The Fast Food Brands South Africans Notice Are NOT Always The Ones They BUY

Early findings from the 2026 Fast Food and QSR Report, produced by Rogerwilco in partnership with YouKnow Technologies and Eighty20, show that online mentions of the sector increased by 16% between May 2025 and April 2026, with 6% more people joining the discussion.

Now in its second year, the report combines Brandwatch social listening analysis, share-of-search insights from Rogerwilco's Wolf platform and consumer behaviour data from Eighty20's Maps dataset, to provide one of the most comprehensive views yet of how South Africans discover, discuss and choose where to buy fast food.

Chicken brands still rule the roost, dominating both digital attention and consumer purchasing. Chicken Licken overtook KFC to become South Africa's most-mentioned fast-food brand online, while Hungry Lion also cracked the top five most-discussed brands. But social visibility does not always translate into search intent. Chicken Licken accounted for just 2% of organic search visibility, compared with KFC's combined 14%. A brand can win the conversation without winning the click.

Pedros, meanwhile, emerged as the category’s clearest digital challenger. The brand recorded a 68% increase in online mentions, the strongest growth of any fast-food brand analysed, showing how humour, cultural relevance and value can earn attention in a conversation historically dominated by bigger players.

Search behaviour also reveals how control of consumer discovery is shifting. Uber Eats and Mr D together account for approximately 14% of category search demand, underscoring how delivery platforms, rather than brand-owned channels alone, have become important gateways through which South Africans find their next meal.

This competition for attention and discovery is playing out against a backdrop of tighter household budgets. The number of consumers who reported making no fast-food purchase in the previous four weeks rose from 3 million in 2023 to 5.5 million in 2025, indicating that spending is becoming more deliberate. At the same time, consumers are switching brands, and even proteins, in pursuit of better value. Pedros' self-reported customer base grew from 1.1 million in 2023 to 2.5 million in 2025, while Steers and McDonald's each recorded declines of more than 20%.

To unpack these insights, Rogerwilco will host a free live webinar on Wednesday, 29 July at 10am, bringing together leading voices from strategy, data, marketing and the QSR industry.

Webinar speakers:

• Mongezi Mtati, senior brand strategist, Rogerwilco
• Shaun Pearson, product owner of Social Tech, YouKnow Technologies
• Andrew Fulton, director, Eighty20
• Jenifer Hole, chief marketing officer, Col’Cacchio
• Kagiso 'Freedom' Sebediela, founder and CEO, Freedom Hospitality Group

The panel will explore why attention, search and purchasing behaviour are increasingly diverging, what is driving the rise of value-led challenger brands and how marketers can respond in a more competitive, more selective market.

Why attend?

This session is designed for marketers, brand leaders and QSR professionals looking to:

• understand why the brands South Africans talk about are not always the brands they search for or buy
• identify how digital visibility, search intent and consumer sentiment influence brand performance
• gain practical insights to sharpen marketing strategies in an increasingly competitive, value-conscious market.

Registration for this free webinar: https://jo.my/ff-qsr.