News Briefs

Sodexo and ART have announced a partnership to deploy thousands of state-of-the-art hot food robotic kiosks across Sodexo-served facilities throughout the U.S. A culmination of Sodexo’s global leadership and ART’s progress in robotics and AI, this partnership will establish new benchmarks in the automated dining domain.

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"Our dedication to innovation in convenience, dining, and the broader evolution of food hinges entirely on technological advancements,” said Husein Kitabwalla, CEO, Tech & Services and Food Transformation, Sodexo North America. "We're excited to collaborate with ART and leverage their Just Baked Technology, further expanding our network of partners utilizing AI for food production and bringing our clients and consumers foods that transcend conventional norms."

Effective March 26, 2024, Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosks can be found at Sodexo client sites across a variety of industries, producing giant cinnamon rolls, White Castle Cheeseburger Slider 4 packs, bao buns, breakfast sandwiches, and other delectable options with a click of a button.

“We are thrilled to partner with Sodexo and its vast network of food service clients,” said Ben Porter, CEO of ART. “Sodexo’s reputation for quality and commitment to their customers is unparalleled, making them an ideal collaborator for us. The value proposition of ART’s cutting-edge technology transcends mere convenience, boasting features such as streamlined operations through automation, advanced analytics powered by machine learning algorithms, and unparalleled food service delivery to end users available round the clock. We are also excited to work with innovative food suppliers to bring new, exciting products to customers throughout Sodexo’s customer base.”

ART is a hot food technology supplier for the food service industry. With a focus on technology-forward solutions, including the Just Baked Smart Bistro automated hot food robotic kiosk, ART partners with  food service operators and venues to deliver convenience and excellence in North America. ART is shaping the future of the hot food kiosk food service industry, experienced in distribution model, delivering exceptional experiences to consumers, and creating value for our partners and investors. With its small footprint and wide variety of food options, ART is pioneering a new era of convenience and sophistication. Serving an ever-expanding array of sweet and savory hot-food options, Just Baked Smart Bistro provides venues such as colleges, hospitals, resorts, airports, and casinos with 24/7 availability. Unlike anything else on the market, Just Baked Smart Bistro has cracked the code on distribution and placement, setting a new standard for hot food technology. For more information, visit www.justbakedkiosk.com.

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.”

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. 

In 1,500 U.S. IHOP restaurants, Dine Brands Global, Inc. has upgraded to TRAY POS.

The brand is nearing the end of a roughly two-year migration initiative which set out to enable a cloud-native POS platform that could retain its current hardware stack while providing cost-effective hardware flexibility for restaurant franchisees and operators.

At MURTEC 2024, Dine Brands' CEO John Peyton shared how since 2019, it has tripled its spend on technology in a strategy that’s paying powerful returns.

Improved Operations

“This is a critical step in the evolution of our iconic brand,” said Justin Skelton, CIO and Senior Vice President of Information Technology at Dine Brands. “POS systems are essential to efficient operations and have major impacts on the guest and team member experience. Through this process, we’ve seen this technology has the power to decrease table turn times and increase tip and check.”

By updating 15-plus year-old POS systems in IHOP restaurants, the Dine Brands IT team has already been able to provide franchisees with a variety of features to improve operations, including reporting and performance analytic improvements, and more. The system’s open architecture allows for quick and robust integrations to the brand's critical platforms, from back-of-house technologies to online ordering and payment platforms.

• 71% say the ability to integrate with other systems is driving their POS purchase decisions, according to HT’s2 2023 POS Software Trends Report.

"We’ve not only modernized the IHOP guest and team member experience but have also adapted to the needs of our franchisees as the industry evolves," said Jay Johns, President of IHOP. “With new technology like server tablets, our franchisees’ team members can stay closer to our guests and ultimately provide a more efficient and joyful dining experience.”

The organization has reported over 10,000 POS server tablets being leveraged across IHOP locations using TRAY, which enable faster ordering and checkout directly at guests’ tables.

"Our collaboration with IHOP is illustrative of the industry-wide need for smart and efficient technology that can cut costs and improve efficiencies for restaurants, and is compatible with existing or new hardware," said Peter Kellis, CEO of TRAY. "Restaurants like IHOP are seeking ways to incrementally improve operations without massive spend and equipment changes, and that can be achieved with cloud-based solutions. We are proud to serve IHOP and look forward to supporting the brand for the long term."

Wow Bao unveiled a new mobile app with a fresh interface and all-in-one navigation that allows guests to order delivery anywhere, anytime from its over 700 virtual kitchens. Platforming with Lunchbox, an enterprise restaurant technology solution provider, users can now purchase Wow Bao from over 6,000 retailers nationwide all from the palm of their hand, via a fully branded custom UI.

A pioneer in technology, Wow Bao was one of the first in the industry to unveil a mobile ordering app in 2010.  Wow Bao's President and CEO Geoff Alexander shared the brand's automated vending experience during a Restaurant Technology Network Town Hall.

After several advances to its Hot Buns Club rewards program the brand required an app that consolidated ordering, earning, and tracking points and rewards. The app also incorporates Wow Bao’s CPG vertical and through Smart Commerce, enables users to link to their local grocer to purchase the product from their personal device.

Additionally, users can enter Wow Bao’s Dim Sum Palace Roblox experience through the app. Once in the experience, they can uncover clues and claim a free box of Wow Bao and enter to win bao for a year.

“The launch of Wow Bao’s new app couldn’t have come at a better time in our technology evolution, as we have always aimed to provide our fans with the most delicious food and most seamless way to enjoy it, all while earning rewards for their loyalty,” said Geoff Alexander, president and CEO of Wow Bao. “We partnered with Lunchbox because they’re a best-in-class leader in restaurant loyalty, catering, and online ordering. Their team exceeded our expectations and delivered a stellar product in record time.”

Lunchbox partnered with Wow Bao to develop a custom mobile user interface, providing the brand’s loyalists with a unique experience and further access to its products across delivery, grocery, and rewards. On developing the app and working with Wow Bao, Nabeel Alamgir, CEO and co-founder of Lunchbox said, “Geoff has been a trusted partner of Lunchbox, tapping in to advise on roadmap and strategy through our Food Tech Council – we’re honored to hand back the support, platforming one of our industry’s biggest innovators and giving their fan base more ways to order. It’s our mission to innovate alongside the brand and deliver an exceptional experience.”

Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has announced that Melco Resorts & Entertainment (Melco), owner and operator of integrated resort facilities in Asia and Europe has selected Shiji Enterprise Platform PMS to power their global portfolio of resorts. The company will begin implementation at their locations in Macau, completely transforming its current technical infrastructure.

With 5 properties located throughout Asia and Europe and a combined 8 Michelin Stars earned by its restaurants, Melco focuses on delivering an unparalleled luxury gaming and hospitality experience. Having already implemented Shiji’s innovative Infrasys Cloud POS and Shiji Payment Solution, the Melco team was looking for a PMS that could both streamline operations and provide deep insights into customer preferences to deliver an improved experience for their guests. Shiji Enterprise Platform PMS stood out for its ability to unify guest data via single guest profiles along with its universal search and top-of-the-line security features. The Shiji Enterprise Platform team worked alongside AWS Outpost teams to implement the state-of-the-art, future-proof PMS.

"We are thrilled to partner with Melco Resorts & Entertainment, a true leader in the hospitality and entertainment industry," said Kevin King, CEO of Shiji International. "Our Shiji Enterprise Platform PMS is designed to meet the unique needs of luxury hotel groups, offering next-level product functionality and data security in an easy-to-use, modern platform."

The gaming industry has some of the hospitality’s most demanding security requirements, but Shiji’s successful track record with several top luxury hotel groups worldwide proved that it could meet the challenge. Shiji Enterprise Platform PMS’s ability to balance staff visibility into guest preferences with stringent privacy guidelines makes it perfect for rapidly expanding luxury hotel groups.

"Having already worked with Shiji for several years, their quality of service, combined with their push for product refinement through innovation made them an obvious choice. Shiji Enterprise Platform PMS stood out as a product to help us modernize the way we manage our properties," said Avery Palos, Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer of Melco Resorts & Entertainment. "Its intuitive interface and robust features have allowed us to better serve our guests and streamline our operations, setting new standards for luxury hospitality."

The partnership highlights how Shiji Enterprise Platform PMS is ideally suited for the luxury hospitality sector across the globe. To learn more about Shiji's technology solutions for the hotel industry, visit www.shijigroup.com.