
White Paper Recap: October 2023
Coffee Giants Brewing Up Business
Popeyes and Burger King Lead the Way
Diving into Yum!
Looking Ahead to Black Friday 2023
Blockbusters Drive Movie Theater Comeback
Crocs and Boot Barn: Shoe-Ins for Success
McDonald’s and Chipotle's Winning Recipe
The State Of Steak: Checking in With Texas Roadhouse
Pleasant Pastimes: Pickleball Potential Proves Potent
Who’s Driving Downtown Manhattan’s Weekend Revival?
Diving into Downtown Manhattan Foot Traffic Trends
Rite Aid: Rightsizing Right
Major League Soccer: Its Die-Hard and Casual Fans
The Anchor Recap: September 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: September 2023 Recap
Placer Mall Index Recap: September 2023
September White Paper Recap
The Consumer Habits of College Students
JCPenney: Rightsizing and Revitalizing
Pent-Up Demand Ahead of October Sales Events
4 Strategies Retailers are Using to Drive Traffic to Their Venues
5 Key Regional Grocery Players Impressing in 2023
Upscale Kitchenware Trending Up
Costco Finds More Room for Growth
Four C-Store Chains Making an A-Grade
National Parks + Outdoor Summer Activities
Diving Into Darden: Summer 2023 Update
The Summer Event Effect
Messi: Massive in Miami
Looking Back on Back to School 2023
The Anchor Recap: August 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: August 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: August 2023 Recap
Placer.ai White Paper Recap: August 2023
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Strikes Again
Big Scoop: We All Scream For Ice Cream
Sports Away: Lululemon & Nike’s Momentum Continues
Summer Visits Heat Up For Recreation and Outdoor Gear Chains
No CSS overwrite - July 2023 Office Index Recap
Staging - August 2023 Mall Indec
Mid-Atlantic Grocery Deep Dive
Experiential Chains Heating Up This Summer
Petco Goes Big by Going Small
Ulta Beauty: Leading the Discretionary Pack
Discount and Dollar Chains Continue to Thrive
Summer of Sports: DICK’s Sporting Goods and Hibbett Sports
Off-Price: Succeeding Into Summer
The Anchor Recap: July 2023
Superstores Maintaining Pandemic Gains Amidst Economic Headwinds
2023: Home Improvement at the Halfway Point
July 2023 Office Index Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: July 2023 Recap
The Taylor Swift Visit Lift
Southwestern Grocery Dive
July 2023 White Paper Recap: Halfway Point Review & Quarterly Index
Yum! Brands: Driving Dining Visits
Slurpees and Summer Movies Stimulate Consumer Foot Traffic
Cool Beans: Summer Coffee Update
Checking In on Back to School 2023
Crocs and New Balance Tip The Scales
Burger Bliss: Shake Shack and In-N-Out Stacking Visits
Chipotle & McDonald's Continue to Reign Supreme
Vibenomics and Placer.ai Partner to Enhance Retail Media In-Store Measurement
California Grocers Here We Come!
Marriott’s Different Audiences
Bonchon and Kura Sushi Thrive in the Fast-Casual Scene
A Shoe In: Footwear Climbs to the Top
Cheers! Raising a Glass to Beverage Retail
Placer.ai Office Index: June 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index June 2023 Recap – A Turn of the Tide and a Dive into Open-Air Lifestyle Centers
Local Kitchens: Redefining the Restaurant
Unlocking Urban Insights: The Value in Manhattan’s Employees
Ohio State Parks On The Rise
How is Inflation Impacting the High-Income Shoppers?
Five Fast-Growing Dining Chains
What To Expect From Prime Day and July Sales Events in 2023
The State Of Fashion: How Are Apparel Retailers Faring in 2023?
2023’s Latest Dining Success Story: GEN Korean BBQ House
The NBA Finals: A Location Intelligence Perspective
Moving the Market: The Impact of Domestic Migration on Housing Costs
Post-Pandemic Museum Update
The Darden-est Things