Technology
Mooyah Burgers ups its game with menu boards
Fast casuals have historically viewed the drive-thru as optional, but when COVID-19 hit in 2020, many had to rethink their strategies as indoor dining was no longer an option. One such company was Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes, which is deploying digital menu boards.
March 19, 2021 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator
Fast casuals have had an intriguing relationship with drive-thrus. While some have embraced them, others have left them to the realm of the QSR. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, however, many fast casuals had to rethink their strategies as indoor dining was no longer an option. One such company was Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes, founded in 2007 in Plano Texas.
The fast casual chain, which has than 100 locations in 22 states and five countries, needed to be as flexible as possible to its guests during the onset of COVID-19, which meant refreshing its online and app ordering, third-party delivery partnerships and upgrading its locations with drive-thrus and outdoor digital menu boards.
"As 2020 has shown, we need to be as accessible as possible for guests," Natalie Anderson-Liu, VP of brand said during a recent interview. "This means easy-to-use online and app ordering with loyalty, integrated third-party delivery partnerships, a seamless curbside experience, and a drive-thru format. While it's great to be at the forefront of innovation, we realized we needed to go back to the tried-and-true drive-thru in order to ensure future relevance."
The brand is scouting locations in three markets and plans to have two-to-three drive-thru locations ready to go by the end of 2021, according to Anderson-Liu, who recently chatted with us about the deployment.
Q.What type of technology are you deploying at the drive-thru?
A. To remain nimble and scalable as a brand, digital menu boards at the drive-thru are non-negotiables for us. In addition, we will have a pre-sell digital board to suggest popular menu items in advance of the ordering station. These pre-sell suggestions will be regionally and restaurant-specific, based on both what is selling best with the local guests as well as what is most profitable for Franchisees. Mooyah also features limited-time menu items a few times a year and those will be featured on the pre-sell digital boards with engaging animation.
Q. How do you feel this technology will improve the ordering experience?
A.The investment of digital menus should reduce friction both for guests and our restaurant operators. We can quickly adjust menu creative in response to feedback to make sure guests can easily find exactly what they're craving. Speed is important for both guests and the restaurant team, and the digital menu needs to facilitate ease of ordering. By recapping the order on the screen, this will also allow us to catch any mistakes in the order at the beginning of the process, saving time, money and guest satisfaction.
Q. Do you have any plan to add analytics to any of these platforms?
A. Yes, we want point-of-sale data to drive the suggestions we're showing on the pre-sell boards, as well as drive the order we're showcasing burger builds on the menu. With analytics as an integrated component, regional preferences can become a benefit and not a challenge.
The brand was not able to provide information on return-on-investment due to the fact it is still in the process of being rolled out. It was also not able to provide pricing information.
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