News Briefs

Paytronix published the 2024 Paytronix Online Ordering Report which found that guests transacting directly with a brand order 35% more items per check compared to those who order via third-party marketplaces. Online ordering represented 27% of all orders for restaurants and convenience stores in 2023, and operators in the top 25% of online ordering volume saw online orders jump to 62% of all their orders last year.

“The biggest takeaway is that while third party marketplaces have their uses, a first-party online ordering platform is key to a brand’s online ordering success,” said Tim Ridgely, Vice President of online ordering at Paytronix. ”Moreover, those brands that build a robust digital guest engagement platform that includes loyalty and a mobile app are better equipped to leverage modern AI tools, get closer to their guests, and deliver a powerful omnichannel guest experience.”

• When asked what they really want from loyalty programs, 78% percent of customers surveyed want discounts,  according to HTs 12^th annual 2023 Customer Engagement Technology Study.  

The 2024 Paytronix Online Ordering Report outlines how to optimize all of the systems and operations integral to a fully integrated guest engagement platform, with clear steps on how to:

• Convert guests from third-party marketplaces to a first-party online ordering system
• Consolidate technology for efficiency and better guest engagement
• Use artificial intelligence to increase guest engagement
• Leverage customer data for a personalized experience
   

The Paytronix report also celebrates the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and their advanced personalization capabilities, which make off-premises experiences feel as engaging as in-person ones. The report outlines how successful brands are leveraging AI to segment guest data, create personalized marketing campaigns, build rewards, and optimize menus to the needs of their customers. Operators are using these platforms to boost order frequency, anticipate future needs, and increase customer lifetime value.

Additional findings from the Online Ordering Report include:

• Guests who order both in-store and online have the highest order frequency, the best retention, and 35% more lifetime value than customers who only order in-store.
• First-party ordering platforms are the preferred method for consumers during lunch and dinner, and they also spend 30% more per transaction. However late-night orders (any time after 8pm) are nearly one third more likely to be done using third party marketplace apps.
• Mobile apps generate 34% of digital orders, and mobile app users have a 45% higher CLV than web users.
• Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) loyalty members place 38.4% of their orders online, while Full-Service Restaurant (FSR) counterparts order online 30.2% of the time.
• Loyalty program members also shine when it comes to frequency, visiting their favorite establishments over 40% more often than non-members.
   

The Paytronix Online Ordering Report provides trends and actionable insights from Paytronix online ordering experts. It’s designed so restaurant and convenience store marketers, as well as operations and technology leaders, can benchmark online ordering tools and strategies and devise improvements to deliver breakthrough performance.

Download the 2024 Paytronix Online Ordering Report.

Domino's Pizza Inc. introduces its new and improved loyalty program. 

Domino's Rewards offers loyalty members even more opportunities to earn and redeem points across its corporate and franchise store locations. Domino's enhanced rewards program allows customers to:

• Earn points for less
  • Loyalty members will now earn 10 points on every order of $5 or more
• Redeem points for even more menu items – and earn free Domino's after just two orders
  • Members can redeem a variety of points for more menu items:
    • 20 points: A free dipping cup, a 16-piece order of Parmesan Bread Bites or a 20 oz. drink
    • 40 points: An order of Bread Twists or Stuffed Cheesy Bread
    • 60 points: A medium, two-topping pizza; pasta; Oven-Baked Sandwich; or a 3-piece order of Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes
• Earn more rewards
  • Loyalty perks are now even better, as members will have exclusive access to member-only deals, special discounts and opportunities to earn bonus points!

"We are thrilled to give the brand's loyal customers additional ways to earn free Domino's items more often," said Mark Messing, Domino's vice president of digital experience and loyalty. "At a time when most brands are scaling back their loyalty programs and making it more difficult to earn and redeem points, Domino's is doing the opposite. We want to make it easier to reward our customers and give them more options so they can get rewarded faster."

Marketing a LTO 

From now until Oct. 22, 2023, rewards members can take advantage of a limited time offer to redeem 20 points for a free order of Domino's new Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread, which is normally a 40-point redemption, in celebration of the product's recent launch. 

Chester's Chicken welcomes Bill Rice to the executive team as EVP, Head of Sales, Operations and Supply Chain. Rice joins Chester's after a short retirement preceded by nearly four decades of experience in foodservice supply chain management, most recently as a senior vice president at Krispy Krunchy Foods, LLC.

Under Rice's leadership and with a solid foundation already laid, the company plans to accelerate growth and evolution. Rice will ensure team members have the resources needed to achieve Chester's aggressive growth goals while continuing to support existing franchise partners.

"We continue to prioritize investing in the Chester's leadership team and Bill is the perfect complement," said Alexis Lobodocky, General Manager, Chester's Chicken. "He brings extensive expertise in supply chain, an area of opportunity that will drive gains for the Chester's brand and Chester's operators."

Prior to Chester's Chicken, Rice served seven years at Krispy Krunchy where he championed a redesign of the company's supply chain network. Notable achievements also included overhauling procedures on issues including vendor and manufacturer selection, quality control, inventory and organizational management; developing a turn-key branded grab-n-go and breakfast program, in addition to several other menu items and product concepts; and achieving year-over-year double-digit sales growth by establishing and maintaining continuous sources of supply amidst various supply chain disruptions.

Rice has also held leadership roles at Intl. Traders Inc./MBM Corp., Performance Food Group, and Kraft Foodservice Corp.

"The Chester's culture and core values like 'winning as a team' and 'fried chicken is fun' are what drew me in and convinced me to exit retirement," said Rice. "It's refreshing to be working alongside some of the best in the industry who are energized about our future and focused on initiatives that deliver the most value to our operators."

Rice took his position in January and has been working against several Q1/Q2 projects including a supply chain optimization study, adding new and profitable menu items, equipping the team with new sales tools, and bringing on additional resources to the field team.

Marco's Pizza appoints restaurant and hospitality industry veteran, John Meyers, to Chief Operating Officer. This appointment comes at an opportune time as Marco's continues expanding its global footprint through strengthening franchisee relations, enhancing its technology infrastructure and committing to operational excellence.

Meyers has a 25-plus-year history of bringing innovation and collaboration to drive change at industry leading organizations such as Darden Restaurants and The Walt Disney Co. An action oriented strategic thinker, Meyers has used data and analytics to strategically streamline restaurant operations and profitability.

Prior to his appointment to COO, Meyers served as Marco's SVP of Finance & Business Intelligence. In his new role, Meyers oversees a diverse team in several departments including technology, supply chain and operations. With responsibility over day-to-day operations, he also plays a vital role in the development and implementation of new technologies that drive sales and streamline operations.

Empowering front-line team members to deliver an exceptional experience is a top priority for Meyers. "When employees see and act on an opportunity to turn someone's day around, even in little ways, it not only makes the customer experience better, but also improves job satisfaction and employee retention," said Meyers.

"The opportunity to contribute to the Marco's Pizza legacy during this phase of continued growth is truly a privilege," shared Meyers. "Our pizza is special using only top-quality ingredients, fresh cheese and dough made-from-scratch. I am committed to upholding this high quality standard and ensuring our customers enjoy it hot and fresh. Every Marco's Pizza encounter should be a memorable experience for our customers."

"John plays an instrumental role in steering our brand toward sustained growth and we are excited to embark on the next phase of his journey as COO," said Tony Libardi, Co-CEO and President of Marco's Pizza. "John consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a deep commitment to our brand values, and this promotion is a testament to his hard work and invaluable contributions to our company's success. I am confident that he will excel in this new role, leveraging his experience and insights to drive operational excellence and elevate our brand to new heights."

This appointment comes at a pivotal time for the leadership team as they strengthen their strong development support system, which includes technology and tools to help identify territories for expansion, plus support in real estate, construction management, field operations, and information related to financing. FRANdata, a leading research and advisory firm that analyzes the franchise market, reports Marco's 2023 FUND Score of 895 is in the top 1% of all evaluated franchise systems and is among the top three scores for all QSR brands.

The brand's impressive performance has earned multiple awards and recognition: Ranking in Newsweek's 2023 America's Best Customer Service in the pizza chains category, earning a spot on QSR's Top 50, appearing on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious Top 500 ranking, and most recently claiming the No. 48 spot on Entrepreneur's 2024 Franchise 500® ranking.

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ParTech, Inc. (PAR), a global restaurant technology company and provider of unified commerce solutions for enterprise restaurants, today announced a new partnership between PAR Punchh®, PAR Technology’s industry-leading loyalty and offer solution, and Attentive, the AI marketing platform specializing in SMS marketing for leading brands. This integration will expand PAR Punchh's capabilities to help restaurants turn anonymous guests into loyalty members, grow their loyalty membership and send engaging visuals and content with personalized offers to spark actions via SMS messaging.

The integration offers restaurants enhanced tools for customer acquisition and communication. These tools operate within a channel that 93% of customers express interest in for brand communication, according to data from Attentive’s Global Consumer Survey Report. The partnership gives Punchh Customers the opportunity to:

• Grow loyalty membership by incentivizing SMS opt-ins.
• Send targeted campaigns to drive app downloads and loyalty sign-ups.
• Leverage advanced SMS functionality like MMS, video, GIFs and A/B testing.
• Streamline SMS compliance with Attentive's expertise.

"Partnering with Attentive equips our customers with more robust tools to engage guests through timely, relevant messaging," said Savneet Singh, CEO of PAR Technology. "SMS engagement is critical for growing loyal customers and repeat visits in today’s restaurant industry. With Attentive, we can help brands create seamless omnichannel relationships with customers, fostering loyalty across digital interactions and real-world visits.”

This integration comes at a time when consumers are seeking deeper relationships with their favorite brands. SMS provides a high-value channel, boasting a 98% open rate compared to email, which is less than 20%. Restaurants using PAR Punchh can now engage with loyalty and non-loyalty members to encourage new sign-ups and actions.

"We’re thrilled to be able to offer restaurants a convenient way to engage with customers, by using personalized and visual text messaging in every step of the omnichannel journey to meet customers where they are," said Angelique Kamara, VP of Partnerships at Attentive. "This partnership with PAR Punchh helps our joint brands unlock the full potential of SMS marketing, further strengthening brand loyalty and increasing revenue.”

In a testament to the tangible impact of this new partnership, Kim Collura, VP of Marketing at Jason’s Deli, shares her experience: “Thanks to the seamless integration between Attentive and Punchh, our business has experienced a significant uplift in SMS subscriber growth and customer engagement. With targeted messaging and personalized rewards, we’ve seen a tangible increase in repeat visits and higher average spend per customer. This partnership has truly elevated our marketing efforts, allowing us to connect with our audience on a deeper level and drive sustainable growth.”

Joining PAR Punchh’s ecosystem of over 200 technology partners, Attentive’s partnership is currently the only restaurant loyalty and SMS platform integration of its kind.