The IMMI Ad Reach Index for Quick Service Restaurants compares the number of unique IMMI Panel Members reached by several leading cross platform advertisers to the average reach for the category.

Recent news reports seem to reflect the Reach rankings.
Reach results for January 08 put Wendy’s at the bottom of the six Quick Service Restaurants tracked.  With a reach index of 43 the burger chain is 57% below the average reach for the QSR category.   This is the second month Wendy’s IMMI QSR Reach Index has trailed their competitors as they revamp their marketing after the controversial “red wig” campaign.

From Bloomberg (2/4/08):
  “Sales at company-owned locations decreased for the first time in seven quarters after…a new marketing campaign failed to lure customers. Wendy's…posted unchanged U.S. sales in December…”

At the other end of the chart,  and the other end of the news,  is Burger King, essentially tied for first with an IMMI QSR Reach Index of 111 or 11% above the average for the category. From the same Bloomberg article “In contrast, Burger King Holdings Inc., the second-largest U.S. hamburger chain, said last week that second-quarter profit rose 29 percent…”

Yum Brands’ Kentucky Fried Chicken radio and television advertising achieved close to average reach for the brands tracked in the category.  Their news?

Yum CEO David Novak told analysts after their most recent quarterly results (2/5/08):
“KFC results for 2007 fell short of expectations and underscored the need for dramatic change."