Today in Food Commerce: Grocers Enter Restaurant Space; Deliveroo to Open a Pizzeria

Today in food commerce, food delivery service Deliveroo plans to open its own restaurant, and grocers pivot to offer restaurant meals. Plus, Steph So, head of digital experience at Shake Shack, speaks with PYMNTS about the ordering channels key to restaurants’ omnichannel futures.

Restaurants Compete to Make Loyalty Programs Stand Out as Consumers Join Multiple Programs

Most consumers returned to dining inside restaurants in 2021, but recently developed habits and digital preferences are determining the strength of their loyalty to their favorite restaurants, according to recent PYMNTS research. Many consumers’ affinity for digital conveniences makes technical features a must for increasing customer loyalty.

Bell and Howell’s Bid to Help Grocery Stores and Retailers Monetize the Last Mile

James Hermanowski, general manager of Bell and Howell, tells Karen Webster that if 2020 was the year of the great digital pivot, we’re now in the age where grocers (and other verticals) need to make buy online, pick up in-store self-service options and delivery more profitable.

Seeing the Writing on the Wall, Major Grocers Enter the Restaurant Space

Taking a tip from Walmart, Kroger is entering the ghost kitchen space. The grocer announced Friday (Jan. 7) the opening of its first pickup and delivery restaurant in partnership with ghost kitchen operator Kitchen United at a Ralphs store in Los Angeles, California’s Westwood neighborhood.

Deliveroo’s Restaurant Efforts Could Spell Trouble for Merchants on the Platform

United Kingdom-based food delivery company Deliveroo is entering the restaurant space, avowing that its goals are limited to this one location, but if the company’s ghost kitchen efforts are any indication, there could be more down the line.

Shake Shack Head of Digital Experience: ‘Frictionless Will be Absolute Table Stakes’

“I think the bar will continue to raise in terms of guests wanting that personal experience, and then I think that the winners in five years will be those who can really differentiate their experience beyond that,” Steph So, head of digital experience at Shake Shack, tells PYMNTS in an interview.