- The number of South Africans reporting no fast-food purchases in the previous four weeks increased from three million in 2023 to 5.5 million in 2025, signalling more selective spending.
- Nearly 22 million South Africans identify chicken as their primary QSR choice, reinforcing its dominance across conversation, search and consumption.
- Chicken Licken overtook KFC as South Africa’s most-mentioned fast-food brand online, but accounted for just 2% of organic search visibility, compared with KFC’s combined 14%.
- Pedros recorded a 68% jump in online mentions and more than doubled its self-reported customer base, from 1.1 million in 2023 to 2.5 million in 2025.
- Delivery platforms Uber Eats and Mr D together account for approximately 14% of category search visibility, underscoring the growing role of third-party discovery.
South African fast-food brands are competing for attention across social media, search and delivery platforms, but the brands generating the most online conversation are not always the ones winning at the till.
That is one of the key findings of the 2026 Fast Food and QSR Report, released by digital agency Rogerwilco in partnership with YOUKNOW Technologies and Eighty20.
The report found that Chicken Licken overtook KFC as South Africa’s most-mentioned fast-food brand online between May 2025 and April 2026. However, KFC retained a commanding lead in search visibility and consumer purchases, highlighting a widening gap between awareness and buying behaviour.
According to the report, online mentions of South Africa’s fast-food and quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector increased by 16% over the past year, while the number of people participating in online conversations grew by 6%.
Social discussion
Despite Chicken Licken’s dominance in social discussion, KFC accounted for a combined 14% of organic search visibility across its ordering and location platforms, compared with just 2% for Chicken Licken. McDonald’s followed with 12%.
The difference was reflected in purchasing behaviour. Around 21% of South Africans reported buying from KFC in the previous four weeks, compared with approximately 10% for Chicken Licken.
“Consumers may talk about one brand on social media and online, search for a different one and then buy another brand completely,” said Mongezi Mtati, senior brand strategist at Rogerwilco. “As affordability pressures persist and choice expands, South Africans are assessing flavour alongside portion size and value rather than price or brand loyalty alone.”
Chicken continues to dominate the country’s fast-food market, with nearly 22 million South Africans identifying it as their preferred QSR option. The report attributes this to a combination of affordability, convenience and familiarity.
Fastest-growing brands
Meanwhile, Pedros emerged as one of the category’s fastest-growing brands. Online mentions increased by 68% year on year, while its self-reported customer base more than doubled from 1.1 million in 2023 to 2.5 million in 2025.
Shaun Pearson, product owner of Social Tech at YOUKNOW Technologies, said the findings illustrate that online attention does not always translate into sales.
“Chicken Licken absolutely dominates the online timeline, but a significant portion of that conversation is people discussing the product itself, such as salt content. Attention isn’t always applause; sometimes it’s active scrutiny.”
The report also points to changing search behaviour, with consumers increasingly looking for meal deals, family offers and specific menu items rather than searching for brands alone. Value, it says, has become a key decision-making factor rather than simply a pricing strategy.
Discovery is also becoming more fragmented. Delivery platforms Uber Eats and Mr D now account for around 14% of category search visibility, while social media, review platforms and AI-generated recommendations are playing an increasingly influential role in helping consumers decide where to eat.
Pressure on household finances
These shifts are occurring against a backdrop of continued pressure on household finances. Beef mince prices increased by 23.8% year on year to April 2026, driven largely by foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks, while the number of South Africans reporting no fast-food purchases in the previous four weeks rose from three million in 2023 to 5.5 million in 2025.
Andrew Fulton, director at Eighty20, said consumers are becoming more selective rather than abandoning the category altogether.
“What the data is showing is that frequency is down. What isn’t down is ticket price, and while that might be inflation-driven, particularly with beef, it does show people are being more considered about how often they visit a fast-food outlet.”
The report recommends that QSR marketers integrate search, social and consumer data to better distinguish between attention and purchase intent, improve visibility across all discovery platforms, and tailor their strategies around consumer occasions, household budgets and regional differences.
According to Mtati, brands that consistently build trust and remain relevant across multiple discovery channels will be best positioned to convert attention into long-term growth.
