Moe's Opens Kiosk-Only Restaurant focuses on Fresh and Fast

Success does leave clues, and today consumers want grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food that is flavorful, fresh, with fast service.  According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® kiosk-only outlets can drive incremental top line sales and bottom-line profits for one restaurant or a chain of restaurants.  

At the intersection for marketing messaging, technology, and relevant consumer touchpoints kiosk help brands get closer to consumers at a lower cost. COVID-19, has un-ended traditional retail food channels and Moe’s Southwest Grill has not only managed to stay open, but evolved to bring in revenue, engage with their customers in new ways and fast-tracked innovation.

Here is the best part of this kiosk according to Johnson, it helps drive more contactless ordering options that drive consumer relevance in the time of COVID-19. Combine that with additional sanitation efforts that have been put in place in accordance with CDC guidelines and consumer adoption will very likely follow.  

Today, consumer have embraced a more digital-first dining experience, this restaurant is a natural next step. The kiosk-only restaurant, owned and operated by Moe’s multi-unit franchisee, Mike Geiger, also features Moe’s new brand design.

This is just the latest in a string of new product offerings and technological advancements the brand has put into place since March of this year. Other examples include:

·         A completely revamped app, which launched earlier this month

·         Launch of Taco Kits for easier family-style dining at home

·         The announcement of Moe’s Market, where stores would sell bulk ingredients that were in low stock at local markets.

·         Free delivery via the Moe’s app March 16-April 17

·         Ramped up curbside dining

How are you reducing cost, extending your brand messaging, while driving top line growth?

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

The Italian Place, Smaller Footprint for Fresh Food Fast

Many restaurateurs can’t pay the rent in a 10,000 sq. ft. building when consumers are hesitant to come in and eat dinner?  Consumers are dynamic not static and restaurant operators must be as well.  Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes “The Italian Place is evolving with consumer relevance with a sustainable business model.”

When the consumer moves, restauranteurs must move with them or risk capitulating customers according to Johnson.  The grocerant niche filled with fresh food fast has been driving customer adoption in ever sector of foodservice for the past 20 years continues to do so according to Johnson.

So, it was a natural pathway an appropriate time to evolve for The Italian Place during the COVD-19. It’s new strategy is to leverage self-serve kiosks to streamline its ordering process, maintain consistency and enhance convenience and safety for customers.

Given that The Italian Place is an emerging hot concept at the start of its franchising journey, they spent significant time and investment in technology that has empowered them to evolve faster than many legacy chains. Smaller footprints, fresh food, fast is one of key hallmarks of the grocerant niche that consumers are most fond of and The Italian Place aims to edify its brand with relevant consumer trends.

Adriana Penachio-Sifakis, founder of The Italian Place  stated “We pivoted fast, communicated with our customers, and pursued opportunities to build efficiencies and add profitability to our model,”  “We added pizza to our menu, leveraging the latest ventless technology to cook the pies in 90 seconds at more than 900 degrees, which enabled us to increase revenue and profitability over the past few months.”

New ventless technology is clearly a growth differentiator, The Italian Place is doubling down on its portable self-serve kiosks. Customers are also able to quickly review products, pairings and process their orders independently with additional payment options like Apple Pay.

Penachio-Sifakis continued “In light of what’s happening in the world today and how it has impacted folks in the food space, online ordering and self-serve kiosk ordering has made a significant difference,”. “The kiosks provide a seamless process for customers to quickly place their order in our busy and fast-paced world, and with a global pandemic, they appreciate the convenience factor even more now than ever before.”

Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart stated “Concepts with built-in technology are thriving and continuing to see sales growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and emerging chains should take notice,” … “Investing in technology may seem like an unnecessary gamble for an emerging concept, but in these unprecedented times, operators are seeing first-hand how crucial it is to remain adaptable and nimble. Technology can play a key role in a concept’s ability to pivot and address changing customer behaviors.” Are you looking a customer ahead?

? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® 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 the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Chain Restaurants Embrace Technology yet ask How Much is Too Much

Foodservice Solutions®, own Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson sold the first Seven national restaurant chains Online Order Software platform right after the movie The Net came out while working on a contract with CyberSlice / Food.com; now that was back in the day.

Then, like now, new technology took some time to catch on, Online ordering was nonexistent beck then and sales of takeout food for the restaurant industry was close to 2.4%. In 2019 60% of U.S. consumers order delivery or takeout once a week.

Mobile / Online ordering today is normal, taken for granted what is new is how it is become faster, more efficient, once again some are call for technology advances to slow down while others are going full steam ahead.

Recently, PopID, announced that it is launching its facial recognition platform in self-ordering kiosks at Dairi-O, one of the fastest growing restaurant concepts in America. Using PopID, Dairi-O customers will be able to conveniently and instantly pull up their favorite customized orders and pay for their meals without needing a card or phone. So, what do you think of that?

Dairi-O intends to install the PopID software in all of its locations in the first half of 2020. Chief Executive Officer of Dairi-O "We love how PopID makes it so easy for our customers to re-order their favorite items in a matter of seconds, resulting in shorter lines during peak hours and faster delivery of food to customers”… “Additionally, our customers can pay for their food without reaching into their wallets and fumbling through cards.”

Success does leave clues Dairi-O is an is an old company that has been around since 1947, with new technology but they are not alone. Dairi-O is preparing for a major wave of expansion. Currently, the brand has one of the highest average unit volumes in the industry and is the most recent chain to follow a growing list of small and medium sized restaurant brands using PopID, including CaliBurger, Deli Time, Plant Power, Rounds Bakery, Global Village Cafe, Saola, Treehouse, Ray's, Coffee House and Milkcow Cafe. In these stores, consumers generally prefer to use PopID to login to their loyalty accounts on kiosks, with kiosk logins reaching up to approximately 1,500 times per week at some locations.

Of those consumers that use PopID to login, approximately 75% also use it to pay. Further, transaction times for those using PopID are generally three times faster than for non-PopID users. “One of the oldest and most successful fast casual concepts in the country is leading the [quick-service] industry into the future of food,” says John Miller, Chairman of Cali Group and CEO of PopID. “We look forward to sharing the magic of digital identity with Dairi-O customers.”

So, are you looking a customer ahead or are you waiting to see what is next?  Does your brand look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why?  Are you evolving with consumers today? Or are you watching consumers?

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

Customer Facing Technology too Speed Throughput at Wawa

Wawa excels at understanding customer relevance according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  So last week when all of us learned that an 11-Year-Old Hacked Into a U.S. Voting System Replica in 10 Minutes we all instantly understood what Gen Z and Millennials have been telling us; without technology our companies will not be moving forward they expect it and are better with it than we are.

Wawa Inc. recently rolled out a pilot of checkout kiosks at its Broad and Walnut streets c-store in Philadelphia. The separate checkout counter on wheels accepts card payment only.  Set on rolling swivel casters, the moveable setup consists of a small counter to place drinks, food or other purchases while customers are being rung up. It is outfitted with a barcode scanner, a credit card reader and a plastic bagging station all within a total footprint no bigger than a mailbox.

The Broad and Walnut streets c-store is the only one in the City of Brotherly Love currently testing the mobile registers, in addition to a few of the busier stores at the Jersey Shore.

Lori Bruce, corporate spokesperson for Wawa, confirmed to Billy Penn that the company is officially giving the checkout alternative a try. "We are always testing new ways to improve convenience and the customer experience," she wrote in an email. "[A]t this time, we don't have a lot of details available."

How are you garnering respect from tomorrow’s customers today?  Are your meeting today’s customer’s expectations or does your company look more like yesterday than tomorrow?  When an 11 year old can ‘hack’ into our election system in 10 minutes what expectations do you think they have for your service system, technology or food delivery platform?

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 Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/ or twitter.com/grocerant

At RaceTrac New Made-to-Order Food is the Future

RaceTrac entered the Florida market expanding its’ brands reach and recently they edified that reach with a new template concept convenience store that feature a full made-to-order, fresh prepared food program elevating freshness and brand relevance.

Regular readers on the East Coast of the US the battle for a larger share of stomach in the retail food space has nearly created consumer choice over-load according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® as 7-Eleven, Sheetz, Rutter’s, and Wawa have all targeted restaurant customers with new and improved fresh food offerings.

RaceTrac’s elevated fresh food includes sandwiches, wraps, a specialty hot and cold beverage bar with barista-style smoothies and shakes, and all-day breakfast items. Guests customize and order their meals on a touchscreen kiosk, and then can watch the store staff prepare their food.

To be sure this new ‘deli-based’ food concept replaces RaceTrac’s previous venture into made-to-order foodservice with the Speedy Avocado Mexican Grill getting more in line with customer expectations and grocerant niche industry norms according to Johnson.

The new concept RaceTrac is a meal 5,500-square-foot unit where customers can customize their breakfast sandwiches at an electronic kiosk. Other offerings include three different types of subs, four sandwiches, and one wrap; and made-to-order whole pizza, personal pan pizza and pizza slices. In addition, an extensive grab-and-go offering includes items from three roller grills the mainstay of convenience stores of yesterday.

Race Trac with this new concept store is moving more in-line with grocerant niche customers empowering choice, adding more and more fresh food and deemphasizing the roller grill. Is your brand evolving with consumers? 

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.