BP and VISA Team-Up Rivels Restaurant Rewards

 

Chain restaurants loyalty programs continue to gain popularity, drive sales, garnering new brand aficionados not to be out done there is one convenience store who’s new partnership will garner as must attention as any restaurant program and just might be the best food focused loyalty program in the U.S. according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Now take a look how BP is teaming with the First National Bank of Omaha (FNBA) and Visa to launch the new BPme Rewards Signature Visa credit card, a modern take on the traditional fuel card will drive new electricity into the BP brand and garner incremental revenue and foodservice attention.

BP seeks to improve customer benefits by combining the power of BPme Rewards with traditional credit card advantages, such as cash back rewards and flexible redemption options.

So, the BPme Rewards Signature Visa is an enhanced credit card offer built upon the existing BPme Rewards loyalty program. The BPme app makes it easy for users to pay, view receipts, track rewards and more through their mobile phone.

Lisa Blalock, vice president of marketing for BP, stated, "We put our customers at the heart of everything we do, this new BPme Rewards Visa gives the best rewards to our most loyal customers," … "We have enhanced the rewards, provided more choice in the way our customers can redeem and made it simple to save money on all fuel and convenience store purchases at BP and Amoco."

According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.” 

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, smaller footprint, developing brands, fresh flowers, grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable according to Johnson. 

Now, in case you did not know the BPme Rewards Visa can be used anywhere Visa is accepted. This provides cardholders with greater spending power and opportunities to earn rewards, the company said.

Benefits available at BP and Amoco c-stores include:

·         An automatic 15 cents off every gallon of BP and Amoco fuel purchases;

·         Five percent cash back on non-fuel purchases at BP and Amoco stores, including c-store and car wash purchases; and,

·         A special introductory offer of 30 cents off every gallon on BP and Amoco fuel purchases in the first 60 days after account opening.

Additionally, rewards available on other purchases include:

·         Three percent cash back on grocery purchases;

·         Three percent cash back on dining purchases, including restaurants, take-out and food delivery services; and,

·         One percent cash back on all other qualifying purchases.

Cardholders can redeem rewards their way, choosing from options such as cash back, account statement credit, gift cards from major retailers and travel experiences.

This might be the best part, there is no annual fee for the BPme Rewards Signature Visa, which has unlimited rewards potential, according to BP.

Jerry J. O'Flanagan, FNBO executive vice president, partner customer segment, stated, "We are honored to have the opportunity to work with such a well-known and highly regarded global brand as BP, and are confident their customers will find this new card to be of exceptional value," said.

More information on the new BPme Rewards Signature Visa is available at BPmeVisa.com/Launch.

Chicago-based BP's U.S. retail presence spans 7,300 sites in 35 states, including BP, ARCO/ampm, Amoco and Thorntons. BP has different retail models across the United States, ranging from company-owned retail stores, strategic partnerships, brand licensing, wholesale, business-to-business, dealer owned and franchise owned.

Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Foodservice Workers Worry as Cashierless Checkouts Mushroom

Technology continues to become a foodservice workers job killer but a foodservice operators savior according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. Now Mastercard has entered the cashierless checkout fray in a big way with several industry leading food retailers with pilots it’s launching at convenience stores and drive-through QSRs including Circle K, Dunkin’ and White Castle.

So, working with Accel Robotics, Mastercard has developed technology enabling consumers to check out without clerk assistance at any type of retail store from a restaurant to a pharmacy. Once again evolving retail foodservice pain-points with solutions that save the operator money but cost employees jobs.

The new Mastercard, Shop Anywhere platform will launch in October at select Circle K locations in the U.S. and Canada, where consumers can pay for gas and make in-store purchases via an app, eliminating the need to wait in line, according to Mastercard.

Even Dunkin’ will test Mastercard’s cashierless checkout solution at an undisclosed store where customers can walk in and pick up beverages and food without any face-to-face interaction. This solution will work for Delaware North, which operates sports venues and casinos, will enable Shop Anywhere for on-site food and beverage sales, and they will be testing it as well.

Once again at some White Castle stores, Mastercard in October is launching a frictionless order-and-pay service for motorists called AI-Powered Drive Through. SoundHound Inc. and Rekor Systems are providing technology for the drive-through service, which leverages vehicle recognition, voice ordering and artificial intelligence, Mastercard said in the release. Is there no end to this No.  If success does leave clues and it does technology will elevate operational efficiencies and chain foodservice operators will adopt, adapt, and re-assess operating metrics.  

Mastercard’s cashierless solution centers on grocerant niche grab-and-go shopping, expanding merchants’ ability to serve customers quickly, including outside of normal opening hours, and clearly reducing labor cost.

This is nothing new as Mastercard has dabbled in cashierless checkout before. In 2017 the Mastercard collaborated with AVA retail on frictionless checkout for WeWork’s Honesty Market, and it’s not the only card network exploring the concept. The foodservice industry is dynamic not static are you evolving fast enough?

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

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