News Briefs

SoundHound AI, Inc., a provider of voice artificial intelligence, is working with Church’s Texas Chicken  to provide a voice AI-powered drive-thru ordering solution.

Church’s Texas Chicken drive-thru guests will have the option to place their order using SoundHound AI’s Dynamic Drive-Thru solution. This breakthrough AI voice platform offers instant, continuous audiovisual feedback in response to verbal commands, allowing guests the ability to communicate their order as if they were talking to a human. The system is designed to ignore off-topic speech to increase the accuracy of order placement.

“At Church’s, our guests’ experience is extremely important to us and we are always looking for innovative ways to help improve service and the overall guest engagement,” said Ahnaf Ali, Chief Information Officer of Church’s Texas Chicken. “SoundHound’s AI technology will enable us to process orders faster with greater efficiency, reduce wait times and streamline team workflows.”

SoundHound’s voice AI technology enhances drive-thru efficiency by promptly greeting customers, quickly taking orders, visually confirming requests, and listing options to speed up transactions. Dynamic Drive-Thru also increases the order throughput potential by allowing the restaurant crew to focus on fulfilling orders through the pickup window – with up to 90% of orders completed without human intervention. If customers would prefer to speak with a member of staff, they will still have that option.

“Integrating our technology into Church’s Texas Chicken restaurants marks a significant milestone in drive-thru innovation,” said James Hom, Chief Product Officer at SoundHound AI. “With Dynamic Drive-Thru, consumers can speak naturally as they would to a human and have the same customer experience they’re used to, while adding the benefit of helping busy employees seamlessly process orders and focus on providing what matters most – preparing great food and offering excellent customer service."

SoundHound’s proprietary technology is backed by millions of hours of voice data and an annual query run rate of multiple billions. To learn more about restaurant solutions from SoundHound AI, visit www.soundhound.com.

 Starbird, one of the nation's first super-premium fast food concepts, announced its second franchise development agreement, partnering with Mehta Investment Group to bring 17 new locations to Washington state. The expansion includes 15 locations in the Seattle area and two in Spokane, with plans to open the first locations in 2025. This announcement comes on the heels of Starbird's inaugural franchise development agreement with Whiplash Holdings to bring seven locations to Denver, marking the brand's first expansion outside of California.

Led by Vin Mehta and his son Rohit, Mehta Investment Group is a family-owned enterprise with a track record of success across a variety of industries. With decades of experience in business and operations, Vin will oversee the strategic direction of the partnership, while Rohit will manage daily operations and build Starbird's footprint in Washington. Together, they bring a dynamic approach to growing the brand and fostering connections with local communities.

• Starbird is a tech savyy concept.  At MURTEC  2024, Starbird's Director of Technology Tony Lawrence discussed how restaurant tech priorities, challenges, and strategies are shifting in the panel discussion Table Stakes Infrastructure.

"Starbird stood out to us because of its premium offerings and commitment to redefining fast food," said Vin Mehta, principal of Mehta Investment Group. "We're excited to introduce Starbird to Washington and share its chef-crafted menu and elevated guest experience with the communities we serve. This is more than just a business opportunity for us—it's about becoming part of a brand that's changing the way people think about fast food. We're thrilled to contribute to its growth and look forward to a long and successful partnership."

Known for its chef-driven innovation and feel-good crispy chicken, Starbird delivers NAE (no antibiotics ever), fresh, never frozen chicken, hand-breaded in a proprietary gluten-free flour blend, complemented by nine house-made dipping sauces. With an impressive Average Unit Volume (AUV) of $4.1 million, Starbird continues to redefine what fast food can be.

"Starbird's incredible growth reflects the demand for high-quality, chef-driven fast food that resonates with today's consumers," said Aaron Noveshen, founder and CEO of Starbird. "Vin and Rohit Mehta bring a powerful combination of operational expertise and a genuine passion for community engagement. We're confident they'll establish Starbird as a beloved brand in Washington and help us continue setting a new standard in fast food."

With franchise opportunities available in key U.S. markets—including California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Illinois, and Florida—Starbird is actively seeking seasoned multi-unit operators interested in Area Development commitments of five stores over three years. Qualified candidates should possess restaurant and business experience, a minimum net worth of $3 million, and liquid capital of at least $1 million. Investments range from $1,138,074 to $1,588,963 for traditional and non-traditional units. Additionally, Starbird is progressing on franchise development deals in key U.S. markets, including Salt Lake City, Phoenix, San Diego, and Chicago.

Bikky, a customer data platform built exclusively for multi-unit restaurants, announced a partnership with Haven Hot Chicken, a Nashville-style Hot Chicken concept.

Founded in 2020 by four local restauranteurs, the brand opened their ninth location this summer, celebrated their status as one of the fastest growing businesses in the state and country, and had their flagship chicken sandwich named “Best Bite in Town” by the Food Network.

With major growth plans from day one and a strong focus on unit economics, Haven knew they wanted to work with enterprise-grade tech as they scaled. Agility, useability, and responsive support were at the top of their list, and Bikky checked all the boxes.

Since working with Bikky, Haven has unlocked the ability to track and analyze the behavior of their guests across all locations, and deeply understand who their guests are. Bikky’s partnership empowers the team to make data-backed decisions and target people who their brand will resonate with.

“Before Bikky, we were in the dark about our guests but pretending we had night vision goggles. We were doing our best with what we had, but there was so much we didn’t know,” says Jason Sobocinski, President and Co-Founder. “The data that Bikky provides gives us a clearer picture of our guests, giving us answers to questions from our menu to marketing, and helping us better evaluate real estate as we open new locations.”

The team recently leveraged Bikky to evaluate a lower-selling menu item and whether it should remain on their menu. Analysis revealed that while their caesar salad wasn’t a critical sales driver, it played a strategic role in driving frequency, offering guests a healthier way to engage with the brand. With Bikky, Haven was able to examine the long-term impact of a menu item and make a confident decision about their menu mix.

“Without the insight that Bikky provides us with, we would have read the data very differently and eliminated the menu item,” added Sobocinski. “That single insight solidified Bikky’s value for the whole team.”

Haven is also taking advantage of Bikky’s robust data to develop a strong sense of their guest-base and make more precise decisions across the business. After opening a new location near an existing store, they were able to analyze how guests split between the two locations, allowing them to pinpoint where their marketing efforts and community engagement would have the most impact. “Knowing exactly where we need to build awareness is game changing,” says Sobocinski. “Before Bikky we were just raining out brand awareness. Now we’re like a heat seeking missile that can maximize ROI.”

This refined understanding of guest demographics will be instrumental in site selection for future locations, a critical part of Haven’s plans for 2025. With inflation easing and interest rates going down, existing and potential restauranteurs are cautiously optimistic. Operators may be more willing to expand or invest in new concepts, making the battle for real estate more calculated than in past years. Armed with detailed information about their guest base, core demographics, high frequency guests, and more, Haven feels more prepared than ever to meet their ambitious goals.

“We’re not data scientists, so having a partner that listens, provides solutions, and helps you as you’re having challenges, means we can use the platform to its full potential," added Sobocinski.

“It's an honor to partner with Haven Hot Chicken, one of America’s hottest fast casual brands,” says Bikky co-founder and CEO Abhinav Kapur. “They’ve got an ambitious store growth plan to more than double their store count next year and bring their hit concept to new guests in new markets. We’re proud to be the data partner that’s going to help them measure the success of these expansion efforts.”

The fastest-growing, most innovative restaurants look to Bikky for unprecedented insight into how their decisions directly impact consumer behavior and top-line sales. Haven Hot Chicken is the latest brand to adopt Bikky’s groundbreaking guest data and analytics platform alongside Dave’s Hot Chicken, Robeks, Eggs Up Grill, Bojangles, and others.

To learn more about Bikky, visit https://www.bikky.com.

7 Brew, the drive-thru beverage concept reimagining the industry with its speed of service, premium-quality drinks, and high-energy hospitality, announced the appointment of Nick Chavez as its first Chief Marketing Officer. A high-impact brand leader with a proven track record in cultivating strong consumer relationships and delivering measurable results for major consumer-facing companies, Chavez will play a key role in elevating 7 Brew’s brand presence. He will lead efforts to position 7 Brew as a cultural phenomenon, supporting the launch of new stands nationwide, increasing customer visits, and growing the company’s loyalty program to build a dedicated and passionate fan base.

“Nick is an accomplished marketer with a proven track record of guiding brands through transformative growth. His exceptional experience and results-driven approach make him an ideal addition to the 7 Brew team,” said Chris Dawson, President of 7 Brew. “As 7 Brew embarks on its next phase of expansion, Nick’s expertise in driving sales, engaging younger consumers, and executing impactful brand strategies will be invaluable to our continued success.”

Chavez brings over 25 years of experience in consumer and integrated marketing communications across the restaurant, electronics, and digital media industries, with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation. Most recently, as Chief Marketing Officer at KFC US, Chavez successfully attracted younger, more diverse audiences to the brand, drove e-commerce growth, and launched the KFC Rewards loyalty program. In nearly 12 years at Nintendo of America, Chavez played a key role in the team that propelled the Wii, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch gaming systems to global success, and launched hundreds of Nintendo-published video games. Prior to Nintendo, Chavez held various marketing roles at Yahoo! for over a decade.

“7 Brew is at an exciting point in its growth, and I’m thrilled to be joining the team,” said Chavez. “My experience in the restaurant industry has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m excited to bring that energy into the beverage space. I look forward to collaborating with the leadership team to accelerate 7 Brew’s stand growth, expand the loyalty program, and further elevate this unique brand as it continues to make a significant cultural impact.”

7 Brew is gaining momentum as it expands across the U.S., with a mission to transform the drive-thru beverage experience by cultivating kindness and joy in every drink through its service, speed, quality, energy, and atmosphere. As Chief Marketing Officer, Chavez strengthens 7 Brew’s leadership team, bringing invaluable expertise in marketing and customer engagement – critical for driving the company’s continued growth and success.

Nevaya is working with innovative tech-powered hospitality operator Bob W, helping to deliver its authentic five-star guest experience to every guest at scale. 

Nevaya is deploying its NevayaOne product across Bob W’s rapidly-expanding estate, as the company grows across the UK and mainland Europe.

Bob W raised €40m in a Series B round of funding in early 2024, helping it to scale its contactless, five-star guest experience. The company's portfolio expands to over 3,500 apartments across 29 cities in Europe today, with further rapid expansion underway in existing and new markets. 

Bob W combines the Best Of Both Worlds, offering prime locations in handpicked neighbourhoods and offering guests a five-star, full-service hospitality,  The company’s use of technology to deliver a seamless digital front desk and its relentless pursuit of exceptional guest experiences, combined with a deep understanding of the ever-evolving industry landscape, positions them as a pioneer in shaping the future of hospitality

James Richmond, co-founder & CEO, Nevaya, said: “Creating a seamless home-away-from-home experience is at the heart of Bob W’s vision and we are proud to be part of one of the most groundbreaking technology stacks in the sector.

“NevayaOne can be installed quickly across a property network, often without needing to visit the apartments, allowing it to keep pace with Bob W’s spectacular growth plans. 

“In addition, as a true SaaS product, there is minimal hardware and no need for an onsite server. NevayaOne is managed remotely by our team, meaning that experts are always available for support, but that no-one is required on property.”

NevayaOne gives properties the ability to enable guests to cast their favourite apps to TV and screens present in the room as well as offering a fully-interactive TV platform, driving brand loyalty and promoting additional services and facilities, all fully customisable to individual brands. 

The team at Bob W said: “As a tech-powered hospitality operator, it is vital to us to be able to meet and exceed our guests’ needs, in the smoothest way. 

“NevayaOne helps us to deliver this promise, ensuring the best in-room experience for all our guests, allowing them to access their own content every time they want and making them feeling at home when they stay for nights, weeks, or months with us.”