Black Friday isn’t just for retail: How QSR brands are creating FOMO moments

Black Friday used to belong exclusively to big-box retailers and e-commerce giants. But over the last few years, quick-service restaurant (QSR) brands have increasingly turned the holiday into an opportunity to create urgency and capture attention at a moment when consumers are already primed for deals and novelty.

And rather than relying on heavy discounting, leading QSRs are using FOMO marketing (Think: time-bound offers, limited drops and app-first experiences) that make consumers feel like they’ll miss out if they don’t “act now!”

In this article, I’ll cover how QSR brands are leaning into FOMO marketing, why this approach is ideal for this time of year and how insights can help QSRs turn these fast-moving ideas into winning moments.

To some, it may sound surprising to her that QSRs are leaning into the Black Friday frenzy. But Black Friday comes with built-in consumer behaviors that perfectly align with QSR growth goals:

• Heightened attention: Consumers are already scrolling and deal-hunting — which means they’re more receptive to mobile notifications and in-feed promos.

• A culture of “drops”: Shoppers now expect exclusives and limited quantities, and QSR menus are increasingly mirroring this mindset.

• Loyalty apps make targeting easy: With millions of users, QSRs can deliver timed and segmented offers directly to the consumer’s device.

• Convenience spikes: As shoppers spend more time in lines, stores or online carts, the desire for quick meals or delivery surges.

This creates the perfect conditions for “act now” creative — and the perfect testing ground for QSR brands looking to test messaging and offers. Let’s get into what some of these entail. 

From global chains to regional players, QSRs are adopting a growing set of FOMO-driven Black Friday tactics. Here’s a closer look into five of the most common tactics being used:

1. Timed deals and flash offers Short windows like “Buy One, Get One between 2–5 PM” can dramatically increase app engagement and store traffic.

2. Limited-run menu drops A new sandwich or a holiday-themed flavor available for 24–72 hours gives fans something to chase. 

3. App-exclusive promos By making Black Friday deals loyalty-only, brands create an immediate incentive for app downloads.

4. Delivery-only bundles As consumers stay home sifting through digital carts, QSRs can also release “Black Friday bundles” only available via third-party delivery or the brand’s app.

5. Collabs and cultural tie-ins Partnerships with creators or influencers help QSRs cut through an unusually noisy advertising period.

These strategies work because they tap into an existing mindset: With Black Friday upon them, consumers are primed to act quickly, and QSR brands can turn that urgency into demand.

While not all QSRs publicly label these initiatives as “Black Friday,” many have adopted the same urgency-based, drop-driven strategies around late November and the broader holiday shopping period. 

Here’s a few strong examples:

McDonald’s: App-first drops & limited-time collabs

McDonald’s has become one of the most consistent players in leveraging exclusivity and limited-time cultural tie-ins. From short-window celebrity meals to holiday-themed app-only deals, they’ve built consumer expectations around urgency and access. These play directly into Black Friday mindsets with rewards for loyalty and timed offers that generate social buzz.

Wendy’s: Flash deals and mobile push moments

Wendy’s regularly deploys short-lived digital offers and in-app “free with purchase” promotions during peak shopping weeks. These tactics drive both mobile order volume and loyalty program reactivation at a time when consumers are already ready for quick decision-making.

Taco Bell: Limited-run menu items & drops

Taco Bell consistently leans into the “drops” playbook, rolling out limited-run menu items with strong social momentum. Around the holidays, these short-lived offerings paired with app-first access mimic the urgency of Black Friday release cycles (and sometimes even include merch!) targeting fans who don’t want to miss out.

Pizza Hut & Domino’s: Delivery-only bundles for at-home shoppers

Both delivery giants frequently introduce value-focused meal bundles tied to major shopping periods. These aren’t always labeled “Black Friday,” but the mechanics are the same: Delivery-only, short-window deals that align perfectly with stay-at-home shopping spikes.

Starbucks: Seasonal drops, early access and loyalty exclusives

Starbucks uses holiday-season scarcity exceptionally well: Seasonal drink drops, early access for rewards members and limited-edition merchandise (like the wildly popular Bearista cup) that sells out within hours. These experiences match the urgency and exclusivity consumers expect from Black Friday events.

While speed and creativity are essential, QSR brands still need evidence to make confident decisions during this compressed holiday period. This is where connected consumer insights become a competitive differentiator.

Connected insights can help QSR teams answer questions like:

• Which offer structure (BOGO, percentage off, bundle, exclusive drop) creates true urgency?

• Which claims, visuals or formats cut through the most cluttered ad environment of the year?

• What resonates with loyalty members vs. non-members?

• How does consumer sentiment or purchase intent shift over the course of Black Friday?

• Which menu ideas are worth turning into limited-time releases?

Use cases for fast insights in the Black Friday window

Here’s just some instances where a connected consumer insights platform like Zappi can help QSRs get the insights they need for this period, at speed: 

• Pre-launch creative testing to validate messaging and visuals before too much time has passed or money has been spent.

• Offer testing to identify high-demand but margin-safe promotions.

• Ideation screening to quickly narrow down limited-time menu concepts or promos.

When QSRs can test creative within hours and see real-time consumer responses, they can also take Black Friday from a “one and done” moment into a rapid learning opportunity, so they know what resonates best with their audience when the next holiday moment rolls around.

As QSR brands increasingly participate in Black Friday, those who win will be the ones who combine on-brand creative, culturally relevant offers, loyalty-first experiences and fast, connected consumer insights.

Black Friday may be rooted in retail, but it’s quickly becoming a playground for QSRs that move fast and learn even faster.