Sweet Sensation and TFC are amongst the pioneers of the Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), or fast food restaurants, in Nigeria. These Brands have undergone numerous over the years.
At the close of work on a cool Friday evening, Bayo Akinwale, an accountant, decided to treat his colleagues to a sumptuous meal at a popular restaurant in Lagos.
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On arriving there, they could not easily gain access as there was a large queue of people rushing to order their meals. Then a friend suggested Sweet Sensation or Tastee Fried Chicken (TFC).
At Sweet Sensation, they were marvelled by the additional new menus, nice ambience and the games arena. It was a departure from the old and boring meals of the past.
“We started this change six months ago in a bid to offer pocket-friendly meals, nice environment and better quality services to please our customers,” John Idems, social media manager at Sweet Sensation, told BusinessDay.
Between 1994 and 1996, when Sweet Sensation and TFC (both local brands) started, they were spots for those who wanted to impress their lovers and for family outings. They used to roll out limited menu of pastries, beef, chicken, apple pies, sausage rolls, doughnuts and ice cream. And also food menu like jollof or fried rice, salad and chicken, a far cry from the extensive menu on offer today.
But after some time, new and foreign QSRs like The Place, Dominos, Mega Chicken, etc. started springing up by introducing more varieties of delicious, nutritious food to consumers and also created a comfortable and fun environment for lovers of fun.
According to consumer experts, the pioneers have realised that in order to stay relevant to their customers and fight for market share in the QSR industry, they have to be innovative by creating more delicacies and a comfortable and fun environment.
“They are competing with their peers and staying in tune with the current trends. Consumers go for QSR for three main things, namely, the food, the comfortable environment and the innovation of its meals in terms of varieties,” said Abiola Gbemisola, consumer analyst at Chapel Hill Denham.
“One of the important things to a customer is that even if he or she gets to a QSR to get a particular food, he or she might change his mind based on what he or she sees,” Gbemisola said.
Ayorinde Akinloye, a consumer analyst at CSL Stockbrokers, said the pioneers are trying to get into consumers’ psychology and that rather than allow them to just buy food and go, they create a nice and comfortable environment so that they cannot just buy food but also sit and gist with friends and family.
“That is why stores at Shoprite will attract more people because of the kind of environment they have and that appeals to consumers’ psychology. Their competitors are now beyond just Mr Bigg’s, Chicken Republic, Mama Cass and others but the malls and cinemas because they create an environment where people can gist and enjoy themselves,” Akinloye added.
On a visit to a Sweet Sensation outlet in Lagos, one would first notice its new image, upgraded space, games arena, beautiful scenery, music playing, and more sumptuous meals like beef or chicken Shawama, beef Burgur, Coconut rice, Chinese Basmati rice 300, Yippe juices, etc.
According to a manager who spoke anonymously, the QSR industry is reforming and changing and technology plays a big part in that.
Also in TFC, the same thing is noticed, with more menus like Ajuke rice, Coconut rice, Pams rice and sauce, Pottage hash, Asun and other delicious meals but excluding the introduction of games.
The manager of TFC who spoke anonymously said they want to continue to stay relevant to their customers and that on a yearly basis they try to improve their menu by introducing new dishes or improvising on old ones.
BusinessDay ’s visit to some other pioneers QSRs like Mr Bigg’s, Mama Cass, Chicken Republic showed their menus haven’t changed much.
Muyiwa Kayode, a Lagos-based brand expert, said innovation does not mean one should change what their brand stands for but constantly making it relevant to its audience.
“Some brands need to constantly innovate because of the kind of services or products they offers and the QSR falls into that category. All they need to be in business is to periodically introduce something new in terms of recipes, products, services and even presentations,” he said.
Eronmosele Aziba, consumer analyst, Tellimer Group, said the pioneers have woken up and are competing with others by being current with what is happening.
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