News Briefs

Tucker’s Farm Corp. has acquired Pizza Factory Inc., a restaurant franchisor. The acquisition was completed via the Farm’s franchisor platform Wonder Franchises. Founded in 1979 by Danny Wheeler and Ron Willey, Pizza Factory has approximately $94 million in system sales across 84 franchisees and 110 restaurants. Since 2012, the business has been led by owner and CEO, Mary Jane Riva, who will stay on as CEO moving forward.

In 2023, Tucker’s Farm launched Wonder, a franchise-focused holding vehicle, with $30 million of committed, long-term equity capital. Wonder is dedicated to partnering with and acquiring emerging to mid-size brands with the goal of long-term growth. Wonder’s priority is to be a great partner to sellers and a responsible steward for world-class brands and related assets.

“We’re extremely excited to be acquiring Pizza Factory and to be partnering with MJ to take Pizza Factory to the next level. We love the longevity and stability of the system, the passion that MJ and her team have for their franchisees, and the community-focused culture of the brand. We feel fortunate to be partnering with someone with as much character and knowledge as MJ and believe there’s a great fit both culturally and in terms of our respective skillsets. We’re excited to have the deal closed so we can now focus on driving value for our franchisees,” said Adam Lewin, a partner on the private equity team at Tucker’s Farm and CEO of Wonder Franchises.

This is the third franchise transaction for Tucker’s Farm in recent months, after portfolio company VIO Med Spa, the nation’s med spa franchisor, was successfully sold to Freeman Spogli in September 2024, and Wonder acquired The Decor Group, the leading holiday decorating franchisor with 245 franchised territories and $75 million in system sales, in November 2024.

Riva received HT's Top Women in Restaurant Technology - Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.  

“I’ve been part of this system for more than 30 years and this company means the world to me. I chose Wonder because I really felt they were the partner that could help improve and grow the system but would do so in a way that took good care of the brand and the franchisees. The Wonder team is smart, young, and energetic – all things that I love – but the thing that really stood out compared to other groups was the way they asked so many questions. They didn’t come in with a ‘we know best’ mindset, they truly wanted to learn about Pizza Factory, understand what’s gotten us this far, and build on what we’re doing. The better I’ve gotten to know their team, the more confident I am that Wonder is the right partner and that the next chapter for Pizza Factory will be a great one.” 

A community staple in 100-plus communities, Pizza Factory has stayed true to its roots with hardworking operators, family-friendly dining and high-quality products, offering fresh, hand-tossed pizza, pasta, wings, sandwiches, salads, beer, wine and more. With multiple restaurant designs, an Express model, and robust off-premise dining options including delivery and mobile ordering through a custom app, Pizza Factory is built to excel in the restaurant industry moving forward.

Grubhub, a leading U.S. food ordering and delivery marketplace, and Olo, a leading restaurant technology provider, have expanded their partnership to integrate Grubhub with Olo Dispatch. With Dispatch, restaurants can outsource delivery for orders generated through their own website and apps leveraging a network of third-party delivery service providers, now including Grubhub. This integration builds on Grubhub and Olo's existing relationship where Grubhub orders are directly sent to restaurants' point-of-sale system via Olo Rails.

Olo Dispatch seamlessly selects service providers, including in-house couriers, based on optimal price, timing, availability, and other criteria. Olo's automated matching technology enables restaurants to get orders out the door and into the hands of customers faster and in the most cost-efficient way. With Dispatch, brands can quickly deploy delivery at a national scale with integration into their POS and kitchen production systems. This allows brands to strengthen direct relationships with their customers while offering a convenient and branded delivery experience through their own channels.

"As demand for digital ordering and delivery grows across third-party and owned channels, we're proud to expand how we support our merchant partners and create more earning opportunities for Grubhub's delivery partners," said Kyle Emmett, senior director of retail media and merchant solutions at Grubhub. "With our nationwide delivery network, we help merchants manage their delivery operations, reduce costs, and better meet customer demands."

"At Olo, we always strive to do what's best for our customers, and adding a great partner like Grubhub to our Dispatch network is a perfect example," said Kacie Gonzalez, vice president of product partnerships at Olo. "Giving restaurant brands more delivery service provider options gives them more flexibility, reliability, and competitive pricing, while allowing them to grow their direct ordering channels and own their guest relationships."

This integration with Olo Dispatch joins Grubhub's On-Demand Delivery and Supplemental Delivery services that help restaurants easily scale up their delivery operations when it's needed most.  

Stash Hotel Rewards, the loyalty program designed for independent hotels, has doubled its partner network in just two years, growing from 160 to over 320 properties. This rapid expansion reflects Stash’s ability to help independent hotels compete with large chains and reduce reliance on online travel agencies (OTAs), which cut into revenue.

As hotel chains strengthen and OTAs continue to dominate the booking landscape, independent hotels face increasing pressure to stay competitive. Stash provides a solution by offering a robust loyalty program designed to drive direct bookings and foster guest loyalty. “Stash provides independents with a chain-like loyalty program, just without the chain,” said Jeff Low, CEO of Stash Hotel Rewards.

Independent hotels, like Boston’s The Lenox, have seen remarkable success with Stash. “Stash gives guests a reason to book directly with us instead of through OTAs,” said Dan Donahue, President of Saunders Hotel Group, the owner of The Lenox. “Stash guests are our guests.”

Stash points are earned and redeemed across all partner hotels, which span the U.S., Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean. The program is flexible, with no blackout dates and points that never expire. Stash’s partner hotels maintain high standards, with over 90% receiving a 4.5 or 5.0 rating on TripAdvisor – a higher average rating than any set of hotels participating in a major loyalty program.  The network includes a diverse range of properties, from boutique hotels to luxury resorts, offering unique experiences.

Stash is also the only hotel loyalty program that’s been proven to work. A study from Cornell University revealed that Stash members stay 50% more often and spend $780 more annually at partner hotels compared to non-members. Another analysis showed that 82% of guests who initially booked through OTAs transitioned to direct bookings after joining Stash. By leveraging Stash’s loyalty program, independent hotels can reduce their dependence on OTAs, retaining more control over their pricing and guest relationships.

Additionally, Stash allows partner hotels to manage redemptions based on demand. Unlike chain loyalty programs, where hotels are typically reimbursed just a fraction of a room’s retail value, Stash partners are compensated in full during redemptions, regardless of occupancy rates. Hoteliers also appreciate Stash’s flexible agreement and the program’s low cost, typically less than 1% the ongoing fees charged by chains such as Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt.

With over 1.2 million members, Stash’s growing base of loyal travelers enjoys exclusive access to special deals, personalized experiences, and member-only rates. The platform provides insights to hotels, enabling them to cater to guest preferences and enhance the overall experience.

Fetch has partnered with ACT to facilitate the seamless implementation of its innovative guest experience web application, tailored specifically for hospitality operators. This collaboration aims to equip them with effective implementation services and dedicated sales assistance. The partnership's first commercial offering will debut with Accor Hotels, where FETCH’s cutting-edge Order and Pay Solutions will be integrated. This technology allows Accor guests to effortlessly earn and redeem their All-Accor Live Limitless (ALL) loyalty points on food and beverage purchases, fostering greater engagement and satisfaction.

This alliance represents a commitment to not only enhance operational efficiencies but also innovate the way guests interact with hotel amenities, ensuring a premium experience during their stay.

"ACT has a long-standing track record of customer success, market reach, and a sharp focus on the Hospitality Industry, which will be a winning combination with FETCH," said Jason Jefferys, CEO of FETCH.

FETCH's unified guest experience technology is revolutionizing the hospitality sector by streamlining processes for ordering, payment, tipping, and feedback collection. With FETCH, guests enjoy a seamless, personalized experience, while venues gain valuable insights to enhance operations.

"We are excited to work with FETCH and grow our portfolio of great solutions for improved guest service with our joint customers," added Mohamed Tawfik, ACT Hospitality CEO. ACT International was founded as ACT's global subsidiary arm to venture into international markets. It was originally created to provide Oracle Hospitality (previously Micros-Fidelio) implementation and support services, but eventually expanded to serve as a one-stop shop for hospitality solutions and services.

Today, Hapi, a hospitality data and connectivity solutions provider, announced its partnership with Revinate, a direct booking platform transforming the hospitality industry by putting hoteliers in control of every step of their guests’ journeys. Revinate empowers hoteliers to shift share away from OTAs and maximize their direct bookings by leveraging their unique knowledge of their guests. Hapi’s role remains consistent as the connectivity layer, enabling agility at both enterprise and individual property levels. 

Hoteliers find it challenging to deploy technology quickly and easily. Legacy systems and software often disrupt technology platform integrations. Hapi works with partners like Revinate to ensure hoteliers can switch on connections quickly and securely. Its robust integration platform extends Revinate’s PMS integration capabilities so hoteliers can scale and reach their profitability goals faster. 

Jeff Bzdawka, president of Hapi, said: “Since 2016, Hapi has been diligently working in the background to provide hoteliers with solutions that seamlessly integrate systems. Hapi’s partnership with Revinate is a testament to the work we have done to simplify the complexity of this process. We aim to provide a better experience for both the customer and the hotelier. We look forward to working with the team at Revinate to ensure a seamless integration experience for its customers.”

Bryson Koehler, CEO, Revinate, said: “A key focus for Revinate is to ensure that hoteliers reach profitability and direct booking goals quickly and without impediments. This partnership showcases Revinate’s seriousness to support hoteliers reaching for these goals. We want hotels, at the individual property and enterprise level, to take charge of their direct booking revenue and be poised for success by scaling quickly and securely. We are thrilled to work with Hapi to ensure our customers can take advantage of our solutions quickly and seamlessly.”