The annual January burger war between Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's — marked by special deals and heavy marketing — is elevating the value perception of consumers, but the sales impact has so far been less than juicy, according to the YouGov BrandIndex.
The three big burger chains have been tempting fast food fans with new menu rollouts and combination specials but have yet to see an uptick in sales.
Wendy's was the first to offer a food bundle to customers at the end of December, marketing its new "4 for $4" deal — a combination of a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, small French fries and a small drink.
McDonald's followed in early January with the "McPick 2," which allowed customers to choose two items from a small menu for only $2. Soon after, Burger King revealed its "5 for $4" deal — a bacon cheeseburger, small French fries, four-piece chicken nuggets, a small drink and a cookie.
Despite the deals, the chains have only seen a little bump in consumer interest.
The number of customers who would consider buying from Burger King increased by one percentage point, to 33 percent; Wendy's saw similar growth as customer consideration jumped to 40 percent from 38 percent.
The only one of the big three competitors to see a fall in consideration was McDonald's. Its customer consideration dipped to 44 percent, after reaching an 18-month peak of 48 percent in mid-December.
Maybe burger fans are sticking with their New Year's resolutions after all?