Big changes coming for McDonald’s, KFC and other fast food chains in South Africa

South Africa’s fast food landscape is undergoing a quiet shift, as consumers demand reliability, value and convenience, forcing brands to rethink their strategies.

South Africans love fast food, and they are willing to spend a lot of money on their favourite crispy chicken or juicy burgers.

According to Mordor Intelligence, South Africa’s food service market size is estimated at $10.16 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach $20.11 billion by 2030.

In 2022, quick-service restaurants (QSR), also known as fast-food restaurants, held a significant 79.20% of the food service market share in terms of the number of outlets.

In 2024, this segment dominated the food service market with an approximately 48% market share. As of May 2025, there were an estimated 5,982 fast food restaurants in South Africa.

Mordor Intelligence explained that a few factors, including the increasing consumption of convenience foods and the widespread presence of international and local fast food chains in South Africa, drove this strong performance.

The rise of food delivery services like Uber Eats and Mr D has also made quick-service dining more convenient and accessible.

Data from Standard Bank customers also revealed that South Africans spend significantly on takeaways every month.

The bank found that customers spend an average of R775 monthly on takeout and food delivery, excluding groceries and supermarket meals. Since many customers tend to have cards at multiple banks, this may even be a low estimate.

Standard Bank also found that higher earnings translate to more spending on takeaways. Those earning around R60,000 spent over R1,000 monthly, peaking at R1,300 during holidays.

Customers earning under R20,000 spent about R472, and those earning R25,000 spent R615 a month. The average spend rose to R748 for those earning under R60,000. For them, this accounts for about 2.5% of disposable income.

Searches determine choices

The 2025 South African Fast Food & QSR Digital Trends Report by Rogerwilco, YOUKNOW Technologies, and MoyaApp examined what is shaping South Africa’s fast food preferences.

The report analysed the country’s most visible and talked-about QSR and fast-food brands, including KFC, McDonald’s, Chicken Licken, Nando’s, Roman’s Pizza, Debonairs, and Steers.

However, sit-down, full-service family restaurants such as Spur, Wimpy, Ocean Basket and Mugg & Bean were excluded.

According to the report, South Africa’s fast-food and QSR landscape is undergoing a quiet yet significant shift.

“In a market where value, trust and context now matter more than noise or sheer reach, marketing teams must tightly align digital presence, influencer activity and product innovation with real consumer intent,” said Mongezi Mtati, Senior Brand Strategist at Rogerwilco.

One of the most significant determinants of where South Africans choose to buy fast food is Share of Search (SoS). This measures how often consumers search for a brand relative to competitors. Between May 2024 and April 2025, McDonald’s and KFC led SoS rankings with just under 11% each.

The largest portion, more than 35%, went to “Everyone Else,” a mix of unoptimised brands, delivery apps and smaller players. This suggests that while the majors remain strong, consumers are actively exploring alternatives.

Search visibility is incredibly important. International research shows that a 10% rise in search share can lead to an 8% lift in Market Share within just 2 to 4 weeks.

Convenience and physical presence were also non-negotiables for conversion. This is evidenced by the strong correlation between “near me” searches – over 90% of top-performing branded searches – and actual foot traffic.

Taste, value, and consistency

The report also found that social media mentions for 23 major brands dropped by 32% year-on-year. McDonald’s saw the sharpest drop at 47%.

People are still eating out or ordering in, but they’re less likely to talk about it unless something stands out. Positive mentions follow smart campaigns, fast service or strong value.

Negative sentiment was linked to late deliveries, poor service or disappointment with portion size. A notable 21% of consumers indicated that order issues caused negative sentiment. In a cost-conscious market, one bad experience can shift loyalty if a competitor is more reliable.

For nearly two-thirds of consumers (73%), taste was the strongest driver when deciding where to get their takeaways. Most South Africans were not willing to compromise taste for price.

Consistency and credibility were also paramount in the decision-making process. 71% of consumers rated reliability as the top reason for repeat purchases, showing that good service is crucial to loyalty.

Beyond brand loyalty, deals and promotions were highly effective drivers when consumers made fast food purchases.

Notably, 27% of main market consumers, earning up to R10,000 per month, indicated buying fast food during such offers, resulting in purchase spikes across all provinces. The sweet spot for value combos was between R50 and R100.

Interestingly, the report found that mass-market consumers in South Africa approach fast food as a routine, often a shared family experience.

When it comes to timing, a vast majority, 80%, claimed that they buy fast food on Fridays and Saturdays, marking payday, social gatherings, and shared family meals.