Most Read For June & July 2021

Summer may be in full swing, but restaurants are hard at work & making news with changes to their tech stacks including a long-awaited loyalty program, integrated delivery and edge computing. Here we count down the 5 most read stories on Hospitality Technology for the month of July.

5)  Restaurant Technology Study 2021: Building the Next Normal
Once again for July, this is among the most-read stories on HT. Now in its 23rd year, HT's Restaurant Technology Study is a respected source of strategic, data-driven insights for the restaurant industry. This year's report, Building the Next Normal, consolidates the lessons learned in 2020 and reveals the path forward as restaurants build their next normal. If you haven’t already, bookmark this report for future reference and watch the accompanying 30-minute webinar, How Restaurants are Building the Next Normal, for additional insights.

4)  Subway Rolls Out Delivery
On the heels of Subway’s largest menu update in the brand’s history, HT caught up with Renee Hourigan, Senior Director, Off-Premises Innovation at Subway, to get the scoop on the tech that made the menu update and enhanced guest experience possible. Read more.

This month, we have a tie for the third most-read article.

3)  The Connected Restaurant: How Edge, IoT and E-commerce Can Transform the Industry
ICYMI: Vadim Parizher, Taco Bell’s VP of Technology, Engineering & Analytics, delivered the keynote address at MURTEC, online everywhere April 13 and 14.

This article recaps his session where he shared the QSR’s approach to edge computing and what the connected restaurant means for Taco Bell. All MURTEC sessions are on demand in the Auditorium of the MURTEC Content Hub.
 

3)  How Boston’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar is Using Tech to Accelerate National Growth
Boston’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar experienced rapid growth even through 2020, with a 20% increase in unit growth. How did they do it? Throughout the past few years, Boston’s has been using creative tactics to accelerate growth, including opening dual-branded concepts, where they have positioned their restaurant and sports bar concept in hotels across the nation. Read more here.

2)  McDonald's Plans Nationwide Loyalty Launch
Stories about tech initiatives from the global QSR McDonald's always attract a lot of clicks. This July story, about its first nationwide loyalty program, MyMcDonald’s Rewards, was no different. MyMcDonald’s Rewards is “one key lever in reaching our digital ambition,” said CEO Chris Kempczinski in a Q1 ’21 earnings call with analysts.
Now with a nationwide loyalty program, what does this venerable brand stand to gain? McDonald's has been investing in technology to ramp up efficiencies and gain data insights. Back in 2019, McDonald’s acquired Dynamic Yield and conversational technology company Apprente. ICYMI: read this story now.

1)  Hospitality Technology Opens Nominations for the 2021 MURTEC Breakthrough Awards  
HT is always thrilled to see our own announcements rank high on the most-read lists. At the upcoming MURTEC Executive Summit, HT will present the MURTEC Breakthrough Awards, sponsored by Fortinet – to recognize restaurant technology success stories in two categories: Customer Facing and Enterprise. Good news! The deadline to apply is August 10, so you still have time to get your submission in! Read more here.

ICYMI: Here were June's most-read restaurant stories on HT:

5. Ghost Kitchen Forecast: Steaming HOT!
Market surveys indicate that half of enterprise brands will launch some form of ghost, host or cloud kitchen concept in 2021. This article, by RTN Cofounder Angela Diffly, details what industry leaders are saying about the ghost kitchen market. Read on!

4. How to Attract Top Hourly Talent
This article by Neema Ardebili, Vice President of Global Franchise & Strategic Partnerships at ADP, includes 4 tips operators can put in place for immediate results.

3. Infographic: How to Welcome Guests Back to Restaurants
This infographic, sponsored by HughesOn, details the guests’ new expectations and how you can rebuild guests’ confidence in your restaurant.

2. MURTEC 2021 Content Hub
MURTEC was online everywhere April 13 and 14. ICYMI: all MURTEC sessions are now available on demand in the Auditorium in the MURTEC Content Hub. No registration required. Just view all the great content and visit the solution center on your own schedule.

1. Contactless Transactions Are Here to Stay
Now, as our industry moves ahead on the path to recovery, are contactless solutions still an essential tool? Top restaurant technology professionals say yes in this HT exclusive.