Checkers and Rally’s bilingual drive-thru voice AI ordering Works

 

Success does leave clues and at Checkers and Rally’s restaurants focusing on their customer comes first.  Given the demand on drive-thru’s to increase and ease the speed of service Checkers and Rally’s have looked at and adopted new technology to increase drive-thru times according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

In case you had not heard Checkers, Rally's Drive-in Restaurants, and Hi Auto revealed the addition of Spanish drive-thru voice AI ordering, representing a momentous development both for the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry and for North America’s more than 50 million Spanish and bilingual speakers. Already operational at more than 350 of the restaurant group’s locations, Hi Auto’s is the world’s most widely deployed drive-thru voice AI ordering technology, and today’s announcement signifies the first of its kind for bilingual drive-thru voice AI ordering.

So after a successfully beta testing over the past two months at five of their drive-thru’s, Checkers and Rally’s is ready to expand the Spanish drive-thru voice AI rollout to more franchises and stores.

Liliam M. Lopez, president and CEO of the non-profit South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, stated, “Seventy percent of Miami Dade’s population are of Hispanic descent, so I congratulate the leadership of Checkers, Rally’s and Hi Auto on being pioneers and leading the way for other companies to follow,” … “It gives me such satisfaction to see that Checkers, Rally’s and Hi Auto are implementing a policy that their drive thru employees speak Spanish. Thank you to their leadership team, and we look forward to working with them.”

Leveraging Hi Auto’s AI and automation technologies and real-time human supervision capabilities, the new bilingual feature enables drive-thru restaurants to accurately take spoken orders and inquiries for Spanish speaking customers in real-time, further enhancing the customer experience. In fact, the Hi Auto system automatically detects the language spoken by the customer and immediately responds in that language to carry out the ordering process.

Minh Le, Chief Information Officer at Checkers & Rally’s. stated, “At Checkers & Rally’s, we understand the importance of creating an inclusive environment and meeting our customers where they are,” ... “With the addition of Hi Auto’s Spanish translation capabilities to our AI voice ordering technology at the drive-thru, we’re further enhancing guest interactions, increasing order efficiency and embracing our welcoming culture. We’re excited to partner with Hi Auto as we continue to implement Spanish translation technology to our AI-powered drive-thru’s nationwide.”

This new technology is designed to provide a seamless interaction with customers, Hi Auto’s solution allows restaurants to take orders from vehicles through a virtual assistant, permitting customers to conduct a natural conversation at ordering stations. Hi Auto is the only company that has scaled drive-thru voice AI to hundreds of stores, and Checkers is the only chain that has scaled drive-thru voice AI to hundreds of locations. Hi Auto has integrated unique customization capabilities that allow the franchisee community to support this scale.

Consider that you can now add Spanish to its extensively installed English drive-thru voice AI ordering, Hi Auto takes customers’ orders, recognizes each item, offers additional upsell suggestions and sends the order to the restaurant's Point of Sale. The company’s advanced AI technology understands complex menus, half-sentences, diverse accents, detailed requests, as well as mid-order changes made by customers.

Hi Auto’s CEO and Co-Founder Roy Baharav, stated, “To best serve our communities, restaurants need solutions that speak to all customers, and the United States is the world's second largest Spanish speaking country. Our expanded partnership with Checkers and Rally’s represents a huge breakthrough for the country’s Spanish-speaking and bilingual communities, and allows every restaurant to cater to the Spanish speaking population at any time.”

The team at Foodservice Solutions® believes that this is a very good step forward as Hi Auto’s conversational AI has revolutionized how QSRs serve their customers. The company’s solution streamlines the ordering experience, through fast and accurate automated order processing, helping to improve average speed-of-service, reduce operational costs and drive ROI. With over 95% order accuracy rate, Hi Auto enables restaurant employees to focus on other tasks to drive efficiency and reduce multitasking and stress, helping make the company’s solutions the most scalable across large numbers of restaurant locations.

Success does leave clues. One clue that time and time again continues to resurface is “the consumer is dynamic not static”.  Regular readers of this blog know that is the common refrain of Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Our Grocerant Guru® can help your company edify your brand with relevance.  Call 253-759-7869 for more information. 

The Fresh Market Great Grocerant Meals in 20 Minutes or Less

 

Consumers are time starved and don’t want to cook dinner from scratch according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. Consumers continue to look for Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared meals and meal components.  Let’s look at some recent numbers:

 

1. Recent Grocerant ScoreCards found 82.3% of consumers don’t know what’s for dinner at Noon, and 61.8 %don’t know what’ s for dinner at 4PM.
2. Roughly 63.7% of consumers purchase prepared food items from a retail location at least three times a month.
3. 79.6% all dinners have at least 1 grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat meal component and 66.6% have two meal components per day.
4. When asked if they wanted to cook dinner from scratch or assemble dinner from fresh meal components 91.3 % of Gen Z chose assemble from Fresh Prepared Meal Components and Millennials 83.4% chose meal components.
5. Seventy-three percent of retail prepared food purchases are taken to go
6. 88.2 % of consumers prefer hand held food over sit down meals with a knife and fork

 

Now The Fresh Market has rolled out six new meal kits and added another “meal deal” heading into the back-to-school season and fall celebrations.

Pay attention here: The all-in-one meal solutions serve two people and can be prepared in 20 minutes or less, the Greensboro, North Carolina-based specialty grocer said Wednesday. Each kit provides step-by-step instructions, and the meal components made fresh daily with ingredients from the retailer’s meat, seafood and produce departments.

The new meal kit varieties include chicken parmesan in marinara sauce, creamy gorgonzola sirloin steak, Madeira steak in wine and demi-glace sauce, miso ginger trout, spicy pork bulgogi rice bowl (rice in Korean barbecue sauce with red chiles, ginger, soy and honey) and chicken alfredo (with garlic and parmesan in bechamel base).

Yes, there is more for fall entertaining, The Fresh Market has introduced The Party Meal, its latest meal deal. Available through Oct. 31, the full prepared banquet includes a chicken salad slider tray (28 oz.); a ham and cheese slider tray (35 oz.); a choice of a pepperoni pinwheel appetizer tray (33 oz.) or a caprese appetizer tray (38 oz.); one The Fresh Market original guacamole (16 oz.); Zack’s Mighty Organic Tortilla Chips with Sea Salt (9 oz.); and The Fresh Market chocolate chip mini cookies (18 count).

The Party Meal is priced at $39.99, for a savings of $12, and no reheating is required, The Fresh Market noted. Customers can order online 24 hours in advance for pick-up the next day.

“These convenient and delicious meal options are designed to help busy families save time in the kitchen while still enjoying flavorful food,” The Fresh Market stated. “Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a weekend tailgate, The Fresh Market has several options perfect for any occasion.”

The Fresh Market’s new meal kits and meal deal reflect ongoing efforts by the chain to provide restaurant-quality meal options, convenient meal solutions (such as all-in-one dinners for two and Little Big Meal dinner deals for four) and occasion-focused meal offerings, with the latter including Father’s and Mother’s Day, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Super Bowl Sunday and Thanksgiving.

Foodservice Solutions® team is here to help you drive top line sales and bottom-line profits. Are you looking a customer ahead? Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Fun Works Put Barbie on Menu

 

The trend is your friend and there seems to be not stopping the momentum of Barbie the movie and everything that comes with it including restaurant sales. According to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® soon there will be ‘streaming Barbie parties’ and front and cent will be grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared menu items that are PINK just for fun.

Just think about it now, there are concepts that embraced Barbie-themed menu promotions are reporting new customers and double-digit sales lifts. Enough said. Barbie hasn’t just been a hit at the box office, several restaurant concepts big and small have also gained momentum from tapping into the cultural phenomenon.   

So, Cold Stone Creamery, for instance, is offering an All That Glitters is Pink flavor, with pink cotton candy ice cream, graham cracker crust, dance party sprinkles and whipped topping, while Pinkberry launched a Barbie Land Berry Pink Swirl, featuring dragon fruit and strawberry flavors and topped with “dream sprinkles.” The Barbie Frappuccino – a secret menu item at Starbucks – proliferated on social media shortly before the movie’s release.

As reported in local news, independents have also jumped into the moment. The SisterYard, a cold brew concept in New York City, introduced Barbie Lemonade to the menu, while Palm House Hospitality in San Francisco launched several Barbie-themed cocktails at its venues. Jacksonville, Florida’s Spoonful Bakery featured a week-long menu of Barbie-themed cookies, while Luminary Kitchen & Provisions in Springfield, Mass., offered Barbie Funfetti French Toast.

In Los Angeles, Café Landwer introduced an entire Barbie-inspired menu, including four drink options, a pink house-made hummus and pretty in pink waffle topped with pink whipped cream. Across town, Niku Nashi debuted a vegan sushi Barbie roll. Have menus ever been this pink? We doubt it.

SpotOn’s chief marketing officer, Kevin Bryla, stated, restaurants on its platform added over 200 Barbie-themed items to their menus. Most of those items are beverages or cocktails, while many are also breakfast, brunch and dessert offerings.

Bryla continued,  “Interestingly enough, nearly every category or concept of our restaurant clients has gotten in on the Barbie trend - quick service, full service, fast casual, cafes, bakeries, and bars,”

This could be just the beginning according to Johnson, it seems as though the effort has been worth it. Yami Correa, founder and co-owner of The SisterYard, said the Barbie Lemonade quickly became one of its top three best sellers since launch, for example. She called the response “overwhelming.”

“The way people have drastically and positively reacted toward the movie from the beginning has been jaw-dropping. People are excited to see Barbie at their favorite coffee shop and enjoy taking part in the community,” Correa said.

The SisterYard had not previously released a pop culture-related promotion. Correa said the draw behind this movie, however, changed their perspective.

“My sister and I were on the train and noticed that 90% of all posts were Barbie-related, so why not? I don’t think anything has been as big and easily relatable to jump on it,” she said.

The drink was pre-made in the mornings and the team only needed to know how to serve and garnish. Because of the response, and the simplicity, Correa said this experience could ignite future similar promotions for The SisterYard.

“This gave us a huge measure of how important it is to jump on these promotions to increase sales and visibility in the near future,” Correa said.

The SisterYard isn’t the only concept that is energized to do more such promotions. Benson Wang, chief at Palm House Hospitality, said his company will also continue to be opportunistic and look for movies that work well with its brands after experiencing a strong tailwind from its Barbie promotions. That tailwind included a 20-to-30% lift in sales and “a lot of first-time guests.”

“The scale of the reception with Barbie was unlike any other movie we’ve seen. The amount of positive public reception and momentum leading up to this film was unique and I think this had to do a bit with the nostalgia of the film, high marketing dollars put to work, but also a lighthearted film that cut through gender stereotypes and just gave people permission to have fun and be entertained,” Wang said. “Barbie filled a void.”

For Niku Nashi, the timing and the location were both right to leverage Barbie mania. The vegan sushi concept is located in the heart of Hollywood and the movie was released just as Executive Chef/Co-Founder Niko Zaragoza was looking to do something fun on the menu, something that people would talk about.“This checked all the boxes,” Niku Nashi’s Brad Saltzman said.

Its Barbie Roll features pink soy paper, fried oyster mushroom, pickled cabbage, plant-based caviar, plant-based spicy tuna, burdock root, and avocado. The creation, which is available until mid-September, required two days of training, but that time has paid off thus far.

“The Barbie Roll is our second highest selling dish on the lunch and dinner menu, and the highest selling dish on our delivery platforms,” Saltzman said. “We have received a lot of tags on Instagram. It makes guests smile when it’s served to their table.”

Because of this response, Chef Zaragoza said there will “absolutely more menu tie-ins like this,” and thinks Wonka, scheduled for release in mid-December, could be a good fit. That said, no plans have been solidified yet. Such a plan will require the right product and process to ensure Niku Nashi maintains its best vegan sushi in Los Angeles title, he adds.

“At the end of the day, you can have the best promotion,” Saltzman said. “But if the food isn’t incredible, it’s a moot point.”

Though it’s easy to get caught up in a short-term windfall, Niku Nashi’s patient approach should be the standard. According to Bryla, restaurants wanting to strike while a cultural moment is hot should make sure such a promotion won’t sacrifice profit.

“Restaurants already run on extremely tight profit margins,” he said. “Run the numbers and make sure the promotion makes good business sense. Leverage ingredients you already have or can easily access at a good price. Ensure it works seamlessly into your existing kitchen or bar program. And if it’s not working, don’t be afraid to end the promotion.”

It’s also important to track guest sentiment, on social media and elsewhere, to understand if a promotion is resonating with customers.

“Like all decisions in a restaurant, start with a really deep understanding of your customers, and what resonates with them. There are some bars and restaurants where Barbie makes absolute sense. And others with more of an Oppenheimer crowd. Know what works for your guests and experience,” Bryla said.

Also, once you have an idea, it’s important to promote the heck out of it – email lists, social media, two-for-one promotions when a movie ticket stub is presented, and so forth. Such efforts are often worth it.

“Restaurants are constantly competing for mindshare, especially the independents that lack the advertising budgets of larger groups. Doing something that taps into the zeitgeist gives people a reason to talk about your restaurant,” Bryla said. “That can help drive interest and traffic with new customers and give your loyal guests a reason to keep coming back.” Barbie is not going away any time soon. Get Pink it pays!

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday than tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Ready-2-Drink Try Dunkin ‘Spiked Coffees and Teas

 

Success does leave clues and after the success Dunkin had with its partnership with Harpoon Brewery IPA is anyone surprised that they are now selling ‘spiked coffee and tea?  According to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, consumers understand that meals include beverages with alcohol and they want grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat food and beverage options in every retail foodservice channel.

My of us thing that America may run on Dunkin’, and they say, but the company’s newest retail product line puts a boozy twist on that promised productivity. Dunkin’ last week unveiled Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffees and Iced Teas, available for sale in grocery and package stores across 12 states in the coming weeks.

Regular readers of this blog know that for several years, Dunkin’ has partnered with Harpoon Brewery on a popular seasonal beer collaboration with flavors such as Dunkin’ Harpoon IPA Donut and Harpoon Dunkin’ Cold Brew Coffee Porter.

Brian Gilbert, Dunkin VP of retail business development, stated, “We knew we had the opportunity to create something special when we saw the positive response to our previous seasonal collaborations for Dunkin’-inspired beers,”… “The growing appetite for adult beverages inspired us to put a twist on our customers’ favorite Dunkin’ Iced Coffee, Iced Tea and Refresher flavors.

Here is what you can get; Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffees, with an ABV of 6%, are available in Original, Caramel, Mocha and Vanilla, and can be purchased in a mixed 12-can pack, four-pack of original cans or a single, 19.2-ounce original can.

The iced coffee line will debut in early September.

Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Tea, available later this month, comes in Slightly Sweet Iced Tea, Half & Half Iced Tea, Strawberry Dragonfruit Iced Tea Refresher and Mango Pineapple Iced Tea. The line, which will be available later this month, is also available in a mixed 12-pack, a six-pack of Slightly Sweet or a single, 19.2-ounce can of Slightly Sweet. All of the teas of an ABV of 5%.

The drinks will be sold at retailers in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont.

Dunkin’ has long sold a wide range of retail products, including ground coffees and coffee pods, creamer, cold brew and more.

“Notably, the Dunkin’ Spiked line of products will not be available at Dunkin’ restaurant locations,” the Inspire Brands-owned chain noted. The Grocerant Guru® thinks that is a misstep that can be reversed over time as the brand evolves.

Success does leave clues. One clue that time and time again continues to resurface is “the consumer is dynamic not static”.  Regular readers of this blog know that is the common refrain of Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Our Grocerant Guru® can help your company edify your brand with relevance.

Wow Bao Expands Grocerant Menu Options Too Walmart

 

Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food continues to drive customer migration from among traditional food service retail channels including the restaurant sector, convenience store sector, and grocery store sector.  

According to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® consumers are driving branded customer adoption of new products and brands in all food retail channels.  There is not only and elevated awareness or meal replacement options but the quality of the meals and meal components is the underlying motivation to sample.  

Intouch Insight recently reported that the level of overall satisfaction with prepared food from convenience stores rose 7 percent year over year, according to the company's 2023 Convenience Store Trends Report, titled "Food, Fuel and the Future." However, the report also saw an 11 percent drop in those who reported being extremely satisfied with food quality at convenience stores.

Cameron Watt, president and CEO of Intouch Insight, stated, "For many years, convenience stores have made significant investments in their prepared and made-to-order food options, aiming to earn more interaction and loyalty with convenience-minded customers," ... "This shift to the middle in reported satisfaction from extremely satisfied to satisfied indicates to us that expectations are evolving, competition is increasing, and complacency is not an option."

What retail food channels is your brand in? Wow Bao, the largest ‘dumpling house’ in the U.S. announced the expansion of its nationwide presence with the addition of Walmart Inc. to its grocery partners. The partnership with the world’s largest retailer more than doubles the CPG vertical of Wow Bao’s business, from 1,000 grocery stores to over 4,000 in the continental United States.   

Geoff Alexander, president and CEO of Wow Bao, stated, “Wow Bao has realized incredible growth throughout all our channels and this partnership is a testament to how we’ve leveraged our popularity among consumers,” …. “With the addition of Walmart to our CPG channels, we are able to meet the demands of our customer base and provide them with the craveable product they expect from Wow Bao straight from their local Walmart freezer section.”  

So, Walmart stores will launch with five bao flavors including Teriyaki Chicken Bao, Mongolian-Style Spicy Beef Bao, Chinese-Style BBQ Pork Bao, Thai-Style Curry Chicken Bao, and Coconut Custard Bao. Thai-Style Curry Chicken Bao and Coconut Custard Bao are Walmart CPG exclusives. The in-store partnership is an extension of the e-commerce relationship the companies have maintained for nearly a year.  

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a 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