How does McDonald's characterise frequent visitors to its restaurants?

McDonald’s characterises its customers who frequent the chain about once a week as “heavy users”; those who frequent the chain three to five times per week are characterised as “super heavy users”. McDonald’s feeds 46 million people worldwide every day.

Applying this term to all fast-food restaurants, 60% - 70% of all visits are by heavy users. They account for about half the amount spent on fast food in the U.S.

The Wall Street Journal quoted Peter O'Hara, vice chairman of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc., Clearwater, Fla., a 450-unit hamburger chain: "The numbers, what the heavy user buys, are pretty astonishing, … Maybe because of the perceived heavy user image, the big chains are afraid to appeal to him. Ronald McDonald is not a heavy user."