Fast-food restaurants offer January deals to lure cash-strapped customers who may be cutting back on spending following 2011 holiday season

Nevin Barich

LOS ANGELES , January 9, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) – In a bid to lure cash-strapped customers who may be trying to cut back on post-holiday spending, fast-food restaurants are offering January discounts and deals, USA Today reported on Jan. 6.

Sales at fast-food restaurants are typically slow in January.

Market research company NPD Group Inc. reported that during the third quarter of 2011, foot traffic, a key indicator for the fast-food industry, fell 0.6%.They estimate that during the first half of 2012, visits to fast-food restaurants will be flat.

Fast food restaurants’ attempts to attract customers include coupons (Burger King Corp. mailed out coupon books containing US$40 worth of savings), discount offers (Kentucky Fried Chicken Corp. will be offering its 10-piece bucket of chicken, normally priced at $14.99, for $11 dollars as a “Weekend Bucket” deal) and “no-price-increase” pledges such as the one offered by Steak 'n Shake Inc., whose CEO has announced that the chain has no intention of raising prices in 2012.

The primary source of this article is USA Today, McLean, Virginia, on Jan. 6, 2011.

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