Global Franchise 10.2

In a world where eating out is as much about the feeling as the food, leading QSR franchises are showing that good old-fashioned hospitality and cutting-edge technology can – and should – work together hand in hand EXPERIENCE IS EVERYTHING CRAVEWORTHY BRANDS “Accessibility is key to customer experience” Craveworthy Brands, the parent company of Taffer’s Tavern,Wing It On!, The Budlong, Krafted Burger + Tap, Genghis Grill, BD’s Mongolian Grill and Flat Top Grill and Lucky Cat Poke Company, is dedicated to invigorating and supercharging legacy brands while nurturing and growing emerging brands. The company brings to the table an accomplished leadership team and leverages a shared services model that works to benefit its entire portfolio. The first step towards creating a next-level customer experience is to be accessible, and with a significant number of orders taken through apps, third-party and to-go, all ordering systems are designed to be easy, convenient and seamlessly integrated into restaurants. “A couple of the key initiatives we’ve rolled out across the brands and all the restaurants, corporate- owned and franchised, are tech- enabled to provide immediate customer feedback,” says Gregg Majewski, CEO and founder of Craveworthy Brands. “Giving all our guests direct and instant access to our restaurant leadership teams and our corporate support departments after an in-store visit or digital experience is critical. Why? Because if there’s a problem, we’re spotting trends immediately and resolving them. Every time there is any type of issue, we require the stores to do write-ups on themselves.We take customer feedback serious, because they are the lifeline of the brand. “Unfortunately, too many restaurants in America take shortcuts when it comes to hospitality,” Gregg continues. “We are proud of the training and guidance we’ve implemented across our brands to keep hospitality at the forefront. For off-premise dining, our tech-enabled solutions create convenience and ease of ordering/ payment, as well as top-level packaging to ensure our food travels well. But, when you come into our restaurants, we ensure the human touch is the reason why our guests want to come back. Our training programs focus on customer t’s 2025, and the quick-service restaurant no longer means “fast and forgettable.” The brands setting the pace today know that a great burger or latte is just the start.What keeps people coming back isn’t just what’s on the plate – it’s how the experience makes them feel. From the moment a customer taps to order or walks through the door, every interaction matters. The best QSR franchises have figured that out. They’re using technology not to replace people, but to empower them – turning data into personal moments, and routine service into genuine connection. Once upon a time, QSR success was measured in seconds. Now it’s measured in smiles, stars, and stories shared online. Social media has made every meal a public moment – a chance to impress, inspire, or go viral for all the wrong reasons. That pressure has driven brands to double down on empathy, design, and training, bringing a new level of creativity to how they serve. Across the world, franchised restaurant groups are leading a quiet revolution. They’re proving that hospitality still matters – perhaps more than ever – and that technology, when used with care, can make service feel more human, not less. In this feature, we meet three QSR brands redefining what outstanding customer service really means for guests. Each one is investing in smarter systems, better training, and a more thoughtful kind of customer experience – one built on consistency, connection, and care. Because in today’s world, food fills the plate, but experience fills the brand. I “Across the world, good hospitality still matters in restaurants, and technology, when used with care, can make the service feel more human, not less” 40 GLOBAL FRANCHISE Issue 10.2