Kieran Donahue

ICYMI I just republished our chat with Mason Wiederhorn, Chief Brand Officer of FAT Brands Inc., covering our digital experience design and development work for Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery Here's why it matters to you: 1. It's the first COBRANDED experience built on Olo* 2. It's the first 3D product builder built on Olo* 3. The episode is full of strategic thinking and pathways that will inspire every restaurant marketing leader As you journey into 2025, fully custom digital experiences for your brands are an absolute must if you plan to remain competitive and see uplift in order counts, AOVs, loyalty, and decreases in failed orders and order inaccuracies. Period. At Rapturous, we build fully integrated digital experiences for solely for restaurants that create joyously revolutionary results for brands looking to gain momentum. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how digital experiences for restaurants could be even better. Put on your dreamer hat and comment below! #restaurantstrategy #olo #onlineordering #integration #digitalexperience #CX #customerexperience #snacks #cobrand #tribrand #website #restaurantwebsite #restaurantplatform #platform #UX #userexperience #UXdesign https://lnkd.in/eWs2EcCe

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📅 Today at 1 PM EST: I’m excited to chat with Kevin Hart from Upside this afternoon! 🎙️ We'll be diving into how businesses can avoid the value menu frenzy 🍔 and, more importantly, how to drive in-store traffic 🛍️ 🚶 . Ill be discussing: 🏆 Success stories from Roy Rogers Restaurants 🎖️ Effective strategies to provide real value beyond blanket discounting 👏 Strategic resource allocation and building loyalty Would love for you to tune in!  👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eBDHTZ7A #RestaurantStrategy #RoyRogers #CustomerLoyalty

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In an industry growing 20% YoY, with $250 million in sales during 2024's first half, innovation isn't just a differentiator—it's a necessity. 🚀 As AI reshapes last-mile delivery and business models evolve beyond meals, the future belongs to those who can adapt, scale, and deliver unparalleled experiences to both restaurants and consumers. The race for profitability is heating up, and those who balance tech, customer-centricity, and financial discipline will emerge as industry leaders. 🌐 #Innovation #TechForGood #FoodDelivery https://lnkd.in/eSgkXbrW

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What can restaurant brands can learn from Jaguar’s highly debated rebrand? Spoiler: it’s not just about logos and campaigns—it’s about delivering on what matters most to your guests. If you’re a restaurant leader focused on growth, loyalty, and digital innovation, this is a must-watch/listen. Here's what I cover in under 5 minutes! ✅ Why Identity Alone Isn’t Enough: Discover how product quality and guest experience power lasting brand success. ✅ Clarify Your Purpose: How to avoid being “everything to everyone” and build strong, memorable guest connections. ✅ The Role of Technology: Learn why your mobile app, kiosk, and drive-thru experiences are central to guest satisfaction today. ✅ Winning with Rebranding: Fix the fundamentals first—your product, service, and ease of use—before refreshing your look. 🎯 Key Takeaway: “Make your digital experience easy, lovely, and something guests want to use over and over. Then, build your brand identity around it.” Comment with your thoughts and please do share with this with your network. #LittleRaps #RestaurantInnovation #RebrandingTips #DigitalExperience #GuestSatisfaction #restaurantstrategy #jaguar #jaguarrebrand #restauratntechnology #techstrategy #restaurantmarketing

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Include the cost of delivery in your item price versus separating it out….so says the data presented by Andrew Custage of Medallia who questioned customers on their preferences - here at Food On Demand 2024. What does your restaurant do on pricing delivery? The Digital Restaurant #fooddelivery #pricing

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You may order sauce on the side but it's still the main attraction. 🎡 Don't take it from me! Peep this Nation's Restaurant News article highlighting the QSR sauce BOOM 💥 → According to Innova Market Insights, 39% of consumers are most likely to try new flavors through sauces, seasonings + toppings. → Technomic, Inc. reports that 34% of consumers consider what sauces are available before deciding on a place to eat. → And Datassential shows that more than half of consumers have purchased a new sauce or condiment from a restaurant in the past 3 months. In a foodservice climate starving for new traffic, sauce-centric LTOs featuring new + exciting flavors on familiar menu items (e.g. 🍗 + 🍟 + 🍔 + 🌮) can be your most operationally friendly + craveworthy solution. Something I know for sure: There is one midwesterner who will *always* drive through for a new ranch flavor extension. 🙋‍♀️ -- What's your go-to, gotta-have-it, will-go-out-of-your-way-for-it sauce? 👀👇

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What's Shake Shack's (not so) secret strategy for growing amidst the rising costs of doing business? It's built around 4 key elements... Positioning: ↪ Maintaining a premium brand positioning focused on high-quality ingredients, hospitality, and experience. ↪ Avoid undercutting their brand with dollar menu promos and instead offer "added value" through promos and LTOs Marketing: ↪ Amplify the brand story with new packaging, store designs, and timely offers to educate customers on what sets them apart Technology: ↪ Kiosks are their largest and most profitable channel ↪ Smart upselling capabilities on app/web orders boost check sizes Labor: ↪ Testing a new model that lets stores optimize for format, menu, and channel mix based on their customers, giving them more autonomy and ownership over outcomes The results? 💰13 straight quarters of same-store sales growth For fast-casual brands, there's a lot to unpack here, but there are some great insights other brands can apply to their strategy going forward. #restaurants #restauranttech

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Exciting news! Craveworthy Brands has added another industry legend to its Advisory Board and welcomed him as a partner. Perry Miele brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to our team, and we can't wait to see what new verticals he helps us build in the future. It may not be as big as buying three companies in a week, but to us, this is a huge deal. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from Craveworthy Brands! #AdvisoryBoard #NewPartner #CraveworthyBrands

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This study sheds light on the evolving consumer drinking habits over the past four years post-COVID-19. The research highlights the profound influence of health and wellness concerns on altering drinking behaviors across all age groups. For more cohort-specific insights, check out the study here: https://lnkd.in/gJ5ED32f

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Callout to all #marketing folks in my network! Do brands respond to 3rd party delivery reviews? If yes, manually? If no, why not? Thanks Guys!, Nathan Casey Spencer Perkins Christine Ferris Justin Bartek Ivan Matkovic Nicholas Bucciero Christine Lorusso Srishti V. Handa Shant Anassian, MBA Beth Franklin Brandy Blackwell Colette MacLean Gonca Esendemir Sarah Allen Dallas Massey #restaurants #delivery #reviewmanagement

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DING DING DING - ROLLL CALL!! This Wednesday (11/13) at 1pm EST, we're collaborating with PAR Punchh and VYTAL to bring the deep Gen Z insights on Restaurant Loyalty. A flavor revolution is cooking in the restaurant industry. Gen Z diners are bringing fresh ingredients to the loyalty table. The webinar is totally free while seats last! Here's what we're digging into the following: 1. What really drives Gen Z's restaurant loyalty? 2. The role of psychology in their decisions 3. Fresh takes on rewards that resonate with Gen Z Register here and do it now! https://lnkd.in/e8mBS723 #genz #restauranttrends #trends #generationz #restaurantstrategy #restaurantoperations #restaurantmarketing #marketingstrategy #operationsstrategy #strategy #genzstrategy

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There are probably a lot of parallel opportunities here for chain restaurant and c-store chain operators...if they are willing to lean in and make the appropriate investments in the Future of Everything.

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As inflation continues to put the squeeze on wallets in 2025, it’s more important than ever to know how your customers define “value.” Wendy’s customers tell us it’s more than a price point. It’s having choice and variety in the premium menu items they want for themselves and their families. Listen to your biggest fans, not your competitors -- that’s what guided our 2 for $7 offer. https://lnkd.in/gkUBaPEt

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What's one panel you will not miss at the QSR Summit this week? The Future of Digital Transformation in the Fast Casual & QSR Industry - Navigating the current landscape: Examining the challenges posed by escalating expenses when making investments in restaurant technologies - Rethinking the omnichannel strategy: reprioritizing the areas of focus in creating an efficient and effective omnichannel approach that boosts revenue generation and customer experience - Reclaiming guest relationships: Building an integrated ecosystem across all channels to deliver a personalized guest experience that offers consistency across all touchpoints - Leveraging partnerships: collaborating with your vendors to best utilize your tech stacks and leverage data to develop actionable insights ➡️ Julie Wade, Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe ➡️ Dave “Rev” Ciancio, Handcraft Burgers and Brew ➡️ Sam Stanovich, Big Chicken TUESDAY | JUNE 11, 2024 9:05 a.m. Discover more: https://bit.ly/QSRSummit Use code REVITUP for a discounted ticket! #qsrsummit #fastcasual #conference #restaurantbusiness #restauranttech #restaurantowners #restaurantmarketing #restaurantindustry #restaurantowner

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From Morning Brew early today: ECONOMY What’s going on with US consumers? Welcome to understanding the American consumer, where everything feels made up and the analysts’ interpretations don’t matter. A spate of recent disappointing earnings reports from fast-food chains hints that consumers are stretched way too thin. But companies like Shopify and Carnival are touting stellar Q2s and painting a very different picture. So, what’s the state of everyone’s wallets? Well—and you’re going to hate this—it’s complicated. One thing to keep in mind is that the US economy GREW more than expected last quarter, jumping 2.8%. Strong consumer spending helping it get there. How people spent their money tells a story: >> Chicken nuggets don’t feel worth it >> McDonald’s reported its worst sales since the start of the pandemic, blaming its price increases. >> Yum Brands said KFC and Pizza Hut also saw same-store sales drop last quarter, while sales at Taco Bell (the fast-food chain that pops into your head when you think “value”) increased. >> Chipotle sales grew 18% from April to June, demonstrating that it’s not about the lowest price point, it’s about the most bang for your buck, including operational excellence and consumer experience. People are still shopping: Amazon, Etsy, and Wayfair have all blamed everything from the Olympics to picky customers to explain why shopping on their sites has slowed down. But people are still shopping somewhere because Shopify, which powers much of e-commerce, beat Wall Street expectations last quarter. Execs chalked it up to a more diverse set of businesses on its platform despite “a mixed consumer spend environment.” Big picture: Despite a flop in the July jobs report last week and a scary reaction from the stock market, most economists (not Jamie Dimon) agree that we aren’t on the verge of a recession...signs are more than likely pointing to normalization after a tumultuous pandemic recovery. If interested in considering Morning Brew as one of your early daily reads, you can sign up here: https://lnkd.in/dfeMNM5t

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What's one panel you will not miss at the QSR Summit next week? The Future of Digital Transformation in the Fast Casual & QSR Industry - Navigating the current landscape: Examining the challenges posed by escalating expenses when making investments in restaurant technologies - Rethinking the omnichannel strategy: reprioritizing the areas of focus in creating an efficient and effective omnichannel approach that boosts revenue generation and customer experience - Reclaiming guest relationships: Building an integrated ecosystem across all channels to deliver a personalized guest experience that offers consistency across all touchpoints - Leveraging partnerships: collaborating with your vendors to best utilize your tech stacks and leverage data to develop actionable insights ➡️ Solomon Choi, Jabba Brands ➡️ Julie Wade, CFE, Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe ➡️ Dave “Rev” Ciancio, Handcraft Burgers and Brew ➡️ Samuel Stanovich 🐔, Big Chicken TUESDAY | JUNE 11, 2024 9:05 a.m. Discover more: https://bit.ly/QSRSummit Use code REVITUP for a discounted ticket! #qsrsummit #fastcasual #conference #restaurantbusiness #restauranttech #restaurantowners #restaurantmarketing #restaurantindustry #restaurantowner

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The push for lower prices often leads to short-term gains, but it can undermine brand loyalty. Today’s consumers are looking for more than just a meal—they seek an experience that resonates with their values and lifestyle. The value equation includes community engagement and social responsibility. Brands that demonstrate genuine commitment to these aspects can foster deeper connections with their customers. Technology plays a key role in speed of service through kiosks, mobile apps & AI for drive-throughs. Finance has a greater job as strategic partners understanding consumer trends for marketing and decision data for operations. Adapting to these changing expectations is essential for survival in any consumer facing brand. Those that innovate and prioritize customer experience will likely thrive, while others risk becoming obsolete. What specific strategies do you think brands should implement to better align with these expectations?

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Recently reflecting on our industry's pricing strategy, it's clear that continuous price hikes without considering customer impact is unsustainable. While some opt for discounts and added value to drive transactions, perhaps there's a better way. How can we ensure fair pricing adjustments that benefit both customers and businesses alike? 🤔 #PricingStrategy #CustomerCentricity https://lnkd.in/gWww7EXV

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QSRs, we need to talk about your value proposition 3 years of inflation means your price advantage is gone Now you're competing with fast casual brands like Cava and Chipotle on: ⏩ Quality ⏩ Health consciousness ⏩ Sustainability ⏩ And even speed of service QSR's have two options: 💵 Align pricing with perceived quality (already seeing major QSRs launch value offerings) 🍔 Level up your food quality and sourcing For many, it will be a combo of both based on their customers. But standing still isn't an option

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