News Briefs

7 Brew, the drive-thru beverage concept reimagining the industry with its speed of service, premium-quality drinks, and high-energy hospitality, announced the appointment of Nick Chavez as its first Chief Marketing Officer. A high-impact brand leader with a proven track record in cultivating strong consumer relationships and delivering measurable results for major consumer-facing companies, Chavez will play a key role in elevating 7 Brew’s brand presence. He will lead efforts to position 7 Brew as a cultural phenomenon, supporting the launch of new stands nationwide, increasing customer visits, and growing the company’s loyalty program to build a dedicated and passionate fan base.

“Nick is an accomplished marketer with a proven track record of guiding brands through transformative growth. His exceptional experience and results-driven approach make him an ideal addition to the 7 Brew team,” said Chris Dawson, President of 7 Brew. “As 7 Brew embarks on its next phase of expansion, Nick’s expertise in driving sales, engaging younger consumers, and executing impactful brand strategies will be invaluable to our continued success.”

Chavez brings over 25 years of experience in consumer and integrated marketing communications across the restaurant, electronics, and digital media industries, with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation. Most recently, as Chief Marketing Officer at KFC US, Chavez successfully attracted younger, more diverse audiences to the brand, drove e-commerce growth, and launched the KFC Rewards loyalty program. In nearly 12 years at Nintendo of America, Chavez played a key role in the team that propelled the Wii, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch gaming systems to global success, and launched hundreds of Nintendo-published video games. Prior to Nintendo, Chavez held various marketing roles at Yahoo! for over a decade.

“7 Brew is at an exciting point in its growth, and I’m thrilled to be joining the team,” said Chavez. “My experience in the restaurant industry has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m excited to bring that energy into the beverage space. I look forward to collaborating with the leadership team to accelerate 7 Brew’s stand growth, expand the loyalty program, and further elevate this unique brand as it continues to make a significant cultural impact.”

7 Brew is gaining momentum as it expands across the U.S., with a mission to transform the drive-thru beverage experience by cultivating kindness and joy in every drink through its service, speed, quality, energy, and atmosphere. As Chief Marketing Officer, Chavez strengthens 7 Brew’s leadership team, bringing invaluable expertise in marketing and customer engagement – critical for driving the company’s continued growth and success.

Pizza Hut has introduced its most innovative restaurant design concept to U.S. guests. The new restaurant offers an elevated, modern, more connected experience enabled by digital and technology innovations while continuing to serve the craveable food that has made Pizza Hut a global icon.     

Located at 8605 Ohio Dr. in Plano, Texas, the restaurant includes self-service kiosks for faster order placement, cabinets for easy, contactless pick-up and a guest-facing pizza making station to showcase the quality and care that goes into every Pizza Hut pizza. In addition, the restaurant will introduce a drive-thru featuring a "Hut 'N Go™" menu that offers a select list of "ready-now" items that can be quickly ordered and picked up at the window.

As part of Pizza Hut's commitments to doing good for the planet and the communities it serves, the new location also boasts features with sustainability top of mind, including energy-efficient lighting, auto lift fryers and energy-efficient ovens with in-vent hoods and Energy Management System (EMS). More information about Pizza Hut's commitments can be found in the recently released Yum! Brands Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report at www.yum.com/impact.  

"From its physical layout to its modern design and digital-forward capabilities, this new restaurant showcases Pizza Hut's legacy of innovation and unique ability to meet changing guest needs in ways that are distinctive to our brand," said Aaron Powell, Chief Executive Officer, Pizza Hut. "Beyond just serving delicious pizza, which we do very well, it's equally as critical that our guests enjoy a seamless experience with us that feels personalized to their tastes and needs. This restaurant format harnesses the power of these priorities and, as a result, creates magic that only Pizza Hut can offer." 

"At Pizza Hut we are laser focused on amplifying the experience for everyone who engages with our brand, and we understand that guest experience – particularly one that combines delight with digital convenience – can be a key differentiator," said Shannon Garcia, President, Global Franchise Markets and Global Operations, Pizza Hut. "For example, the digital and tech-driven features of this restaurant design in particular – from order kiosks to self-access pick-up cabinets to the digital drive-thru menu – help guests easily guide their own journey with Pizza Hut and allow our restaurant team members to better serve them."

While the restaurant concept is a first in the U.S., it is already operational in more than 80 markets around the globe, with research showing that the new design offers an enhanced guest experience while also driving more transactions and in-restaurant traffic compared to previous formats.  

"Featured in nearly 2,000 Pizza Huts worldwide, we've seen how this restaurant design brings the brand to life with a distinctive, modern exterior, an effortless blend of physical and digital touchpoints and increased human interaction around the joy of pizza. In addition, the open kitchen approach lets our guests see the magic of our team members in motion as they craft each pizza," said Joseph Call, Global Chief Development Officer, Pizza Hut.

The new restaurant replaces an older Pizza Hut format that stood at the location for 25 years. Guests who visit the restaurant will instantly notice a significant update in its exterior and interior aesthetics, which evoke a more modern look and feel.

"This location goes beyond a restaurant redesign; it embodies Pizza Hut's creativity and vision for the brand's future," said Kalen Thornton, Global Chief Brand Officer, Pizza Hut. "This opening showcases our ability to innovate and evolve, which has served our 65-year leadership in pizza culture."

Encore, a global event technology and production services provider, confirmed today the launch of its pioneering ‘Overtime Savings Program’ in the United States, along with additional people-first programs to further support its ongoing workforce in a seasonal industry.

Powered by UKG’s payroll technology, this first-of-its-kind program aims to enhance financial wellness and stability for Encore’s frontline employees, many of whom work in markets that experience seasonal ebb and flow of business volumes.

With 12,000 team members providing event technology and production services at 2,200 hotels and conference venues in 20 countries, Encore faces the same challenges common in the hospitality industry. Seasonal fluctuations often result in workers’ hours varying from ample overtime during peak times to reduced schedules in off-season periods. This seasonality makes it difficult for workers to maintain consistent earnings and creates challenges for companies to retain talent in the off season.

“Encore has always believed its team members are the heart of our story. This people-first mindset motivates us to constantly evolve our team member experience and innovate around challenges, like the impact of seasonality, that the industry previously viewed as immutable,” said Ben Erwin, president and CEO of Encore.

In addition to the Overtime Savings Program, the company launched a Seasonal Leave of Absence Program, which offers team members the flexibility to take time off during slower seasons while retaining full benefits, accruing paid time off, and maintaining their tenure. This unique program enables employees to explore other work opportunities, pursue education, or focus on personal goals without sacrificing benefits or career progression. Both the Overtime Savings and Seasonal Leave of Absence Programs are active nationwide, with plans for global expansion.

“We established the program as another way to support our team members so that they can be at their best in delivering for our customers,” Erwin added. “With this innovation, they can better plan and save their premium overtime pay for periods of the year when they might not work as many hours. Providing this capability and funding a company-paid match for a portion of the savings should motivate financial wellness and enable them to continue to build their career with Encore. Team member reactions tell us we are onto something,” he said.

With a launch just after Labor Day, usage of the UKG Wallet™ increased tenfold compared to the prior year’s period. he company offered an initial savings match, similar to a 401k program incentive match, to reward healthy financial behavior.

“Financial stress is not a problem isolated to our industry, it’s a stressor for nearly everyone,” said Charlie Young, chief human resources officer at Encore. “Nearly 70% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck¹ and Americans spent $9B in bank overdraft fees in 2023. The more we can do to reduce stress for our team members, the more focused they can be on our customers. We are successful in the event production business because of the unique combination of our technical expertise, hospitality mindset and ability to work under pressure and through challenges. Seasonal fluctuations are part of our business, but with a partner like UKG that understands every industry has unique challenges, we were able to innovate to support those unique needs to make our team members’ lives better.”

Cody Browne, a technical lead with five years of service for Encore in Las Vegas, said he will try the Overtime Savings program, in addition to accruing and saving his Paid Time Off, for the slow season in December in Las Vegas. He hopes the vacation time, in addition to the saved overtime funds, will afford him an out-of-state vacation to visit family. “I love that Encore is creating new opportunities, that’s one of the reasons I am interested in growing my career here,” he said.

Torchy’s Tacos has rolled out  SoundHound’s advanced voice AI Smart Ordering product  at all 130 Torchy’s locations. 

SoundHound’s Smart Ordering product has been trained on the entirety of Torchy’s Tacos menu, enabling it to understand even the most customized orders – from the classic Trailer Park Taco to the Green Chile Queso. Customers simply speak naturally as they would to another person, and the system will recognize orders instantly and accurately.

This voice AI ordering capability manages 100% of incoming calls, including handling multiple calls and orders simultaneously. It not only takes food orders but also answers common questions about menu items, specials, store hours, and allergen information, letting Torchy’s team members focus on preparing fresh, delicious tacos and providing excellent in-store service.

• 76% of restaurant guests say that the ease of online ordering is top consideration when ordering for off-premises, according to HT's 2024 Customer Enagement Technology Study.  
   

“At Torchy’s Tacos we want our guests to have the best experience every time they engage with the brand,” said Thai Tran, Chief Technology Officer of Torchy’s Tacos. “Partnering with SoundHound and using their Smart Ordering system, we are able to give our guests another way to easily order our food. We know that they’ll get an easy-to-use option that ensures their orders are accurate, done on time, and they get the service they have come to expect from us. And it allows our team to be more efficient so we can elevate the total guest experience.”

“As we continue to scale our AI-powered restaurant solutions, we have seen the impact they have in redefining how restaurants engage with their customers, adding an entirely new layer of convenience and efficiency,” said James Hom, Chief Product Officer of SoundHound AI. “We’re excited to work with Torchy’s Tacos to transform how guests order and experience their meals, from the first call to the first bite.”

SoundHound’s recent consumer study shows that nearly 80% of regular diners in the U.S. believe that AI voice assistants will handle most food ordering in the next few years. The company’s voice AI solutions are already deployed in over 10,000 restaurant locations, with solutions for phone, drive-thru, kiosk, headset, and other devices. SoundHound’s phone ordering technology has processed over 100 million interactions with restaurant customers, including hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of food orders.