Cannabis consumers and QSR: A modern love affair

Although the quick-service restaurant space is far more saturated now than it was a decade ago, the category has still been fairly slow in terms of growth over the past few years. Back in the early 2000s, new QSR and fast-casual formats like Sweetgreen and Dig Inn got all sorts of attention simply by opening their doors because the category was still new and fresh. But now that the novelty has faded, that fast, steep growth has faded with it—which is where cannabis consumers may come in to save the day. 

As a previously inaccessible audience, cannabis consumers are already appealing simply because they have entered the mainstream. But according to a recent survey from consumer research group MRI-Simmons, cannabis consumers are also incredibly loyal QSR consumers, making them even more attractive to marketers at big restaurant brands. That loyalty is ultimately rooted in their busy lifestyles: They are so on the move that they are 67% more likely to have adopted home delivery services like Grubhub, DoorDash, UberEats, and Postmates than non-cannabis consumers. After all, who has time to cook when you’re busy killing it at work and in the rest of your life? 

Along those lines, cannabis consumers are also 17% more likely to eat their meals on the go. And that convenience-first mentality applies to all parts of the day: They are 43% more likely to pick something up for breakfast, 40% more likely to do so for lunch, 43% more likely to stop for dinner, and 55% more likely to pick up snacks at all hours. Not surprisingly, they are also 68% more likely to use the drive-thru than non-cannabis consumers.