— By Dan Hyman — Davanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies invests in staff with bold new software. For more than four decades, Davanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies has been a fixture in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. And now, with 20 locations, it has firmly cemented its role as not only a local mainstay but also a direct competitor to many of the national chains in its market. It’s why when tasked with the challenge of how to better train its employees and, more importantly, retain such employees and …
— By Colin Trethewey — Local Pizza Co. depends on technology to maintain profitability through challenging times. The Local Pizza Co. story began in early 2019 when owner Milen Kolev decided to bring a novel pizza concept to St. Petersburg. Drawing on his Mediterranean roots, Kolev envisioned a pizza restaurant and Mediterranean market serving healthy food made with fresh ingredients sourced from local vendors. The store, located at 1846 62nd Ave. N, opened to less than auspicious circumstances in February 2020, just as the coronavirus pandemic was taking hold. …
Tampa, Fla. — Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. has appointed Astrid Isaacs to chief technology officer for Bloomin’ Brands. She will lead the company’s technology strategy and platforms, while overseeing the IT, digital and loyalty teams. Isaacs will also join the executive leadership team. “Astrid’s proven ability to develop and implement technology to enable growth and enhance customer service, while improving productivity, will create a great deal of value for our customers and our company,” says David Deno, chief executive officer of Bloomin’ Brands. “Digital connections, whether with our customers, our operators …
Montréal — Lightspeed Commerce Inc., the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale and create exceptional customer experiences, has launched the all-new Lightspeed Restaurant, a unified hospitality commerce and point-of-sale (POS) platform. Through strategic global acquisitions, Lightspeed has combined the power of Upserve, Gastrofix, Kounta and iKentoo with new solutions and modules, to simplify processes and enable merchants to build thriving businesses for the future. This best-in-class solution built through years of strategic investments and innovation, brings together an innovative POS, contactless integrated payments, online ordering, …
San Diego — Jack in the Box, Inc. has named Doug Cook as senior vice president and chief technology officer after an interim stint in the same position. Cook brings more than 20 years of industry experience to Jack in the Box. Before joining Jack in the Box, he was with Pizza Hut and Sonic. Cook most recently served as interim chief technology officer of Jack in the Box, effectively leading the technology team and strategy during his interim period. Prior to that, Cook served as chief information officer at …
— By Eric Symon — Keeping restaurants connected to enhance the customer experience. One of the biggest challenges that restaurant owners face is implementing technological advancements to stay current with customer demands. According to a recent survey conducted by Panasonic, 100% of foodservice operators found that the COVID-19 pandemic intensified their sense of urgency to adopt transformational technology. As the industry experiences challenges with labor and an increase in customer preferences for touchless options, adopting such technologies is even more important. Additionally, today’s customer has new priorities whether …
57% of consumers believe restaurant employees have more control over their experience than the brand itself. Chicago — Labor demand is continuing to outstrip labor supply by a wider margin despite record job openings. The hospitality industry is just one industry taking hard hits, with some restaurants reporting temporarily closing or cutting hours due to the labor shortage. But just as restaurants look to robotics, apps and digital tools to fill the voids in the frontline workforce, consumers are pressing pause, expressing their desire for more human experiences. Big Red …
Newton, Mass. — Paytronix Systems, Inc., an advanced digital guest experience platform, has partnered with Kansas City restaurant management group KC Hopps to leverage its Paytronix Order & Delivery to open two takeout-only establishments bearing the name Stroud’s Express. The new restaurants are located in Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Mission, Kan. When COVID-19 restrictions shut down indoor dining rooms, KC Hopps took advantage of Paytronix Order & Delivery to start a new brand, Stroud’s Express. An offshoot of the original Stroud’s, a Kansas City institution since 1933, the Express locations …
Atlanta — Krystal Restaurants LLC, the original quick-service restaurant chain in the South, recently named Steve Patel its new vice president of information technology. Patel will lead information technology for the brand and its nearly 300 restaurants. He is a seasoned IT professional with more than 22 years of experience. “Steve’s extensive experience and proven results in IT paired with his innovative and strategic mindset makes him a valuable asset for our organization as we look to expand our brand with systems that will improve services and processes for our …
— By Ara Aslanian — How to reopen your restaurant free of cyber concerns. Despite an apocalyptic prediction last year, only 14% of restaurants closed permanently during the pandemic. After a dark winter of to-go-only orders or limited capacity, restaurants are finally seeing the light and preparing for the coming summertime boom as the dining restrictions lift across the country. However, while restaurants are rushing back to full operation, many are doing so without running a thorough IT upgrade and cybersecurity check. The pandemic has seen a surge in …
