News Briefs

PopID and Steak n Shake announced today that all Steak n Shake locations in the United States now accept PopID Check In (to review favorite orders and loyalty points) and PopPay for checkout. With more than 300 locations, Steak n Shake is the first national restaurant brand in the United States to adopt biometric check-in and checkout nationwide. PopID’s biometric check-in feature makes kiosk ordering faster, easier, and more personalized.

The implementation of PopID in every Steak n Shake location was accomplished rapidly and at low cost through a partnership between PopID and ACRELEC, a leading supplier of kiosk-ordering hardware and drive-through products. Cameras were shipped to every restaurant for attachment to the existing ACRELEC kiosks. “As explained in our recent publication, ACRELEC believes that our integrated biometric solution provides various benefits to restaurant operators related to throughput, ticket size, and loyalty engagement,” says Bruno Lo-Re, President of ACRELEC America.

“We are thrilled about our partnership with PopID and to be on the edge of biometric technology for the benefit of our customers. Our guests now have the option to use biometrics for a faster and more seamless experience,” says Sardar Biglari, Chairman of Biglari Holdings, the parent company of Steak n Shake.

Now that biometrics are enabled for all ordering and payment inside Steak n Shake restaurants, PopID and Steak n Shake will begin implementing biometric check-in and checkout at the restaurant’s drive-through units. “Similar to the kiosks, biometric check in can increase loyalty participation and revenue at the drive thru while also reducing payment processing costs,” says John Miller, CEO of PopID and Chairman of Cali Group. “Additionally, biometric payment at the order confirmation screen enables staff members to work on tasks other than taking payments by card and phone at the order pick-up window.”

Bojangles officially offers catering through a new partnership with ezCater.

Customers across the brand’s footprint will be able to place catering orders from participating restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner to feed the whole crowd with convenient delivery and pick-up options through ezCater. Simply visit ezcater.com/brand/pvt/bojangles to place an order.

ezCater’s technology makes it easy for Bojangles’ customers to place their catering orders online. They can simply choose items from the Bojangles menu and schedule a delivery or pickup. There is a $50 delivery minimum, and items are portioned to feed crowds, with descriptions indicating how much food comes with each order.

• 85% say integrations with other systems is driving POS purchasing decisions, according to HT's 2024 POS Software Trends Survey 

“Since Bojangles started in 1977, our brand has been synonymous with bringing people together over delicious, home-cooked food. That’s truly what ‘It’s Bo Time’ is all about,” said Sergio Perez, Bojangles’ Sr. Director of Omnichannel Initiatives. “We’re there for our fans and customers on all occasions, and now we’ve made sharing Bojangles’ famous chicken, biscuits and tea even easier with ezCater.”

This is Bojangles’ first official venture into catering as a company, though select franchisees have previously offered this convenience. The streamlined move indicates Bojangles’ widespread commitment to making its food accessible for gatherings of all kinds and celebrating fans at every moment. From popular breakfast items like its signature made-from-scratch biscuits and Bo Rounds to staple lunch and dinner items like fried chicken, sandwiches, fixins and Legendary Iced Tea, there’s something for everyone on the catering menu. As summer approaches, Bojangles expects fans to take advantage of this offering for graduations, summer celebrations, family gatherings, weddings and more.

“ezCater is extremely well-positioned in the business catering market,” added Perez, “so we’re excited about the potential to bring our beloved breakfast biscuits and popular chicken to more and more businesses all across Bojangles country.”

“We are thrilled to support Bojangles in launching their catering program and look forward to sending them large, incremental orders from workplaces across the country,” said Michelle Smart, Chief Customer Care Officer at ezCater. “They are sure to be a big hit with our customers. What could be better than bringing your team together over a platter of their delicious chicken biscuits?”

Bojangles plans to celebrate the new catering option by catering special moments and gatherings with some lucky fans throughout the summer, so stay tuned for more on the festive opportunities.

Tripleseat, a sales and event management platform for restaurants, hotels, and unique venues, is excited to announce the acquisition of Merri, a cutting-edge 3D floor plan and event design application for restaurants, hotels, unique venues, and event planners. This strategic acquisition aims to enhance Tripleseat’s robust suite of tools, providing all venues with an all-in-one solution for seamless event planning and management.

As the hospitality industry continues to grow and evolve, the need for efficient, technology-driven solutions has never been greater. By integrating Merri's innovative 3D floor plan design capabilities with Tripleseat's comprehensive event management platform, venue owners and event planners can now access a powerful toolset that simplifies the planning process and enhances guest experiences.

Key Benefits of the Merri Acquisition:

• Seamless Integration: Merri's advanced floor plan and event design tools will fully integrate into the Tripleseat platform, allowing users to create detailed, customizable floorplans that align perfectly with their event requirements.

• Enhanced User Experience: The combined platform will offer an intuitive user interface, making it easier for users to visualize and plan events, manage seating arrangements, and optimize space utilization.

• Increased Productivity: By consolidating event planning and floor plan design into a single platform, hospitality professionals can save time, reduce errors, and improve coordination.

• Data-Driven Insights: The integration will provide users with valuable analytics and insights, helping them make informed decisions to enhance event profitability and guest satisfaction

Event Management Innovation’s Impact on the Hospitality Industry:

Tripleseat currently serves over 16,000 restaurants and hotels globally and has managed 34 million events to date. By incorporating Merri’s technology, Tripleseat aims to further solidify its position as the leading event management solution provider in the hospitality industry, ensuring even more efficient and effective event planning processes for its extensive user base.

Jonathan Morse, CEO of Tripleseat, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition: "We are thrilled to welcome Merri to the Tripleseat family. This acquisition represents a significant step forward in our mission to provide the hospitality industry with the most comprehensive and user-friendly event management solutions. Merri's innovative technology aligns perfectly with our vision, and we are excited to bring these enhanced capabilities to our customers."

Randi Bushell, Founder of Merri, added: "Joining forces with Tripleseat allows us to bring our advanced floor plan and event design tools to a broader audience. We share a common goal of simplifying and enhancing the event planning process, and we look forward to working together to achieve this."

iPourIt, a self-pour beverage dispense technology provider, and GoTab Inc., an e-commerce platform for hospitality, have announced a groundbreaking integration that will transform the way businesses manage their self-pour operations. This partnership combines iPourIt's technology with GoTab's guest ordering and payment solutions to increase operator revenue and enhance the customer experience.

iPourIt and GoTab work together seamlessly, eliminating the need to manage food and beverage tabs separately. RFID cards and wristbands for iPourIt self-serve beverage system access can now be issued directly from the GoTab Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal. This allows guests to pour from the iPourIt self-pour system and make other purchases through the GoTab POS using the same RFID card or wristband, and pay for everything on a single tab. With GoTab’s Easy Tab feature, guests can also view their tab in real-time on their phone and order food and other items straight from their device with no app downloads or registration required.

"We are thrilled to partner with GoTab to deliver a truly seamless self-pour experience," said Flinn Flexer, CEO of iPourIt. "This integration will empower businesses to simplify their operations, boost efficiency, and ultimately increase their bottom line."

The iPourIt and GoTab integration offers a wide range of benefits, including:

• Streamlined efficiency: Fast checkouts and consolidated transactions create a seamless, streamlined experience for both businesses and customers.
• Actionable insights: Centralized management and simplified reporting enable data-driven decisions that drive growth and optimization.
• User-friendly experience: Operators can offer an engaging and satisfying self-pour and food ordering experience, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty while driving repeat business.

"We’re excited to bring this integration to our mutual customers. By combining our expertise, we are empowering businesses to provide a more efficient, profitable, and enjoyable experience for both staff and customers,” said GoTab CEO Tim McLaughlin.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the self-pour industry, offering businesses a powerful solution to enhance their operations and drive growth.