The quick service economy – driven by digital applications, fast delivery, and on-demand customer service – has fundamentally changed our behaviours and expectations as a society.

Since its introduction back in the 1920’s in the food industry, quick service models have shaped our cultural behaviour by prioritising instant gratification, while shifting our beliefs around patience, convenience, and the value of time.

Convenience is no longer considered a luxury but has become an expectation. And quick-service brands are only growing in popularity in Australia.

In 2024 alone, Australia’s leading quick-service brands opened a net 178 new outlets nationwide, demonstrating the continued demand for fast, accessible food and services. At the same time, digital ordering has become mainstream. Industry data suggests that more than 65% of Australian QSR customers now prefer ordering through mobile apps or online platforms, compared with just 28% five years earlier.

Food delivery has become a major part of everyday life. Roy Morgan research shows that the number of Australians using meal delivery apps almost doubled in just two years, rising from 3.6 million people (16.9% of Australians aged 14+) in early 2020 to more than 7 million (33.4%) by 2022. These figures point to a broader cultural shift: Australians are increasingly choosing convenience over traditional consumption habits.

The fast food industry has also been bolstered by a “trading down” trend that has taken hold post the COVID pandemic, with fast food outlets taking business from mid-tier restaurants, which have been going bankrupt in large numbers.

As noted in an article on KFC’s growing profits, “fast food restaurants were partially protected from an economic downturn because consumers were expected to trade a $25 steak night for a cheaper option offered by a quick service restaurant like KFC or McDonald’s”.

So how is it affecting culture?

Perhaps the biggest cultural impact of quick-service industries is the way they have altered our expectations. When food can arrive in 20 minutes, groceries within hours and purchases the same day, waiting begins to feel inconvenient. Businesses across industries are now having to compete on speed rather than solely on quality or price.

Beliefs about brand reliability have shifted. Consumers expect faster responses, quicker transactions and frictionless experiences. What was once considered exceptional service is now viewed as standard – pushing Australian brands to invest in technology that can automate customer effort and waiting times.

It’s also affecting our collective attention spans, as our brains are conditioned to receive quick dopamine hits from instant digital services and short-term reward loops. This can result in people struggling to focus on longer span projects or investing time and energy into tasks that don’t deliver immediate results.

Convenience is also changing the way we eat and interact. Quick-service industries have transformed food from a social event into a functional activity, with meals now increasingly consumed alone, in transit, at desks or while multitasking. The traditional family dinner of yesteryear is now competing with busy schedules, food delivery apps and grab-and-go options.

ABS data shows online retail spending continues to grow, with online food retailing accounting for 6.5% of total food retail sales in 2025 and overall online retail spending reaching 11.6% of all retail sales.

Cost-of-living pressures have also accelerated this trend. In recent years, many Australians have shifted towards affordable fast-food options instead of dining at traditional restaurants, reinforcing the role of quick-service businesses in everyday consumption.

And while convenience provides us with more time, this time can lead to the ‘productivity trap’. The more time we save, the more we seem to fill that time with additional tasks. Convenience can create what sociologists call “time poverty” — the feeling that there is never enough time, despite technological advances designed to help us save it.

In short, we increasingly organise our lives around efficiency by optimising commutes, automating shopping, outsourcing meal preparation and expecting services to fit seamlessly into our busy schedules. But while this helps with productivity, it can take from our need for reflection and meaningful social connection. Cooking a meal isn’t just about sustaining you with food; it’s also about being in touch with where your food comes from, the social act of nourishing yourself and your family, and the time sitting down together to eat and reflect on your day.

Quick-service industries have undoubtedly improved many aspects of daily life. They offer accessibility, save time, support busy households and provide greater choice than ever before. For many Australians balancing work, family and financial pressures, these services deliver real value.

However, convenience also shapes culture.

It changes how we spend time, how we interact with others, how we eat, and what we expect from the world around us. As convenience becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, we need to consider whether the pursuit of efficiency and convenience is always worth the trade-off.

As our lives become more and more automated, our challenge in our quest for efficiency is that we don’t lose sight of the things that make life meaningful: connection, patience, and community.

Square Holes is a cultural insight studio.

We design mixed-method explorations of people and culture beyond the category, uncovering the patterns, tensions and shifts shaping behaviour to inform strategy, inspire innovation and enable confident decisions. Our studio model brings together the right mix of thinkers, researchers and specialists for each exploration.

If you’re navigating change, entering a new market, or seeking deeper understanding of people and culture – let’s start a conversation >