Originally published in 2020, updated in 2025
The Challenge
Soda fountain sales are a major revenue stream for quick service restaurants and beverage
companies. A nationwide QSR chain and its beverage provider partnered on a drive-thru
promotional campaign.
The Beverage Company Wanted to:
– Boost fountain drink sales through suggestive selling.
– Ensure proper fill levels for each beverage size.
– Confirm that associates consistently greeted and thanked customers during the drive-thru
experience.
Both partners needed reliable, nationwide insights to evaluate promotion execution and
measure its impact on sales.
The Objective
The partnership aimed to:
– Increase revenue by motivating cashiers to upsell fountain drinks.
– Validate whether service touch points (greeting, thanking) were consistently delivered.
– Measure beverage fill levels to inform future product sizing decisions.
– Provide on-the-spot employee recognition to reinforce positive behaviors.
Our Approach
Confero designed a nationwide mystery shopping and rewards program that combined
promotional evaluation with employee engagement.
– Mystery Shopping Visits: Shoppers went through the drive-thru, timed service, and
observed cashier upselling behaviors.
– On-the-Spot Recognition: When cashiers greeted or thanked customers, mystery shoppers
rewarded them immediately and recorded names for reporting.
– Beverage Fill Evaluation: Shoppers measured fountain drink fill levels to provide data for
beverage sizing decisions.
– Data Reporting: Results were consolidated into actionable reports for both the QSR chain
and the beverage provider.
The Results
– Sales Lift: Suggestive selling improved soda fountain sales by 36%.
– Service Quality: Cashiers consistently greeted and thanked customers when motivated by
immediate recognition.
– Operational Insights: Cup size and fill-level data informed future product sizing strategy.
– Partnership Value: Both the restaurant chain and the beverage provider gained measurable
revenue growth and insights to improve execution.
The Success
The QSR chain and beverage partner turned a promotional campaign into a revenue-
generating success. By combining upselling, recognition, and beverage analysis, Confero
delivered a program that grew sales, improved service, and strengthened the brand
partnership nationwide.
Key Takeaway
Confero helps restaurants and beverage providers nationwide design promotional mystery
shopping programs that drive revenue, improve employee performance, and provide
actionable operational data.
upselling, service, and profitability.
To read more about Confero’s offerings in restaurants – Restaurant & Hospitality Services
Know when Confero shares more impactful customer research case studies and business boosting blog posts by following Confero’s LinkedIn Profile.
Summary
Service Type
Area
Beverage Partnership Boosts Soda Sales by 36% | Confero
Provider Name
Confero, Inc., Telephone No.800-326-3880
United States
DescriptionDiscover how a nationwide QSR and beverage brand boosted soda fountain sales 36% with Confero’s mystery shopping and rewards program.
