Today in Restaurant and Grocery Tech: Grocers Bring Fulfillment In-House; Restaurants Tap Out-of-the-Box Rewards

Today in restaurant and grocery tech news, Portillo’s aims to raise $400 million in its initial public offering (IPO), and Kroger partners with Ocado to fulfill delivery orders without relying on Instacart. Plus, Chipotle Vice President of Digital Strategy and Product Nicole West speaks with PYMNTS about building digital loyalty without costly promotions and freebies.

Report: Taco Bell Serves Up a Subscription Service to Keep Customers Loyal

In September, Taco Bell test-launched the 30-day Taco Lover’s Pass, available in its app for select locations through Nov. 24. In an interview with PYMNTS, Zipporah Allen, chief digital officer for Taco Bell, explains why the restaurant chain implemented this new service and how it is accelerating its digital transformation.

Grocers Aim to Escape Reliance on Instacart With In-House eCommerce Fulfillment

Third-party fulfillment is no longer cutting it for America’s largest grocers. Kroger, the largest pure-play grocer in the country, announced on Tuesday (Oct. 12) that it is partnering with United Kingdom-based grocery technology company Ocado Group to create several new automated warehouses on the East and West coasts.

Restaurants Use Tasty Offers and Cloud Tech to Tempt More App Downloads

“The takeaway close” is a familiar tactic to marketers, leveraging fear of missing out (FOMO), along with perceptions of scarcity, to impel consumer behavior. It goes like this: brands tempt with items or services, giving exclusivity or special access to those who “act now” in some way. That appears to be the thinking behind a new Shake Shack campaign, where consumers who download the Shake Shack app get early access to the chain’s upmarket menu items.

Hot Dog Fast-Casual Chain Portillo’s Seeks $400M in IPO

Hot dog restaurant chain Portillo’s is planning to sell 20.27 million shares at a range of $17 to $20 each in an IPO seeking to raise as much as $400 million at an estimated valuation of $1.4 billion, according to the company’s filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Chipotle: Brands Can Drive Loyalty Without Bearing the Cost of Freebies or Discounts

Over the past couple of years, as restaurants have poured resources into meeting the needs of their increasingly online customers, Chipotle Mexican Grill has stood out as a leader in the digital space. Nicole West, the brand’s vice president of digital strategy and product, speaks with PYMNTS about the three key areas that the brand is focusing on to maintain this digital success in the year ahead: data optimization, conversational commerce, and in-restaurant digital integrations.

Getting Creative With Digital Loyalty Keeps QSRs’ Health-Concerned Customers Engaged

Restaurant rewards are increasingly becoming the norm for quick service restaurants (QSRs). As loyalty programs’ omnichannel reach only continues to grow, some brands are finding new ways to build digital loyalty to stand out from the pack.