News Briefs

Wendy's and Google Cloud announced an expanded partnership to pilot an artificial intelligence (AI) solution, Wendy's FreshAI. The technology has the potential to transform Wendy's drive-thru food ordering experience with Google Cloud's generative AI and large language models (LLMs) technology.

Demand for Drive-Thru

With 75 to 80 percent of Wendy's customers choosing the drive-thru as their preferred ordering channel, delivering a seamless ordering experience using AI automation can be difficult due to the complexities of menu options, special requests, and ambient noise. For example, because customers can fully customize their orders and food is prepared when ordered at Wendy's, this presents billions of possible order combinations available on the Wendy's menu, leaving room for miscommunication or incorrect orders. Google Cloud's generative AI capabilities can now bring a new automated ordering experience to the drive-thru that is intended to enhance the experience that customers, employees and franchisees expect from Wendy's. As HT reported last month, one Wendy's franchise, Wenspoke, is expanding its use of AI in the drive-thrus.

"Wendy's introduced the first modern pick-up window in the industry more than 50 years ago, and we're thrilled to continue our work with Google Cloud to bring a new wave of innovation to the drive-thru experience," said Todd Penegor, President and CEO of the Dublin, Ohio-based QSR. "Google Cloud's generative AI technology creates a huge opportunity for us to deliver a truly differentiated, faster and frictionless experience for our customers, and allows our employees to continue focusing on making great food and building relationships with fans that keep them coming back time and again."

Pilot Near HQ

In June, Wendy's plans to launch its first pilot of Google Cloud's AI technology in a Columbus, Ohio-area, Company-operated restaurant, using those learnings to inform future expansions to more Wendy's drive-thrus. The pilot will include new generative AI offerings, such as Vertex AI and more, to have conversations with customers, the ability to understand made-to-order requests and generate responses to frequently asked questions. 

This will all be powered by Google's foundational LLMs that have the data from Wendy's menu, established business rules and logic for conversation guardrails, and integration with restaurant hardware and the Point of Sale system. By leveraging generative AI, Wendy's seeks to take the complexity out of the ordering process so employees can focus on serving up fast, fresh-made, quality food and exceptional service.

Today's update builds upon Google Cloud's and Wendy's long standing partnership to enhance the Wendy's restaurant experience. Since 2021, Wendy's has leveraged Google Cloud's data analytics, AI, machine learning (ML), and hybrid cloud tools to make it faster, easier, and more convenient for customers to access the brand.

As part of a national effort to raise awareness and offer expert insights, Denny's is kicking off a series of summits focused on how companies and individuals can better manage and improve their mental health and wellness.

The first summit is taking place on April 22 at the HPAC Theater in Spartanburg, S.C. The summit will be free to the public and attendees can participate in-person or virtually.

"Denny's has always been committed to feeding people's bodies, minds, and souls, and this summit series perfectly aligns with our holistic approach to wellness," said Kelli Valade, CEO of Denny's. "The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the topics of mental health and personal well-being front and center. Now is the time to think about how we can bring our whole selves to all facets of our lives, including the workplace."

The summit keynote speaker is Dr. Daniel E. Dawes, Senior Vice President for Global Health and Executive Director of the Institute of Global Health Equity at Meharry Medical College. Dawes will discuss the importance of addressing mental health equity and the path forward to achieving a healthier society. Other nationally recognized panelists include:  

• Dr. Shaneeta Johnson, a surgeon, clinician, educator, and researcher at Morehouse School of Medicine and Senior Fellow in Global Health Equity at the Satcher Health Leadership Institute
• Dr. Monique May, a board-certified and licensed family physician best known as the "Physician in the Kitchen"
• Dr. Bennie L. Harris, Chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate
• Sharon Lykins, Denny's Vice President of Product Innovation

"Mental health and wellness significantly impact the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities across the Upstate region and beyond," said USC Upstate Chancellor, Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D. "We are thrilled to join forces with a global leader like Denny's to address one of the most critical public health issues of our time."

Journalist Roland S. Martin will moderate two panels, "Mindful Eating," which will address the connection between food and wellness, and "Wellness at the Workplace," which focuses on mental health at work.

A second mental health summit will be offered on October 10 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Kraft Heinz Company (“Kraft Heinz” or the “Company”) unveiled HEINZ REMIX™, the first customizable and IoT-enabled digital sauce dispenser to launch that allows consumers to personalize their own flavor creations. Developed in record speed – 6 months from initial brief to the physical product – with over 200 potential sauce combinations, HEINZ REMIX is the latest innovation from the Company’s foodservice or “Away From Home” (AFH) division, which is a key growth platform as outlined in the Company’s long-term strategy.

HEINZ^® is no stranger to unique sauce combinations that satisfy fans’ cravings & needs (hello, MAYOCHUP^®!). Now, HEINZ REMIX is taking personalized sauces to new heights, creating a first for the sauce and foodservice category. The free-standing machine is touchscreen operated, enabling consumers to first select from a range of “bases” – currently HEINZ Ketchup, Ranch, 57^® Sauce, and BBQ Sauce – then personalize further with one or more “enhancers” – currently Jalapeño, Smoky Chipotle, Buffalo, and Mango – at their preferred intensity level (low, medium, high).

“As a company, we’re transforming through innovation by making bigger, more intentional bets to fuel our growth and create new experiences for consumers,” said Alan Kleinerman, Vice President of Disruption, Kraft Heinz. “HEINZ REMIX is a great example of this consumer-first approach to innovation. We’re changing the game for foodservice operators and sauce lovers - dipping will never be the same. With HEINZ REMIX, it’s more than a sauce dispenser; it’s an insights engine and business model enabler that will help Kraft Heinz understand and respond to consumer trends and flavor preferences in real-time. Who knows – maybe our next new sauce combination will come from a superfan using HEINZ REMIX!”

Kraft Heinz will debut HEINZ REMIX at the 2023 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago (May 20-23, 2023), with plans to pilot the innovation with restaurant operators in late 2023 to early 2024.

“The launch of HEINZ REMIX is a first for the sauce category and foodservice industry,” said Peter Hall, President, U.S. Away from Home, Kraft Heinz. “It’s a great example of how we’re leveraging culinary insights and category knowledge to drive greater value for our customers and consumers. Our ambition is to be the leader for taste, flavor and experience anywhere you’re eating, and we’re delivering on that goal with category leading innovations like HEINZ REMIX.”

As Kraft Heinz continues on its journey to lead the future of food, the Company is focused on creative disruption across the entire organization, breaking down siloes to cultivate collaboration, reimagine product development, and utilize digital capabilities to accelerate the pace of innovation.

Global payments provider Elavon has partnered with The Digital Line (TDL) on a voice-activated solution for the hospitality industry. The solution – Audico – utilizes the Amazon Alexa device to deliver a variety of voice-driven services. Elavon is the exclusive payments provider for the Audico solution in hospitality, globally.

Hemlata Narasimhan, Elavon Merchant Services President in Europe, says, “Virtual assistant technology is the future of hospitality, and we’re thrilled to be powering the payments behind Audico. This is all about improving the customer experience, and a large part of this is seamless payments. We’re pleased to be partnering with Amazon’s approved partner The Digital Line to make this happen.”

Audico is unique in the UK market, and has already been implemented at the world-famous Ascot Racecourse in Southeast England, where premium customers can call for betting services, order food and drinks, and purchase merchandise from their private boxes all with a few simple words to Alexa. The audible command is then relayed to staff as a Card Not Present transaction, and payment is made using a pre-determined account preference such as a credit card.

Audico is also being explored as a room service solution in hotels, and in premium hospitality areas at other venues and stadiums, as well as providing a landmark series of services in the health care industry.

George Vaughan, The Digital Line’s CEO, says, “This partnership represents a unique opportunity for two recognized brands to collaborate on initiatives that will revolutionize multiple business verticals, including hospitality, venues and health care, delivering a level of digital transformation not seen before.”

The Wendy's Company announced a new partnership with Pipedream, a hyperlogistics company, to pilot its underground autonomous robot system with the goal of delivering digital food orders from the kitchen to designated parking spots in seconds, for faster and more convenient pick-up experiences. As the first quick service restaurant (QSR) to pilot this cutting-edge technology, the partnership marks another bold step for Wendy's in driving industry innovation as it strives to serve digital-forward customers with greater ease, speed and accuracy.

"We know that serving orders quickly and accurately leads to increased customer satisfaction," said Deepak Ajmani, U.S. Chief Operations Officer, The Wendy's Company. "Pipedream's Instant Pickup system has the potential to unlock greater mobile order speed of service and accuracy, enabling us to consistently deliver hot and fresh Wendy's products to our fans."

Pipedream's technology is designed to make digital order pick-up fast, reliable and invisible. By connecting the Wendy's kitchen to an Instant Pickup portal positioned outside the restaurant, this first-of-its-kind delivery system is designed to provide digital customers with a fast and convenient pick-up option without having to leave their car and increase efficiencies for restaurant crew members by streamlining digital order pick-up points. The technology uses autonomous robots to transport meals underground and deliver at the car-side Instant Pickup portal.

"At Wendy's, we are consistently innovating to meet our customers however they choose to engage with us," said Matt Spessard, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Technology Officer, The Wendy's Company. "As mobile ordering preferences increase, we're thrilled to be the first quick service restaurant to partner with Pipedream, leveraging their unique delivery technology and system with the goal of reinventing digital pick-ups to bring more Wendy's to more people as quickly and efficiently as possible." 

"We're proud to partner with an iconic, innovative brand like Wendy's to bring the future of mobile order pick-up to the quick service industry," said Garrett McCurrach, CEO, Pipedream. "By solving order handoff, the final leg of the digital experience, our Instant Pickup technology allows Wendy's restaurant team members to focus on what matters: serving delicious, high-quality food and connecting with customers in this digital-first world."

Wow Bao, a fast-casual Asian concept, announces the expansion of its web3 strategy, launching Digital CollectaBaos to enhance its points-based Bao Bucks loyalty program.  

“Wow Bao has always been a pioneer in enhancing the dining experience with technology, forging a path for today’s innovations to become mainstream, " said Geoff Alexander, President & CEO of Wow Bao. “By creating a digital collectible club, Wow Bao is leveling up the everyday loyalty program, and welcoming all diners to the future.” Alexander shared his brand's tips for creating lifetime loyalty at MURTEC Executive Summit.

• Wow Bao Enters Next Frontier with Phased Web3 Strategy; Announces NFT-Based Membership Pass and Club

In November, Wow Bao laid out its phased web3 strategy, which included this NFT-based extension of their Bao Bucks rewards program and the launch of metaverse vending machines. Their entry into this technology is a clear demonstration of the real-world utility of digital collectibles.  

Customers have an initial opportunity to purchase these lively digital CollectaBaos from a first course minting, gaining access to Wow Bao’s cheeky yet chic Hot Buns Club. Club benefits include 10% off wowbao.com orders, 10% off Wow Bao merchandise, double Bao Bucks points, and chances to win additional CollectaBaos, free meals, and more. Additional courses, or mintings, of future CollectaBaos will offer more benefits and perks. Details of how to become an exclusive member can be found at the new Hot Buns Club landing page. 

Wow Bao commissioned NFT artist, MANOVERMARS, aka MoM, to create the edgy, one-of-a-kind digital imprints. MoM is a full-time freelance artist who has worked with web2 brands like Macy’s, Visa, and Specialized, as well as web3 brands like 3Landers, Ben Mezrich, Froggy Friends, and many others.  

Wow Bao’s entrance into the digital collectible space cements its commitment to continually exploring leading innovative technology and finding unique ways to reach new diners. By engaging customers in new ways, the company continues to drive engagement and loyalty. It follows its early use of self-ordering kiosks in 2010, a fully automated front-of-house animated cubby experience in 2017, and, since 2020, the unprecedented growth of over 700 locations through their virtual dark kitchen program.   

While Wow Bao has chosen Devour as its web3 ordering partner, Wow Bao is also partnering with Flaunt to both mint its Digital CollectaBaos and to integrate the program with its existing Bao Bucks Rewards program that is powered by Paytronix.