— By Gregg Majewski —
Propel your restaurant forward with digital transformation.
Technology in the restaurant space is rapidly evolving as we enter a digital era. Every day, restaurants are taking new steps toward improving the guest experience. Virtual kitchens, mobile ordering and contactless payments have become commonalities, and while it may seem like a tall order, leaning into digital transformation is imperative for the evolution of a modern-day restaurant.
Digital transformation does not always involve leveraging technological advancements. For example, it can also mean compiling dining analytics and using the results to study consumer preferences, behaviors and trends. This real-time data has the power to reveal actionable insights to drive engagement, loyalty and, ultimately, sales.
Leveraging digital transformation to fuel growth is a vital factor we have adopted at Craveworthy Brands, the growing restaurant platform company home to many emerging and legacy restaurant brands, and we have found immense success with both our corporate and franchise-owned locations.
Thanks to digital transformation, we are able to operate three of our brands — Lucky Cat Poke Co., Scramblin’ Ed’s and Pastizza Pizza + Pasta — through the virtual brand model. Unlike ghost kitchens, virtual brands require no additional footprint or equipment, streamlining operations and maximizing efficiency. This also allows franchise partners to add an additional stream of revenue by having two different concepts under one roof.
Craveworthy also connects brands with solutions across all aspects of operations to help grow and build their business, including advising franchise partners on essential technology stacks that improve operational efficiencies and support sustained innovation. We rely heavily on technology to streamline all our processes and systems, understand the demands and evolving trends of the industry to take the necessary steps to stay ahead.
There are a variety of ways for a business to remain competitive in the restaurant industry – beneficial strategic partnerships, streamlining operational processes and actively engaging with guests are three core areas where digital transformation is key.
Beneficial Strategic Partnerships
Craveworthy Brands leans into strategic partnerships that drive innovation and push our company to the forefront of the restaurant industry. In early 2024, we announced a corporate partnership with Budderfly, a premier energy-as-a-service sustainability partner, in an effort to drive down energy consumption at both our corporate and franchise-owned restaurants. Budderfly’s in-house expertise and growing tech-enabled capabilities will drive maximized and long term positive outcomes for our restaurant locations over a 10-year period.
Partnerships can make or break a brand, which is why being strategic with a dual-prong beneficial partnership is so important. These collaborations have the potential to increase positive brand awareness, reach new target consumers and appeal to investors, so it is important that they are authentic, and align well with the brand’s values and goals.
Streamlining Operational Processes
Finding ways to streamline processes in the restaurant space using digital transformation enhances efficiency, adaptability and consistency. All Craveworthy’s emerging and legacy brands are all under one point-of-sale (POS) management system through its partnership with Toast, using Toast Go® 2handheld POS devices, Toast Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) and Toast Multi-Location Management. This allows for an effective way to integrate new technologies or systems across multiple brands in various locations and avoid any inconsistencies.
Leveraging data tools can help restaurants gain insights on profit margins, which directly ties in with tracking key performance indicators (KPIs.) Additionally, implementing online ordering systems and digital menus can help restaurants remain efficient in taking orders and integrating analytics from multiple sources, such as the POS system and online ordering platforms. These tools can help highlight a high-level overview of consumer trends and in-depth guest insights.
Streamlining operational processes through digital transformation allows restaurants to constantly improve their platform, ensuring ongoing success. To remain competitive in a rapidly expanding landscape, tracking KPIs, operational efficiencies and sales trends is essential. Having the most optimal systems in place ensures the brand can run smoothly and continues to quickly pivot over time.
Active Customer Engagement
It is crucial for restaurant brands to pay attention to their customer engagement. One way to do this is through digital technologies in the space that allow you to build loyalty programs and increase positive reviews.
At Craveworthy Brands, we use Olo, an end-to-end, modular technology platform to enhance the consumer experience and personalize customer engagement. The use of Olo allows us to actively expand our reach with guests online through convenient ordering and catering options.
We also use Ovation, a guest-feedback platform, to connect with customers and determine what is working well and areas of opportunity to improve. Offering guests interactive outlets to share their honest opinions on a product allows restaurant brands to stay on-track with their goals, adapt and shift within the industry.
Keeping guests engaged is key to the success and longevity of a restaurant, emerging or legacy. Fostering relationships with customers, whether through loyalty programs, surveys or reviews makes their dining experience more convenient and will help you create a thriving business as well as a loyal consumer base.
Looking Ahead to the Future
With rapidly changing consumer preferences and evolving restaurant industry trends, it is uncertain what the future of the space holds, but what we are sure of is that digital transformation and technological innovations will play a leading role in what is to come. Understanding beneficial strategic partnerships, streamlining operational processes and active consumer engagement is the key to propelling a restaurant toward success.
— Gregg Majewski is the founder & CEO of Craveworthy Brands and former CEO of Jimmy John’s. With 23+ years in the food & beverage industry in founder and senior executive roles, he has implemented and restructured company-wide operational standards, and is working to revitalize legacy brands and conceptualize and grow emerging brands.