Free books and fire truck-delivered pizza: Two pizza powerhouses show benefits of cause-based campaigns

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Mega-chain pizza brands, Domino's and Pizza Hut, are pulling out all the stops this fall to show the world how the Big Pie Guys and Gals do marketing with a…

RetailMeNot's latest marketing approach is one restaurateurs might want to consider

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

RetailMeNot is taking an interesting approach to product promotion that restaurateurs might not only find fun to review, but might also consider for…

Want social media success? Just EAT it

by Megan Redzia — Account Executive, SGW Communications

When it comes to social media success, it can be tough to remember that it's all about quality, over quantity in most cases. But the good news is, if you can…

3 steps to "wow-ing" customers with your loyalty program

by Brad Marg — Chief Operating Officer, Clutch

Last year, Google released data showing that "near me" searches on their platform doubled between 2014 and 2015. According to this USA Today article, Google’s…

How using customer data will make you a better marketer

by Dave Bennett — President & CEO, Mirus Restaurant Solutions

Marketing sometimes gets a bad rap as being immeasurable fluff, but no one can argue with marketing built on factual data that can also be measured.

Online or offline: Ways your restaurant can tap into Pokemon Go craze

by Seshu Madabushi — Founder & CEO, mKonnekt

In the annals of gaming history, this summer will go down as the summer of Pokemon Go. The augmented reality game has players worldwide out on the streets and…

Big reasons why big data can vastly improve marketing efforts

by Susan Lietz — SVP, MarComm, Tapad

We all know the big, failed product launches, especially those from companies known for marketing greatness like New Coke, the Arch Deluxe and Orbitz soda.

5 great ways paid social ads can equal more restaurant reviews

by Alex Membrillo — CEO, Cardinal Web Solutions

It's no secret that online reviews can be very beneficial for a restaurant's reputation and business. But many restaurateurs are not aware that they can use…

What's it worth to dress like me? About $8 million if you're Chick-fil-A

by Eli Portnoy — CEO, Sense360

Chick-fil-A conducted its annual Cow Appreciation Day about a month ago, on July 12. If you're not familiar with this event, it's an annual rite at the chain…

The good, the bad and the ugly about those food holidays

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Hamburgers ... Pinot noir ... peanut butter-and-chocolate: What do they all have in common? They all have specific U.S. days of celebration when the brands…

Where in the restaurant world will Pokemon GO, go?

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Computer code rarely lies, and the computer code inside  the Pokemon Go game for mobile devices indicates that the Niantic Labs product already has  McDonald's…

Minsky's 40th anniversary a prime example of accomplishing a lot through one event

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Midwestern gourmet pizza chain Minsky's got maximum promotional punch out of its 40th anniversary celebration with a campaign that not only permeated social…

Why restaurants should use menu-labeling delay to ensure accuracy

Even though some public health advocates have claimed the extension is a setback for public health, the good news is the delay gives food service operators…

Pizza-by-the-slice: A reaction to the hyper-competitive pizza market

With ludicrous competition in the pizza industry — 73,000-plus unique U.S. pizza stores fight for more than $38 billion in annual sales — operators need to…

How to create gift cards, promos, badges inside your restaurant

Instead of paying a third-party company to create your restaurant’s gift cards, why not save money and have complete control by investing in an in-house card…

CONNECT: How to get your app into the hands of millennials

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Millennials will only keep 20 apps on a phone so the challenge is creating one that makes the cut.

Customers demand targeted, relevant marketing messages

by Vic Mahadevan — CEO, Punchh

When blended, data on purchases, frequency, preferences, social media activity forms a 360-degree customer profile that can be used to build a long-term…

How to increase revenue in your restaurant without sacrificing customer service

Finding ways to boost profitability while still retaining your customer base is quite possible: it’s just a matter of adding perceived value to your restaurant…

4 ways to win with in-store marketing

by Kent Barkouras — EVP Restaurant Solutions, Primary Color Systems

No matter what other problems your restaurant faces, if you can consistently get enough people in the door those problems ultimately will not matter. High…

This gay-marriage thing isn't going away: what your restaurant needs to consider when taking a stance

by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group

With increasing support for and legalization of gay marriage among the majority of Americans, particularly millennials, it's worth considering how engaging in…