Marketing

  • Grimace Celebrating Birthday with McDonaldland Friends
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s brings back Grimace for birthday party nostalgia

    The chain says it's meeting fans at the "intersection of nostalgia and culture" with a Grimace-themed purple shake, an 8-bit video game and a new ad. 

    By Chris Kelly • June 7, 2023
  • Chick-fil-A
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    Retrieved from Chick-fil-A on May 07, 2020
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    Chick-fil-A boosts order personalization on app

    App users can add ingredients to menu items via a tap-to-add or tap-to-subtract feature starting June 12, and some tweaks will cost extra. 

    By • June 6, 2023
  • T-Pain stands in front of a Wendy's
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s and T-Pain remix ‘Buy U A Drank’ for Frosty push

    In yet another cultural play, the fast food chain becomes the latest to collaborate with a musician to turn a fan-favorite song into a brand-ready jingle.

    By Chris Kelly • June 1, 2023
  • A hand holding a phone with an image promoting Panda Express' new rewards program.
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    Courtesy of Panda Express
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    Panda Express launches loyalty program nationwide

    The chain’s rewards scheme offers consumers 10 points for every dollar spent, with redemption possible after consumers accrue 200 points.

    By • May 30, 2023
  • Two business owners standing in front of their restaurant named Gadzooks on a sunny day.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Sponsored by Square

    How this growing QSR uses tech to handle restaurant craziness

    Learn how a restaurant chain owner uses Square technology to keep his orders flowing.

    May 30, 2023
  • An image of customers sitting inside a restaurant.
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    Permission granted by TaKorean
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    How restaurants can get a slice of Gen Z’s $360B spending power

    This generation's prioritization of time, social media and altruism — combined with a comparative mistrust of tech — sets it apart from millennials and Gen X.

    By • May 25, 2023
  • A branded image for BentoBox.
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    Courtesy of BentoBox
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    BentoBox: Reservation platforms are least popular tool for restaurant search

    Most diners rely on recommendations from friends and family, or on social media posts, when weighing new restaurants to try, per a survey. 

    By • May 25, 2023
  • A muscular video game avatar with a red boxing glove and blue vest stands next to a red chili.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle gears up for a fight with Street Fighter 6 activation

    The fast casual giant is rewarding consumers who make digital orders with in-game currency and trading free food for viewing time on Twitch.

    By Sara Karlovitch • May 25, 2023
  • A hand holds a phone with an image of On the Border's loyalty rewards program on the screen. Behind is a large bowl of queso.
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    Courtesy of On the Border
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    On the Border shifts toward tiered loyalty

    The chain joins the likes of El Pollo Loco and Sweetgreen, which now offer different rewards levels, as pressure on brands to differentiate offerings grows.

    By • May 24, 2023
  • A customer scans his palm with an Amazon One device at a Panera cafe.
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    Courtesy of Panera
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    NFTs, personalization and biometric pay are shaping restaurant loyalty

    At the National Restaurant Association Show, experts and operators discussed how restaurants are innovating their rewards to stay competitive as inflation erodes diner spend. 

    By • May 22, 2023
  • An image of a menu board inside Fat Brand's first tri-branded location
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Fat Brands promotes QSR divison president to CMO

    Fat Brands’ leadership changes continue with the appointment of Jenn Johnston as CMO and the hire of two brand presidents to fill her duties at several brands. 

    By • May 18, 2023
  • A photograph of Nathan Louer, chief brand officer at Jamba.
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    Permission granted by Focus Brands
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    Focus Brands hires Jimmy John’s vet as Jamba chief brand officer

    Nathan Louer, who has held marketing positions at the chain for nearly 17 years, brings knowledge of brand strategy, digital, marketing, product development and operations to his new position. 

    By • May 17, 2023
  • An envelope and document related to Taco Bell's petition to eliminate trademarks over Taco Tuesday sit on a desk next to a purple pencil and pen.
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell Corp.
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    Taco Bell seeks to liberate ‘Taco Tuesday,’ a phrase trademarked by rivals

    Petitions filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are complemented by an online petition for consumers to sign.

    By Peter Adams • May 16, 2023
  • A promotional image for TGI Friday's loyalty revamp.
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    Courtesy of TGI Fridays
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    TGI Fridays raises cost of most loyalty perks

    The changes did not impact the points accumulation scheme, which remains one rewards point per one dollar spent.

    By • May 11, 2023
  • An image of a black building with windows and The Cheesecake Factory signage.
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    Maddie Meyer via Getty Images
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    Cheesecake Factory rolls out rewards program

    Following two successful pilots in Houston and Chicago last year, the company is offering a “surprise and delight” loyalty platform that gives guests access to benefits like reservations.

    By • Updated June 1, 2023
  • Actor Ben Affleck, wearing a blue plaid shirt and dark coat, stands center frame in front of a Dunkin' cash register.
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    Permission granted by Dunkin'
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    Q&A

    Dunkin’s CMO on bringing the brand’s vision into focus — and those buzzy Ben Affleck ads

    Jill McVicar Nelson detailed a “fewer, bigger, better” ethos that is helping to balance brand and performance marketing at a transitional point for QSRs.

    By Peter Adams • May 10, 2023
  • An image of a Cava with a mobile order pickup
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    Julie Littman/Restaurant Dive
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    Cava hires El Pollo Loco vet as chief experience officer

    Andrew Rebhun, who led El Pollo Loco’s digital transformation, will be responsible for Cava’s digital, marketing, creative and communications teams.

    By • May 8, 2023
  • An image of a Sweetgreen restaurant with a drive-thru
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    Courtesy of Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen CMO poached by delivery startup Wonder

    Daniel Shlossman is leaving Sweetgreen after five years to head Wonder’s marketing efforts as it winds down its delivery van operations.

    By , • May 5, 2023
  • A photograph of a standalone Chipotle around dusk.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Inside Chipotle’s record-breaking Twitter promotion

    A National Burrito Day giveaway earned the brand its second-highest digital sales day of all time and its highest one-day volume on social media.

    By Jessica Deyo • May 4, 2023
  • A Papa John's sign.
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    Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images
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    Papa Johns taps fast casual veteran as CMO

    Mark Shambura joins the brand after a stint at the fast-growing chain Mod Pizza and was praised for his digital- and analytics-led approach.

    By Chris Kelly • May 3, 2023
  • Promotional image for Resy as part of its reservationship campaign.
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    Courtesy of Resy
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    Resy ‘drops’ exclusive reservations in new campaign

    “Reservationships” offers exclusive experiences with limited availability at in-demand eateries in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and Washington, D.C.

    By • May 1, 2023
  • A women dances in front of a jazz band in the street.
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    Courtesy of Popeye's
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    Popeyes celebrates New Orleans in first campaign by new AOR McKinney

    Creative highlights how the fast food brand is in line with a “big city built below sea level [that] throws logic out the window and beads to strangers.”

    By Sara Karlovitch • May 1, 2023
  • An OOH ad for a DoorDash x McDonald's campaign
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    Courtesy of DoorDash
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    Column

    Campaign Trail: DoorDash proves McDonald’s food is iconic — even in motion

    No Fixed Address reduced the Big Mac and McMuffin to their essential elements for a print and out-of-home effort that ran in Canada.

    By Chris Kelly • April 28, 2023
  • An image showing various food items and brand packaging from LankyBox Kitchen.
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    Courtesy of Virtual Dining Concepts
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    Chuck E. Cheese will serve LankyBox Kitchen in-store

    The eatertainment chain will serve some of its virtual brand’s food in brick-and-mortar locations for a limited time, along with branded packaging and select awards and tokens.

    By • April 25, 2023
  • Yelp, office
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    Courtesy of Yelp
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    Yelp brings AI, video reviews to platform

    Diners can use the new “Surprise Me” function and “Clickable Category Tags” — two of more than a dozen Yelp updates — to find stores and restaurants without specific brands in mind.

    By • April 25, 2023