Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

Using customer data to boost loyalty

A panel at the upcoming Restaurant & Innovation Summit in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from March 11 to 13 will examine how restaurants can leverage data to cultivate lifetime customer loyalty and brand advocacy.

Photo: Networld Media Group

January 13, 2025 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

It's far more difficult to gain a new customer than it is to retain an older one. This means that restaurants need active measures to foster customer loyalty. If a restaurant wants to improve customer loyalty, they need to successfully leverage customer data. A panel at the upcoming Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from March 11 to 13 will examine how restaurants can leverage data to cultivate lifetime customer loyalty and brand advocacy.

Alicia DiStefano, VP and practice lead of QSR and Dining at InMarket will moderate the discussion with panelists Jon Canter, VP of franchising, ClusterTruck, Christopher Caudill, SVP of marketing and innovation at Long John Silver's, Ivy Hanks, director of marketing at Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, Shelby Kier, director of digital marketing at BRIX Holdings and Devin Schneider, director of brand development at Jeremiah's Italian Ice.

This diverse panel will discuss how restaurants can analyze customer preferences, purchasing habits and other data points to create personalized experiences. This will include:

• Making targeted promotions and recommendations.
• Uncovering what makes loyal patrons tick.
• Addressing customer pain points.

In an email interview, Ivy Hanks said that utilizing data for customer experience initiatives is a "game-changer."

"I learned early on in college how impactful it is when someone greets you by name or remembers your preferences. It's a small gesture that makes you feel valued," Hanks said. "In the same way, using data to target customers with rewards and offers that resonate with them creates a more meaningful, action-driven experience. This is the tech-driven version of being known and understood—something every human craves. When data supports that level of personalization, it's not just marketing, it's building authentic connections."

The event will also feature other panels that take a closer look at customer experience initiatives. For example, the opening keynote will feature a keynote from Tabassum Zalotrawala, SVP and chief development officer at McDonald's on how the fast food giant is using technology, restaurant design tactics and operations to craft a winning formula.

Click here to register for the event. Use the code AMCEDIT20 for 20% off registration. Early bird pricing ends on Feb. 7.

About Bradley Cooper

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Bradley Cooper is the editor of ATM Marketplace and Food Truck Operator. He was previously the editor of Digital Signage Today. His background is in information technology, advertising, and writing.

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