Three Brands That Ensure a Human Touch in a Digital Age

Consumers have always wanted speed and convenience when it came to ordering food at restaurants, and these trends accelerated with the pandemic. Diners are interested in using digital tools to remove friction from their experiences: According to Deloitte’s Restaurant of the Future Report, fifty-seven percent prefer to order online or via apps for off-premise dining, while 64 percent of QSR customers prefer to order digitally even when they are on-site. Naturally, this minimizes the human touchpoints that have historically been in place at restaurants.

At the same time, guests are looking for customized experiences that cater to their specific interests and preferences. The labor shortage has caused many operators to cut back on indoor dining hours and run skeleton crews, which leaves even fewer opportunities for guest interaction—yet guests still want to feel welcome and appreciated.

In other words: consumers want it all. Whether in the drive thru, at curbside pickup, having food delivered or dining inside, a human interaction typically occurs at some point during the food ordering/pickup process. Many operators leverage technologies such as apps, self-service kiosks, virtual cashiers, and food lockers to help with the labor problem. These tools are not meant to replace human interaction, but to complement them. Self-service technology in the front-of-house is intended to free employees up to focus on other aspects of customer service.

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Here’s how three leading brands lean on technology to create a better brand experience—person to person.

Wawa feeds it fandom on social media

Wawa is one of those brands that has such a dedicated and loyal fandom that “Wawa runs” are a part of the regional lexicon in the six states their convenience retail stores call home. Whether you need a tank of gas, a specialty coffee on the way to work, a delicious hoagie sandwich, or catering for the big game, Wawa has it covered. Wawa is so beloved that customers get engaged and married, conduct commemorative photo shoots, and celebrate key events from every stage of life there.

These make for incredible photos, stories, and moments of connection—which, of course, are perfect for social media. Wawa understands this and has used social media

to build a legion of connected fans across the nation. Bounteous manages Wawa’s rewards and loyalty program, of which social media management is a major aspect. Over the years, the team scaled Wawa’s social media following from 0 to 2.6 million followers and 2.5 million monthly engagements. The key to Wawa’s social media success is understanding their audience, which is largely made up of millennials. They rely on three pillars of social content: educational, incentives and promotions, and relatable content.

Educational content informs customers of offerings such as regular menu items and specialty drinks; relatable content is fun, bite-sized videos that are typically from the customer’s point-of-view; and incentives and promotions let guests know about sales, special giveaways and sweepstakes that only happen on social media.

Wawa also uses community activities to connect with fans. For instance, their “Summer Road Trip Experience” contest awarded one lucky social media user with a $2,000 AirBnb gift card, a $500 Wawa gift card, and five Wawa Road Trip Swag Packs, and 30 runners-up with their own gear-loaded gift bags. Wawa also features their employees on social media and the brand website’s career pages, instilling a sense of pride from inside the company outward.

Dutch Bros replicates the in-store experience online

Dutch Bros is known for its signature “broista” culture. Before the pandemic, Dutch Bros customers loved the company’s paper stamp card loyalty program and monthly sticker drops. The stamp cards and stickers were keys to cultivating culture and driving traffic and were both highly popular with customers.

When COVID-19 hit, Dutch Bros knew its loyalty plans needed to evolve, reducing contact without losing culture. Bounteous designed a custom app and loyalty program that gave customers the unique Dutch Bros experience, digitally. The

Dutch Bros App replaced paper stamp cards with a rewards program that allows customers to use mobile pay, upload funds from gift cards, and earn points toward free drinks and rewards.

The app also leveraged the popularity of the brand’s stickers. In addition to the physical sticker drops, Dutch Bros customers can now unlock digital stickers through the app. Broistas can also gift a digital sticker and guests can return the love with a digital tip.

More than 1 million people signed up for the Dutch Bros app within the first month of its release, propelling it to number one in the App Store’s Top Charts for Food & Drink. Revenue was also up 44 percent year-over-year as of Q2 2022, proving brands can still connect in meaningful ways in a digital age. By replicating its signature fun, laid-back, and personal in-store experience in its app, Dutch Bros found a way to stay connected with fans in the digital space while staying true to its brand.

Freddy’s

With more than 450 locations in 35 states, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers operates in the middle market space: not a small neighborhood chain, but not a behemoth, either. And that’s where Freddy’s sweet spot is. According to Director of Operations Steven Young, Freddy’s success is built on three pillars: quality, cleanliness, and hospitality.

All menu items are cooked-to-order, so food is always served hot and fresh, and members of the management team constantly circulate around the dining room to check on guests and ensure that the restaurant is clean and inviting. Freddy’s also has a strong culture of respect, family values and community involvement; their stores are often near family-friendly venues, schools and growing neighborhoods. They’ve adopted the philosophy of treating employees and vendors as family and customers as honored “Freddy’s Guests,” always embracing the “Freddy’s Way,” a commitment to family values and patriotic service embodied by the co-founders’ father and the concept’s namesake, Army veteran Freddy Simon.

“At our core we are all about kindness,” says Freddy’s CMO Laura Rueckel. “Whether delivery, pickup or online ordering, we are always trying to extend that ethos from a messaging and user experience perspective. Part of the reason we have grown to where we are today is our strong hospitality aspect.”

The restaurant industry is facing challenges to be sure, but amid growing pains and labor shortages, brands mustn’t forget the importance of good customer service. Yes, consumers want convenience, but they also want to feel valued and seen. These brands exemplify why the human touch is still of monumental importance in a digital age.

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