Optimizing Off-Prem Is Among The Common Themes In Most-Read Stories

HT’s most-read restaurant stories for February shine a light on best practices for off premises, including ghost kitchens and drive-thrus. Plus, RTN grabs a top spot for its groundbreaking restaurant tech industry news. Let’s count them down!

5)  The Benefits of Ghost Kitchens & How to Implement One
So how do ghost kitchens work and how can you implement one today? This article gives you the skinny on off-premises’ not-so-secret weapon. Read the full story here.

4)  Checkers' New Prototype Optimizes Drive-Thru
Checkers Drive-In Restaurants is heating up the QSR market with its reimagined restaurant design. Scheduled to debut this summer in Lakeland, Florida, this “restaurant of the future” format is the cornerstone of the drive-thru brand’s growth plan. HT gets the scoop on this new store design, which improves drive-thru efficiency and increases employee comfort. Read more here.

3)  3Ds Are The ‘Difference Maker’ for McDonald’s
Drive-thru, delivery and digital, or the 3Ds, made all the difference to the global QSR’s 2020. One of the brands biggest initiatives for 2021 is rolling out its loyalty program across its top six markets, including the U.S. “Our expectation is that that chicken and loyalty, not just for 2021, but frankly, for a longer-term perspective, those are probably two of the most important things we need to get done in a high quality manner,” said CEO Chris Kempczinski. Read the full article here.

2)  Report: Restaurant Managers Must Combine Digital Ordering and Loyalty
The report notes that the continued shift toward digital commerce, in which options such as curbside or in-store pickup have become table stakes, has caused a divide between what digital-first guests want from their restaurant brands and the technology investments that managers prioritize. Many restaurant managers overestimate their customers’ interest in concepts such as self-service kiosks while overlooking the features and services that truly drive customer spend. Read the executive summary and find the link to the full report here. 

1)  Restaurant Technology Network Reveals Open API Framework
Restaurant Technology Network (RTN) introduced the industry's first and only Open API Framework during a webinar on February 22. This groundbreaking industry news was one of the “founding principles” on which RTN was created. This article recaps the webinar and the 8 key principles on which the RTN Open API Framework is based. . Jim Vitek, VP of Digital Commerce for Yum! Brands said, “Overall, we're pretty excited about this…We're contributing to the architectural experience to this effort with the hope that down the road, this is going to ease integrations with other systems,” said Vitek. This article is a must-read. View it here.