News Briefs

PAR Technology Corp. and Hi Auto are announcing a strategic partnership that marks a significant advancement in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry, offering a fully integrated solution that enhances drive-thru efficiency and customer satisfaction.  

Hi Auto is an innovator in voice AI-powered drive-thru automated order-taking. With an impressive 95% accuracy rate and successful implementations in hundreds of restaurants in major chains including Checkers and Rally's, Bojangles, and Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, Hi Auto is transforming the drive-thru experience. 

By automating the order-taking task, Hi Auto’s voice AI solution enhances operational efficiency, improves order accuracy, increases check sizes, reduces wait times, and saves labor. This technology also frees staff to focus on food quality and customer engagement, improving both employee satisfaction and the overall customer experience. Hi Auto's AI order taker is making significant strides both nationally and internationally. 

Under this partnership, Hi Auto’s AI-driven automated order-taking platform is now seamlessly integrated with PAR’s POS technology, delivering a powerful, unified system designed to optimize drive-thru operations. Several top QSR brands are already using this combined solution in live production environments, handling orders from real guests and setting a new standard for the industry. 

The combined solution brings several advanced features to QSR operations: 

- Reliability: Engineered for maximum uptime, ensuring consistent performance during peak hours. 

- Automatic 86’ing of Out-of-Stock Items: Real-time updates automatically remove out-of-stock items from digital menus and allow Hi Auto to suggest alternatives when guests order out-of-stock items, streamlining the ordering process and reducing guest frustration. 

- Integration with Existing Digital Menu Boards: Fully compatible with existing digital menu boards, allowing for instant updates and personalized displays. 

​​- I​tem-by-Item Injection: Items are entered into the POS throughout the ordering process, allowing the restaurant team to get an early start on order preparation.  

“Our collaboration with PAR Technology is an important milestone for Hi Auto as we continue to lead the way in drive-thru automation,” said Roy Baharav, CEO of Hi Auto. “By integrating our AI-powered automated order-taking solution with PAR’s industry-leading POS system, we’re enabling QSR brands to deliver faster, more reliable service while freeing up restaurant staff to focus on enhancing the overall guest experience." 

“This partnership with Hi Auto is more than just an integration—it’s a game-changer for the future of drive-thru operations,” said Oliver Ostertag, General Manager of Operator Cloud. “We’re not just giving QSR operators a new tool; we’re handing them the keys to unlock faster service, smarter operations, and happier guests. Together with Hi Auto, we’re setting a new standard in growth enablement via frictionless technology and partnership.” 

Mark Shambura has joined Panera Bread as Chief Marketing Officer. Shambura will lead all aspects of marketing at Panera, including Brand Building, Digital & Loyalty, Product Strategy & Consumer Insights. An accomplished marketing leader with broad expertise in the restaurant industry, Mr. Shambura has previously held marketing leadership roles during pivotal growth periods for top brands including Chipotle, MOD Pizza, and most recently Papa Johns.

"Mark brings an impressive background building brands and leading marketing teams for fast-casual restaurants, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to Panera Bread,” said José Alberto Dueñas, Chief Executive Officer. “As Panera continues to evolve our brand, guided by listening to our guests, Mark’s depth of experience and ability will help drive our growth as a brand that serves great food you feel good about eating.”

Shambura previously served as CMO at Papa Johns, where he led a revitalization of the brand by enhancing its iconic “Better Ingredients, Better Pizza” platform, and developing a more modern, innovative omnichannel approach to transform how Papa Johns appealed to both new and loyal consumers. As Executive Director at Chipotle, Mr. Shambura guided the marketing function through periods of both sustained growth and transition, providing leadership over brand strategy, advertising, digital, social, events/sponsorships, promotions, and field marketing, including playing a key role in spearheading its “Real Ingredients” brand strategy.

“I’m proud to join the Panera Bread team and excited to build on the momentum of the brand's transformation as it continues to evolve in service of our guests,” Mr. Shambura said. “Panera propelled and cemented its position at the top of the fast casual restaurant segment through its promise of high-quality ingredients and freshly prepared food, and I’m thrilled to join a highly talented team to help shape its next chapter.”

Prior to his tenure in the restaurant industry, Mr. Shambura gained extensive marketing agency experience, working with a broad array of top global consumer brands for over a decade. Shambura will report directly to José Alberto Dueñas, Chief Executive Officer, and officially assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer on July 29, 2024.

Workstream, the modern payroll, HR, and hiring platform designed for the hourly business, launched a series of new payroll, time clock, and shift scheduling products today to further expand the capabilities of its integrated all-in-one platform. These products provide much-needed functionality to QSR franchisees, restaurants and other businesses that employ hourly workers.

“After decades in the restaurant industry, I've learned how important it is to have access to the right tools. Workstream is the only payroll and HR platform I've seen that's built specifically for hourly workers." - Don Fox, former CEO of Firehouse Subsm move faster and save costs,” said Don Fox, former CEO of Firehouse Subs and Workstream advisor.

Accoring to Workjam's recent survey of HR leaders and business owners, The State of Hourly Payroll 2025, highlights the importance of tools like this. Among the 250 people surveyed:

• 23% are still using manual spreadsheets to run payroll.
• 64% of companies want a tool that specifically addresses the needs of the hourly workforce.
• 73.6% of companies are looking to consolidate their payroll, hiring, time tracking, and HR platforms into a single solution.
   

Building on Workstream's successful HR technology, the new products will deliver on the needs highlighted in the survey results: an automated, consolidated payroll solution built specifically for the hourly workforce. This unique offering departs from traditional payroll providers, which are typically geared toward enterprise businesses at a high price point. Workstream’s products lower the barriers to building an all-in-one HR tech stack by offering growing businesses affordable, easy-to-use, customizable solutions that work within any budget.

With many businesses using Q4 as an opportunity to reset for the upcoming year, it’s a strategic time for employers to consider adding the following hourly-specific products to their HR tech stack:

• Payroll: Effortlessly accommodate common hourly payroll challenges like dynamic pay rates, multiple jobs, and location changes. When paired with Workstream’s HR and Time Clock products, managers save time on repetitive data entry and reduce payroll errors.
• Time Clock: Ensure you’re paying the right amount with a smart time clock that proactively flags potential problems with breaks, overtime, and clock-outs, plus seamlessly integrates with Shift Scheduling and Payroll.
• Shift Scheduling: Easily create, revise, and publish schedules. Get alerts for flagged shifts, giving managers real-time visibility into scheduling changes so they can control labor costs.

“Our latest payroll solution is a game-changer for hourly businesses looking to streamline their operations and stay ahead of the competition,” said Desmond Lim, CEO and co-founder of Workstream. “By integrating seamlessly with our suite of hiring, onboarding, and HR products, this new offering not only simplifies payroll management but also empowers businesses to increase efficiency and significantly reduce labor costs. We’re committed to meeting the unique challenges faced by hourly businesses, and with these tools, our customers can better compete in a challenging economic landscape, ensuring they stay ahead of the curve.”

To learn more about Workstream and its new Payroll products,  visit workstream.us.

NCR Voyix has once again been recognized by RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights, as the world’s largest provider of self-checkout technology.

Retailers continue to explore various self-checkout modalities, including mobile applications, smart carts, hybrid systems, and tablets. This evolution in checkout technology highlights the importance of  NCR Voyix' adaptable platform that caters to this dynamic market.

“Retailers are rapidly diversifying their checkout experiences to meet consumer demands for efficiency and convenience. In response to this trend, NCR Voyix is committed to enhancing retail operations through our comprehensive suite of software and services. Our cloud-based commerce platform is designed to evolve, providing seamless integration and management capabilities,” said Eric Schoch, executive vice president and president, NCR Voyix Retail. “Our focus on software innovation allows us to offer scalable solutions that improve both customer and associate experiences.”

RBR Data Services found that an increasingly wide range of retailers are adopting SCO technology, from specialty to convenience stores. The NCR Voyix SCO solution helps businesses move quickly to address a challenging labor market, analyze shifting consumer trends and provide consumers with choice of how and where they go through the checkout experience.

About the Report

Global EPOS and Self-Checkout 2024 helps suppliers and industry participants understand trends and opportunities in the EPOS and self-checkout market. It provides vendors with data, analysis and insights for 53 markets across six regions.

PolyAI, a pioneer in voice AI solutions for customer experience and service, announced a partnership with OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant technology, expanding PolyAI's guest-led voice assistants to enterprise restaurants. Locations that opt in will be able to take reservations over the phone, answer questions, gain visibility in customer trends, and deliver on-brand experiences - all while alleviating staff time and resources.

This alliance delivers PolyAI's lifelike voice AI to help restaurants tackle challenges around staffing and provide consistent hospitality, even off premise. In a survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association, 62% of operators said their restaurants did not have enough employees to support existing demand. With onsite staff focused on in-house patrons, restaurant groups routinely miss between 30-60% of phone calls to their front of house (per PolyAI customer data) – meaning missed revenue opportunities and equally valuable customer touch points.

Never miss another call

With this strategic partnership, OpenTable's global network of restaurants will be able to integrate PolyAI voice assistants, built using generative AI and spoken language technologies, to assist their diners in seamlessly booking and managing reservations over the phone, during and outside of operating hours.

"We know how tightly restaurants manage their guest experience and this can be even more complex for our partners doing business at scale," said Susan Lee, Chief Strategy Officer at OpenTable. "We have, and continue to invest in, technology that pushes boundaries and enhances hospitality and our integration with PolyAI is a new way we can drive efficiencies for our restaurants, and diners."

For larger operators, this partnership enables numerous iterations of voice assistants to cater to the unique needs of multi-location and multi-brand portfolios, while providing PolyAI's proven enterprise-grade assurances around availability, security and data protection.

"We have extensive experience deploying voice assistants to hundreds of locations for some of the largest restaurant groups in the world, helping operators resolve up to 70% of calls over the phone without the need for additional staff," said Michael Chen, VP of Strategic Alliances at PolyAI. "This strong connection with the restaurant industry started right from the earliest days of PolyAI. We're thrilled to deepen that further and work with OpenTable to help even more restaurant operators attract more diners, streamline operations and maximize revenue."

Popular fondue restaurant group among the first to dip in

North America-based fondue restaurant Melting Pot is an early adopter in leveraging this partnership. With PolyAI voice assistants rolling out to locations in Indiana, New Jersey and New York and many other restaurants in the implementation stage, the appeal of quick scale is evident. "Locations can go live with a branded, pre-trained voice assistant in as few as three weeks, which for our restaurants, means less time working on technology and more time taking care of our guests." says Randy Barnett, VP of Innovative Technology Systems & Data at Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.

Smart automation that puts the guest first and keeps the staff attentive to onsite diners is crucial for Barnett: "Anyone who's dined at a Melting Pot knows it's an immersive experience, and by integrating this technology our teams can spend more time delivering the Perfect Night Out to our guests. Having PolyAI's voice assistant answer our guest calls not only offers immediate attention and resolution to those offsite guests preparing for their meal with us, it also preserves that intimate, social environment we provide for our in-house guests and team members."

Barnett reports the voice assistant is popular with Melting Pot team members and guests alike, and that the ability to fully book, change or cancel a reservation through an integration with OpenTable has been seamless. Barnett anticipates wider spread adoption of the platform in the coming weeks and months among Melting Pot's 90+ locations.

The journey starts at the Integration Marketplace

OpenTable restaurants will be able to request an integration with PolyAI via its Integration Marketplace, which powers 150+ integrations among the most widely used restaurant software. Beyond managing reservations over the phone, PolyAI's guest-led voice assistants also offer operators a powerful new channel for implementing consistent brand experiences that can deliver greater personalization, more proactive revenue and upsell as well as offer new ways of collecting diner feedback and tracking customer satisfaction.