Inside the tech that drives Carl's Jr. & Hardees | Phil Crawford, CKE Restaurants | 022

This episode was originally published as part of the Restaurant Growth Podcast. It has been rebranded as part of The Pre-Shift Podcast as of January 2023. The information presented may no longer be up-to-date and may differ from the viewpoints and insights currently shared on The Pre-Shift Podcast.Customer loyalty has come a long way from the paper punch card. Now it seems like every restaurant has their own app, their own loyalty programs, and their own way to reward customers and keep them coming back.We’re joined on this episode by Phil Crawford, the chief technology officer of CKE brands, better known as the parent of Carl's Jr. & Hardees. And we’re talking all things customer loyalty tech. We get into:Why digital loyalty programs are so essential right nowWhat type of rewards programs are driving guest satisfactionHow to use tech to enhance the customer experience—without replacing the human elementThe tech that will be common for restaurants in 2032The Restaurant Growth Podcast is presented by 7shifts and hosted by DJ Costantino.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Restaurant Growth Podcast00:48 Meet Phil Crawford: From Carl's Jr. to CTO02:13 Phil's Journey into Restaurant Technology04:00 Current Role and Responsibilities at CKE07:10 The Evolution of Loyalty Programs12:06 Benefits and Challenges of Loyalty Programs17:28 Future of Technology in Restaurants18:18 Embracing Technology in Restaurants19:26 The Role of Loyalty Programs21:40 AI and Robotics in Drive-Throughs24:27 Future of Restaurant Technology29:38 Global Perspectives on Tech Adoption31:25 Exciting Innovations on the Horizon37:35 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsSend us Fan Mail📲 Connect with usEmail usFollow on LinkedInMore 7shiftsSpotify | Apple Podcasts | Google PodcastsSubscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter7shifts on YouTubeFollow us on TikTokRead the 7shifts BlogAbout Us7shifts is a restaurant platform that helps operators and managers hire, train, schedule, pay and retain their restaurant teams. With an easy-to-use platform and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for over 55,000 restaurants.