Operations
Nekter, Taziki's take home 'tech-related' Top 100 awards
L&L Hawaiian and Original ChopShop also received awards for technology deployments.
May 28, 2024 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
As part of our Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers gala, which recognized the industry's top 75 brands and 25 executives Sunday night in Chicago, FastCasual also presented four "special awards" in partnership with four companies focused on helping restaurants grow their businesses via technology deployments. See below.
Most Loved Delivery Brand: Nekter Juice Bar
Loop AI founder Anand Tumuluru presented Nekter Juice Bar with the Most Loved Delivery Brand, saying that fewer than 3% of stores on marketplaces are rated 4.8 or above, but California-based Nekter is one of them.
"Being able to achieve that customer love at 300+ stores is nothing short of a miracle and truly shows Nekter's dedication to operational excellence and meeting customers where they want to be," Tumuluru said. "Congrats to them on achieving this feat at scale and showing what's possible with 3rd party delivery. At Loop AI, we believe this is the decade for operators like Nekter who believe in investing in the delivery experience and off-premise customer delight."
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| Ovation founder Zack Oates is about to present Taziki's with the award for Excellence in Guest Experience. Photo: Willie Lawless |
Loop AI is an automated delivery intelligence platform.
Isaiah Green, Nekter's VP Sales, and COO Natalie Green accepted the award at the gala.
Excellence in Guest Experience: Taziki's Mediterranean Café
Ovation founder Zack Oates took the stage to honor Taziki's, which has about 100 locations, for its dedication to listening to customers.
"Feedback tools alone aren't enough — to see results, a restaurant must genuinely care about its guests by listening, responding, and continuously improving," Oates said when explaining why the chain won the award for Excellence in Guest Experience, presented by FastCasual and Ovation.
"Taziki's exemplifies this dedication, and the results speak for themselves. We analyzed Taziki's Ovation metrics related to guest experience, including response rate, average response time, and average rating, and in every category, Taziki's was world-class," Oates said.
Ovation is a multi-unit operations feedback platform for restaurants.
Julie Wade, Taziki's head of Marketing, accepted the award at the gala.
Third-Party Operational Excellence: L&L Hawaiian BBQ
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| Henry Engel, chief revenue officer of Superorder poses with L&L Hawaiian COO Andy Huang after presenting him with the award for Third-Party Excellence. |
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, a 200-unit chain based in Honolulu, won the Third-Party Operational Excellence, presented by FastCasual and Superorder, for how it's embracing the evolving landscape of third-party delivery and pickup.
"Their commitment to cultivating customer connections rooted in the Aloha spirit has not only elevated their brand nationwide but has also earned trust and loyalty at every doorstep," said Henry Engel, chief revenue officer of Superorder, an AI platform for digital profitability and operational excellence. "We honor L&L Hawaiian BBQ for its exceptional dedication to excellence across all facets of their digital business. As partners in their journey, the Superorder team takes immense pride in having played a role in their road to success."
L&L Hawaiian COO Andy Huang accepted the honor at the gala.
Best Kiosk Experience: Original ChopShop
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| Original ChopShop CEO Jason Morgan accepts the award for Best Kiosk Experience from Bite's Natalie Wild. |
Original ChopShop CEO Jason Morgan accepted the award at the Top 100 gala for Best Kiosk Experience in partnership with Bite Kiosk and FastCasual from Bite Chief Customer Officer Natalie Wild.
Original ChopShop, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, has 23 locations and recently added kiosks as well digital signage.
Shaquille O'Neal-owned Big Chicken took top honors at the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers awards gala in Chicago at the LondonHouse.
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About Cherryh Cansler
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Ovation
How Great Restaurants Get Better - Guest Experience Management Platform
Ovation is a guest experience platform for multi-unit restaurants that starts with a 2-question survey to drive revenue, streamline guest recovery, and easily improve operations. Thousands of restaurants, including leading brands like Dave's Hot Chicken, use Ovation to get more feedback, recover guests in real-time, and improve.
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