Burger King lovers will soon be able to order, buy, and receive a Whopper without interacting with another human.
The CEO of Toronto-based Restaurant Brands International (RBI), which owns fast-food chains Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes, told BNN Bloomberg on Friday that Burger King worldwide He said all of his stores will eventually be “100 percent digital.”
“It’s good for the guest because it gives them a better guest experience, and it’s good for the team members, too, because some of the interactions are less stressful and they can focus on delivering a great product and a great experience.” Josh Kobza said in a television interview.
“And this is a win-win for franchisees, too, because it tends to improve operational efficiencies and generate profits as well.”
Kobza said there are already successful fully digital Burger King restaurants outside the U.S. and Canada, and the company is ready to bring digital stores to consumers in the U.S. and Canada. Stated.
One of the key aspects of digitalization is the introduction of kiosks, which allow customers to order and pay without interacting with an employee, but Kobza said uptake has been slow in Canada.
“Kiosk adoption has been a little slow in the U.S. and Canada, but we think the time is right and we’re starting to see some really great results,” he said.
“We are currently rolling out kiosks to all Burger King restaurants, and they have been very well received at the restaurants we have opened so far.”
Kobza said digital sales at Burger King and Popeye’s in the U.S. increased 40% in the third quarter compared to the same period last year.
Third quarter sales tracking estimates
RBI stock fell on Friday after Burger King reported third-quarter results that missed growth expectations. Meanwhile, Tim Hortons and Popeyes beat expectations in the third quarter, with same-store sales increasing across the board, Kobza said.
“Looking back, I was really happy with the quarter,” he said.
“If you look at the business as a whole, worldwide same-store sales were 7%. This was a great performance in our quick-service restaurant business and was consistent across all of our different brands.”
Last fall, Burger King announced it would invest $400 million in its “Reclaim the Flame” initiative, which aims to “accelerate sales growth and increase franchisee profitability” in the United States.
The plan consists of $150 million in advertising and digital investments and $250 million in new restaurant technology, equipment and building improvements.
“We are seeing a significant return on these investments. Same-store sales have improved every quarter, and despite lower foot traffic in previous quarters, we continue to make consistent progress on this front.” Kobza said.
“What we shared today is that our third quarter traffic was actually flat. This was the best result we’ve had in a while.”
