Turning a Fan Favorite into Foot Traffic: Relish Powers PDQ’s Local Growth

Introduction

When PDQ Chicken brought back their beloved Zucchini Fries, they saw an opportunity to do more than announce a returning favorite. They wanted to reignite local excitement, drive real-world foot traffic, and re-engage loyal fans across key markets in Orlando and Tampa.

The challenge was clear. Traditional advertising could create awareness, but would not deliver the authentic momentum needed to spark action. PDQ needed a smarter strategy that could turn online engagement into real-world visits.

The Opportunity

Zucchini Fries already had a loyal following. The opportunity was not about building interest from scratch. It was about reigniting fan enthusiasm in a way that felt fresh, personal, and actionable.

Rather than relying on broad paid media, PDQ partnered with Relish to activate local creators — trusted voices whose audiences value authentic recommendations and act on them.

Relish’s mission was simple: create buzz that moved beyond social media and turned into measurable foot traffic and brand loyalty.

The Strategy

Relish crafted and executed a hyper-local creator marketing campaign focused on delivering immediate, market-level impact.

Key pillars of the campaign:

• Precision creator matching: Identifying food-loving local creators in Orlando and Tampa whose audiences aligned naturally with PDQ’s brand.
• Strategic content timing: Rolling out creator content ahead of and during weekends to align with peak in-store traffic opportunities.
• Action-driven storytelling: Creators positioned the return of Zucchini Fries as a must-visit moment, blending authentic experiences with strong calls to action.
• Full campaign management: Relish handled end-to-end execution and provided real-time performance tracking to measure success.

This approach was not about blanket awareness. It was about focused influence, local authenticity, and action.

The Results

Relish’s campaign delivered strong, measurable growth:

• 31 pieces of original creator content distributed across local social channels
• 76,000+ local views from highly targeted, high-intent audiences
• 4,000+ engagements including comments, saves, and shares
• 5.3% engagement rate, significantly above food and beverage industry norms
• Noticeable increase in foot traffic at PDQ locations during the activation period

This was more than a product announcement. It was a full activation that drove in-store momentum and revitalized fan engagement in critical local markets.

Why It Matters

Real growth comes from real connections. When a brand meets its audience where they already are, with voices they already trust.

Relish helps brands like PDQ create marketing that moves people.

By combining human-driven influence with strategic precision, Relish transforms brand moments into demand, loyalty, and measurable results.

This case shows that with the right creators, the right strategy, and the right execution, a returning menu item can drive more than nostalgia. It can drive serious growth.

Ready to turn your next product launch into real-world momentum?

Let’s talk. https://tryrelish.com/contact-us