Consumer Experience News, Views, and Reviews: September 2022

Welcome back to our monthly news roundup for franchise consumer experience pros. Except for inflation, labor shortages, supply chain issues, and a possible winter resurgence of Covid, it’s business as usual. If you have news items, trends, reports, or studies you think will be useful to CMOs and our other franchise consumer experience readers looking to navigate the new future, please forward them our way! And now, the news…

…IN THE MARKETPLACE

Au Bon Pain’s Prototype Builds on Customer Experience and Convenience 

Freddy’s Turns 20, Predicts Record Openings in 2023 After Strong 2022

Home Care Workforce Projected To Grow 37% by 2030

Starbird (12 Units) Launches National Franchise Program Following $12M Capital Raise

Smalls Sliders (5 Units) Begins Growth Move with PE Funding from 10 Point Capital

Restaurants Are in a Perfect Storm, But Solutions Abound

McDonald’s Asked Food Bloggers To Decide on the Taste of a Special Regional Burger

Can We Finally Kill Off Cheap, Disposable Conference Swag?

…ON THE TECH SIDE

Restaurant Reputations Held for Ransom by Fake One-Star Reviewers

Panera Tests AI in the Drive-Thru in Partnership with OpenCity

Robot Cooks Are Rapidly Making Their Way into Restaurant Kitchens

How Robots Are Advancing the Pizza Industry 

International Domino’s Franchisee Explores Pizza Automation 

Digital Sales Drive Performance at Burger King and Tim Hortons

Everything You Need To Know About A/B Testing (Adobe)

Salted, a Digital Native Restaurant Company, Blends Ghost Kitchen and Brick-&-Mortar